He's running for President so he can do something about all of those things.
Posted on 07/10/2008 1:03:51 PM PDT by buccaneer81
Hold your (native) tongue! English embarrasses Obama By Michael Graham Thursday, July 10, 2008
Michael Graham hosts a talk show on 96.9 WTKK.
Embarrassed again.
First it was Michelle Obama, who had never been proud of American democracy until her husband’s electoral success.
Now Sen. Barack Obama says his fellow Americans are “embarrassing” him. Why? Because we don’t speak enough French.
“It’s embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe, and all we can say is, ‘merci beaucoup,’ ” Obama told supporters on Tuesday.
Just “merci beaucoup”? C’est dommage! (“That’s too bad!” for those readers not currently serving as Massachusetts’ junior senator).
And why is it a big deal to hear French and German spoken by Europeans (i.e., people from France and Germany)? Show me a Frenchman fluent in Klingon, and maybe then I’ll be impressed.
America’s language gap isn’t French, German or Swahili (currently being offered by Wellesley College). It’s English. Most Americans are annoyed by how many people living here can’t - or won’t - use it.
Obama disagrees:
“I don’t understand when people say ‘We want English only.’ Instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English - they’ll learn English - you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish!”
If Obama just wants more American toddlers watching “Plaza Sesamo,” that’s fine. But that’s not what he’s saying. Like his open-borders allies at the MIRA (Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy) Coalition, Obama is rejecting the idea of a single, national language. Forget “English Only.” All we need, according to Obama, is “English Maybe.”
As it happens, Obama is wrong on the facts. He may say dismissively that all immigrants will learn English, but the left-leaning Pew Hispanic Center reports that only half of all Hispanic immigrants who have achieved citizenship speak English well, or even somewhat well.
And that’s the number for citizens.
As anyone who shops at home improvement stores or has tried to order a McBurger can tell you, the English skills of the larger immigrant community are even worse. According to some estimates, 40 percent of all Hispanics in America live in “linguistic enclaves,” where English is unheard and unnecessary.
Obama’s reaction? Have American kids learn Spanish. After they finish their “French For Liberals Who Want To Impress Euroweenie Tourists” class, of course.
He’s not alone. The same day the Democratic nominee was urging a revival of Esperanto, the MIRA Coalition was on Beacon Hill, advocating full “civil and human rights for all illegal immigrants.”
Civil rights? Aren’t those for citizens?
Where did amnesty supporters like these get the notion that life is tough for illegal immigrants in America? In Massachusetts right now, illegal aliens can receive free medical care, access to our public schools, subsidized housing and, if they want, jobs that pay 10 times what they would make back home.
All this, plus the privilege of living in the world’s most prosperous nation. And now Obama wants us citizens to pick up Spanish, too? What’s next - a free tank of gas with every border violation?
There are many legal immigrants who know how fortunate they are to live in America. They are happy to learn our language and obey our laws for a chance to be part of this great country.
One key ingredient to that greatness is a common language for our common civic business - elections, schools and the courts. Obama says “non.” Another is the rule of law, also rejected by amnesty supporter Obama.
For the record, Obama speaks English and “a passable Bahasa,” according to the Indonesian ambassador. But in whatever language, Obama’s feelings about us typical Americans are coming through loud and clear. Michael Graham hosts a talk show on 96.9 WTKK.
And he knows this how?
I often work in an international airport, and most Euros don't speak any English if it's not their native tongue.
He may have had some odd experiences dealing with people in the hospitality biz if he ever visited EU (IF), but like with everything else, he's way off base here.
He's running for President so he can do something about all of those things.
Let’s see, of the two Boston newspapers, the Herald is the more Conservative voice and the Globe is the Liberal rag; right?
Well, don’t blame me. I suggested it to my Dean of Education back in college some (Oh, God, I just realized who OLD I am) 40 years ago, and got laughed off the campus. Languages are easily learned and retained if started early (before 5). But don’t tell that to educators. It’s fun when you’re little and such a great advantage when you’re older.
Bese mi asno, Obama.
How many languages does the anti-American black racist speak?
Yes, Jeff; with reference to your “poster” illustration in Post #3:
Please note that the bottom right photo that says “NUTS!” is now a moot point.
What?....oh wait....I see.....oh; o.k....never mind; Jesse didn’t follow through; my bad.
I was surprised to learn that they often have Spanish for the Second Audio Program of English Language broadcasts but never the other way around.
He’s demanding we learn Spanish and teach it to our kids because we’re being “groomed” to “accept” our transformation into a banana republic of the North.
He speaks English and a some very limited Indonesian that he learned as a child in Java. He doesn't speak Spanish or French himself and doesn't appear to be making any effort to learn. This reminds me of Hollywood greens telling other people to radically limit their "carbon footprint" while the stars continue to fly around on private jets.
True, although the Herald has certain pet leftist agendas, gay rights probably the most prominent.
The Globe is owned by the New York Times, and it shows.
Even if it’s true that many Europeans speak more than 1 language, why is that an embarrassment to America? Why is there an assumption that all Americans should speak multiple languages?
Why is it an either/or situation regarding whether English should be our official language vs. whether our kids learn Spanish? One doesn’t exclude the other. What kind of logical fallacy is he pulling on us? I think there’s a name for that bait and swtich type of argument but not sure what it’s called.
I guess my overriding question for Obama if I ever got to ask him, would be “Why is this important?” Why is it important that we all learn multiple languages to keep up with Europe, and why is it unimportant to have English as our official language?
I’m sure his little children speak Spanish, right? Just like Obama and the now proud Mrs. Obamalamadingdong....
However, this level of knowledge is clearly beyond '58 States' Hussein's level of understanding. Hope he keeps mouthing such stupidities all the way up to November.
However, this level of knowledge is clearly beyond '58 States' Hussein's level of understanding. Hope he keeps mouthing such anti-American stupidities all the way up to November.
I absolutely agree. My Mom is a native French speaker (Quebec) and I was well and truly bilingual until I started losing the French after college (and that was more than twenty years ago.)
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