We should make Spanish the official Second Language of the United States

[many a good man]

in recognition of our fastest growing minority group. After all it was once the official language spoken for a large portion of the country that is now the US.

Every Latino immigrant should learn to speak English and every American should learn Spanish. What could possibly be wrong with that?

[Bill McBlueState]

1. people would have to learn something

And nothing gets right-wingers pissed off more than the prospect of having to learn something.

[sweetladybug]

4. I have no problem with legal immigrates but if they come to OUR country

they SHOULD HAVE to learn to speak OUR language (which is English) BUT it should be OUR choice IF we chose to learn THEIR language, but we SHOULD NOT be required to learn THEIR language!

[Occulus]

35. Not if done correctly

A funded mandate for dual-language official documents might do the trick.

[BlueEyedSon]

2. Chinese would be a better "investment"

[randr]

3. Should it be proper to play the spanish national anthem

at all San Diego Padre games?

[Bridget Burke]

58. I think the Mexican National Anthem....

Would be more suitable.

Actually, there will be no change from "The Star Spangled Banner." But--shouldn't the team change their name to "Saint James Fathers"?

[Cleita]

5. It unofficially already is.

Considering many places, towns and streets have Spanish names in many of our Western States, especially California you can't escape it. Also, I went to OSH today to buy some gardening supplies and noticed that their fix-it and how-to-do flyers are also in Spanish as well as English.

[Igel]

6. We don't have an official first language.

Spanish was in the SW and Florida. But French was also the official language for a large portion of what's now the US, and Russian was used in Alaska. German was the going language in part of the midwest for a while, as was Plattdietsch, and Czech had popularity in a wide swath of Texas.

I think having every American learn Spanish is great, with every immigrant from a Spanish-speaking country learning English--and those from other countries having to learn both! But official languages don't usually count for college language requirements, so that means college grads have to know three languages. No sweat. Say, let's have a model, and have every Mexican citizen learn Mixtec and Nahuatl, to show us how respect works.

What could be wrong with that is the amount of time devoted to learning something the primary value of which is showing respect. I figure immigrants, legal or otherwise, aren't showing me respect when they learn English in the US, they're learning a survival skill; and they certainly aren't showing respect or honor when they illegally cross the borders.

[Solo_in_MD]

7. I don't believe the we have an official 1st language

and efforts to designate one have been controversial in the past.

[kestrel91316]

37. Yeah. 'Cause they keep ignoring Urdu and trying to make English

our official language. The NERVE!

[Neil Lisst]

8. I like that. Sure, why not?

[Mizmoon]

11. I wonder though ...

is part of our national unity (such as it is) due to our common language? Is making newcomers learn "our" language part of their assimilation?

I think there's a case to be made that the US absorbs immigrants into the culture better than other western nations do - I think the language thing might be an important part of that.

[kestrel91316]

38. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. We may have different cultural backgrounds,

but we all need to SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE at the end of the day, or we will wind up like "The Former Yugoslavia".

[serryjw]

9. You're making me nauseous

These (illegal) immigrants have been here for 30 years. No one gave one second of thought to any of them. NOW we are march in solidarity? PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE! enough. This is America and we speak English

[EFerrari]

18. Wow. Maybe YOU speak English but plenty of people

speak other languages in this country.

And, btw, lots of people have thought about the rights of hon English speaking American residents, documented or not, for decades. We have attended classes with them, worked with them, marched with them, married them and been their neighbors. :)

[serryjw]

22. That's exactly the point

We were/are a melting pot of hundreds of languages/cultures. I see no reason why any other language or culture should now become 1st among equals. Whether it is official or not; America is an English speaking country and so is most of the of the world. You want to learn Spanish, Chinese, Japanese or any other language, please do. Let's not pander and talk about making Spanish an 'offical' language.

I have made no bones that 15 million illegals piss me off. You support them? Go for it. They are helping to destroy this country and I can't support them. People spent 10 years and thousands of dollars to become a US citizen. WHY should they take priority?

[sandnsea]

26. They won't take priority

They will have to spend 10 years and thousands of dollars to become US citizens, and get in line behind the current applicants.

Curiously, how many times have people told you that?? Why do you continue to ignore it?

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sandnsea]

42. Just like the blacks in New Orleans??

That's a disgusting post. I grew up in California and I've been listening to that racist bullshit for 40 years. I've also gone to school and worked with hispanics and they are as educated as anybody else.

Racist bullshit, that's all this anti-immigrant shit is.

[JI7]

45. that's racism

the post is nothing but racism. DU shouldn't be the place to post that shit.

[sandnsea]

47. Stunning, isn't it?

You want to believe people are misguided or have legitimate concerns. But time and again, scratch the surface, and out pops the racism. Sad sad sad.

[Name removed]

51. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Garbo 2004]

56. Wow. With such statements it sounds like you have a problem with Latinos

regardless of their status.

Guess you think there are no Latino DUers?

[shamrock]

31. what?

You say: "They will have to spend 10 years and thousands of dollars to become US citizens, and get in line behind the current applicants."

Don't they already have that option and choose to ignore it? I think (my opinion) What they want is amnesty so they don't have to do that.

[sandnsea]

46. No, they don't

It's near impossible for unskilled latino workers to get documentation to work in the US. What they don't want is fences and felonies and detention camps. What we should all be fighting for is a path to citizenship so we don't end up with revolving door labor trafficking.

[EFerrari]

34. The American Ethic in spades.

Buying your way always trumps hard work.

I think mindless hatred is destorying this country. I hope we survive it.

[kestrel91316]

40. Wanting people to stand in line and wait their turn, rather than

BUTTING IN, is mindless hatred???

Some of us just don't like rudeness. And that's what it is, to come into a sovereign nation in violation of its laws and start demanding the sun, moon, and stars. It's rude to current Americans, and it's even ruder to those who are quietly in line, waiting their turn, obeying the law.

[kestrel91316]

39. You are not alone in your anger.

[Common Sense Party]

63. Amen. I lived in Argentina for a couple years. I learned Spanish.

It's THEIR country, it's THEIR language--and I would be a pretty big ingrate if, while a guest in THEIR country, I demanded to speak MY language, and have everyone cater to me.

If I move to South Korean, I will have to learn Korean. Period.

If I move to Iran, I will have to learn Farsi. Period.

I don't know why this is so difficult for people to grasp.

[saltpoint]

10. I like the idea for two reasons. One, it inherently asks students to

learn more and achieve more than they are currently asked in most schools; and

it inherently suggests that improved, lifelong communication between people of different ethnic backgrounds is a great community builder.

Both notions have wide appeal for me.

I vote in the affirmative!

[jerry611]

12. We dont even have a 1st official language...nm

[EFerrari]

13. In the Southwest (land from the war), it already is. nt

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Leave it up to the states

In California, where I live, that would be an excellent idea. In other places, some other second language may be more appropriate.

[AspenRose]

24. In New Mexico, English and Spanish are both official languages.

I agree; leave it to the states.

[Clark2008]

15. A wee bit off topic, but funny, none-the-less.

My husband and I honeymooned in Puerto Vallarta earlier this month. All the wait staff knew nearly-perfect English though they were in a Spanish-speaking country.

We came home to Tennessee, went to a Mexican restaurant Friday night and NONE of the wait staff could put together a complete sentence in English, though they were living in an English-speaking country.

Talk about irony!

[DanCa]

16. What no Klingon?

Koy Koy Kempeck paugh kempeck maugh paugh. Qua plaugh

[ScreamingMeemie]

17. Except for the fact that Michigan has far more Arabs than Latinos

I think it would create trouble in states where there are large contigents of other immigrants. I say, let us keep our unified language and honor our different cultures in other ways.

[many a good man]

21. Spanish is a lot easier to learn than English

Debe que ser, yo lo hablo! And I never met a Spanish speaker (outside HS teachers) until I went to college. Learning a second language helps you in many additional ways, not least of all cultural appreciation-- and not just the culture of the language you are learning. Spanish and English should be taught starting in the early grades-- when its easiest to learn a second language. I think it would help make Americans smarter and better people!

[jerry611]

25. You forget it unless you use it

It's like math...you can learn it but you will forget it very fast if you don't use it regularly.

The best way to learn another language is to marry someone who speaks it.

[American Tragedy]

28. Well, Spanish pronunciation is certainly much simpler

if only because English has such horribly arbitrary spelling. But English also has very simple verb conjugations and virtually no grammatical gender, so in that respect there is less to memorize. It's actually pretty unique among European languages.

[kestrel91316]

41. When I was in Jr high and HS we got to CHOOSE which foreign

language to study: French, German, or Spanish. I chose GERMAN. My sister chose French. We both have had some opportunity to USE those languages. And it was our choice.

You would have everyone FORCED to learn Spanish???

[ScreamingMeemie]

49. I think the Arab population here would like to see their native language

be learned by as as well. Where would the line be drawn. The Latino population here is not as evident as the Arab population. My daughter speaks Spanish and is very fluent. It's not the learning I'd have a problem with. Ich Spreche Deutsche. It's the hard feelings among our other hardworking immigrants.

[American Tragedy]

19. I see no reason to suddenly start designating any languages as official.

We never have before.

And while there is nobody on earth who is more supportive of learning foreign languages than I, having studied so many myself, I believe it will only engender conflict and resentment to impose expectation of every native Anglophone in this country to speak and understand Spanish fluently. When I go to France or Germany, I don't expect them to accomodate me (though of course they often are able to).

[many a good man]

27. English isn't the de facto official language?

Why are you opposed to bilingualism? Our grandchildren will live in a country where 50% are Latinos and most of them speak two languages.

BTW, there is a social democratic tidal wave under way in Latin America. Maybe if we learned their language we could learn something from them. If we were less arrogant and self-centered, we could build bridges and spread peace and prosperity throughout the hemisphere.

[Freedom_Aflaim]

20. I have no desire to learn Spanish.

I certainly have better things to do with my time.

Is it really to much to ask that folks learn the language of the country they wish to join?

[JVS]

23. I don't want to learn Spanish.

I already know German, and can read Latin, French, and Norse. Swedish is next on the list

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

30. Nah. English Will Do Just Fine.

[TankLV]

32. Hell no! If that is REALLY the intent of some here, I will be the FIRST

in line to donate my time and efforts till I die to make ENGLISH the ONE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE!

Fuck that shit!

Either leave it alone, or make ENGLISH the official language!

Besides, if you want to get nasty about it, I'm for forcing everybody to learn UKRAINIAN - it's MY grandparents' mother tongue!

I could care less about ever learning spanish.

[moondust]

33. Grandpa Cortez approves!!

[kestrel91316]

36. Sorry. Not interested.

If we don't count the ones here ILLEGALLY, spanish-speakers are probably NOT the fastest growing minority. We (the general public)don't owe the courtesy of speaking their language to anyone who is in the US in violation of the law.

Come back and talk about this when they are increasing their numbers LEGALLY.

[Lethe]

43. actually, no we shouldn't. Mandarin is the 2nd most spoken language in US

so lets all learn chinese

[incapsulated]

44. Good idea.

Since the Chinese already have half our money, we should learn to speak to them verrry nicely.

[Elwood P Dowd]

48. It's not that bad

We only borrow a few hundred billion a year from them. The economy is roaring. Home ownership is up, inflation is down, and millions of marekurns is finding exiciting new jobs at Wal Mart. And, our children is learning.

:sarcasm:

[Hekate]

50. Not necessary. English is the world-wide language of commerce...

People everywhere take English in grade school through high school because the English language and American culture are so dominant in business and international relations.

Immigrants who enter this country without a working knowledge of English scramble to learn it as fast as they possibly can. If they speak their native tongue when with their families or compatriots, who can blame them?

All of the bloviating about making English the "official" language of the US is just that -- hot air. It's just one more tool to whip up xenophobia. Ask yourself -- who does it serve?

When politicians and talking heads complain about having to teach ESL classes in public schools, I think the question should be posed: Why not teach every student a second language? It's well-known that the younger a child is, the more easily s/he can learn new languages. Are native-born American children somehow less capable of learning than are the children of immigrants, legal or otherwise? In other words, who does it serve to have American children grow up with a narrow world-view, unable to communicate with people in other countries, ignorant of other cultures?

Hekate

[JesterCS]

52. >< I took

German in highschool.

So how is Germany these days?

[REP]

53. How About Teaching USAians How To Speak and Write English?

I very much dissaprove of this dumb-ass idea, especially when most USAians are unable communicate effectively in English. When every USAian is proficient in English, then we can worry about coddling some interest group with forced language teaching (I'm for coddling the Welsh-Americans with compulsory Welsh language classes).

[supernova]

54. Why? We don't have an official first language, either.

And I vote for NOT in either case. Having an "official" language puts you on the road to a kind of legitimized nationalism, and not the warm, fuzzy parts either.

[DemonGoddess]

55. Everything. Look, if you want to be FAIR about it, then

we all need to learn the languages of ALL the different cultures that come here, not just ONE.

[Bridget Burke]

57. We don't have an Official Language, so we don't need a...

Second Official Language. Immigrants have always come here speaking other languages. Few of the grandparents may have gotten comfortable in English. (My folks were lucky, coming from a country with centuries of exposure to English "civilization.") The working adults learned as well as they could--ESL classes still fill up quickly. And the kids learned--or perfected--English in school. (Of course, many English-only kids still need to "perfect" their native tongue.)

Language studies should be encouraged & should start in the earlier grades. But the kids should have a choice.

For reasons of history & geography, Spanish will continue to be spoken in Texas. No problema.

[Vinca]

59. Why don't we just annex Mexico as a U.S. territory? Or a state even?

I wouldn't mind moving to Mexico in my retirement and if we turned it into the U.S. I would actually be allowed to purchase property near the ocean and I wouldn't have to worry about all those rules concerning the amount of money I need in my bank account to live there. This isn't a snarky post, it's serious.

[MadHound]

60. If we based our language choices on fast growing immigrant populations

Then we already would have a handful of languages we'd be speaking already. German, Gaellic, Mandarin, etc.

Immigrants or not, one of the cultural issues that bind people into a nation is a single common language. I think that we need to keep it that way.

[seabeyond]

61. no we shouldnt n/t

[rockymountaindem]

62. Living in Canada for 3 years has taught me

that official bilingualism is a huge challenge for what might otherwise be a very united, federalist state. Both the English speakers and Francophones in Canada complain about language laws and usage, and it is a wedge that helps to drive the country apart. If we adopt a second language (which would be hard because we don't have an official first language), I forsee the same problem in the US.

Furthermore, as others have noted, there are many immigrant groups who speak languages other than English *and* Spanish. I think that English, the language spoken by the vast majority of US citizens, should retain some kind of superior status over other languages in our country as sort of a common denominator. That being said, I do think that more should be done to promote second-language education in our schools and among the adult population. Learning a second language has been a rewarding experience, and one that I think will help me and could also help many other Americans. It's a skill, and having more skills never hurt anyone.

[WinkyDink]

64. "Every American", meaning all immigrants and descendants thereof NOT of

Hispanic origin?
So the Hmong of PA. will also need to learn SPANISH?
The VietNamese in CA.?
Etc.

Look, yes, people have forgotten that the Spanish missionaries were all across the South/West in the 16th C., before Plymouth Rock. But the English gave us, via Locke, our Enlightenment principles, our liberty, our Constitution. We are thus an Anglicized culture, with a significant ethnic diversity.

And I DID take Spanish in school, so I have no animosity to the language or the learning of it, per se.