Friday, May 19, 2006

No habla that language here anymore!

Senate Votes to Call English 'Common Language' of U.S.
Should English be the national language? Well, the Senate thinks so, and it appears the president is happy with the idea, too.

You guys comprende that? I can't wait until I no longer have to see everything done in two languages.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

The infamous fishwrap listed the votes on two competing bills - one declaring English the "official language" of the Unitged States, and the one which passed the Senate.

Based on how our NW senators voted, it looks like the "official language" bill was the conservative one, while the "common language" sham was the liberal fuzzy version, so I'm disappointed.

Anonymous said...

So youll still see things done in spanish.

Kaelri said...

Just a bit of antithesis for you.

Anonymous said...

From the Washington Post:
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid called a proposal to make English the official language "racist" on the Senate floor yesterday.
"This amendment is racist. I think it's directed basically to people who speak Spanish," the Democrat said during the already tense debate over immigration reform.

(...)

Mr. Reid's charge of racism caused a stir of whispers in the Senate chamber and gallery, and Sen. James M. Inhofe, the Oklahoma Republican who offered the amendment, was clearly offended.

(...)

When Mr. Inhofe took to the floor yesterday, he didn't address Mr. Reid over his charge of racism but did defend his proposal.
"I think it's an insult to Hispanics to say that we are not going to have English as the national language because you're not capable of operating and speaking and succeeding in a country like this,"[emphasis mine] he said.

But Harry's not racist himself, capice?

Robin said...

I think it's "racist" to force us to speak Spanish over Japanese, Vietnamese or English.

But immigrants-rights groups say their support is teetering. "This is devastating," said Raul Gonzalez, legislative director of the National Council of La Raza, after the English-language vote. "For us, this is a tough issue to bring back to the community."Washington Post
yes, it's a very tough issue to be required to speak the main language of the country that you happen to be living in.
boo hoo

MAX Redline said...

The "official language" thing's a sham because it provides for exceptions in order to accommodate Bill Clinton's executive order.

Included in the bill are the words that render it toothless: "EXCEPT" where required by federal law.

Basically, this won't change gov't documents now printed in Spanish.

We may see fewer signs printed in Spanish, but I doubt that even this will occur, due to the pervasive climate of "political correctness" today.

Anonymous said...

If I understand this correctly, this was an amendment they voted on... thus, the bill they amended would have to pass in order for this to become law. That bill being Bush's Guest Worker/Amnesty Bill.

It's time to vote all of them out of office.

Robin said...

I think that the key wording here is of the United States, declaring that no one has a right to federal communications or services in a language other than English except for those already guaranteed by law.

so they referring to the FCC rules?
because that does not sound like a common language provision.

MAX Redline said...

Robin,

Clinton's executive order mandates that certain federal publications be made available in other languages. It's not an FCC thing.

Anonymous said...

If I moved my sorry keister to Norway....I'd be expected to speak freakin Norweigan now wouldn't I??

There is absolutely zero common sense regarding this immigration debate. If you move to an english speaking country....learn english. If I move to a Spanish speaking country....I'll learn Spanish....plain and simple.

there is only one reason that someone would illegally cross into another country (by the millions) and than demand that that country accomodate THEIR language.....it's called an invasion / takeover.

Anonymous said...

Speaking English must be enforced, otherwise like most other immigration laws on the books, it will mean nothing. The proof will be in the enforcement.

Already, the flow illegal into this country at the border has escalated because of the fact that Jorge Bush mentioned guest/temporary worker program - which Mexico really heard Amnesty. The so-called Comprehensive immigration reform bill will be ineffectual because the House and Senate will not be willing to compromise - good for that, however the downside is that securing the border will not be ramped up for that much longer.