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A High School Senior that GETS IT! (vanity)
Her high school English paper | 03/11/09 | Miss Marissa D.

Posted on 03/12/2009 7:49:46 AM PDT by WakeUpAndVote

I was at a meeting last night and a members daughter was ecstatic! She just got an A on a paper where no one else dared to go titled, "Welcome to America, Now Speak English!". I hope this posts ok, had to share this young Lady's thoughts.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: aliens; english
When people think of America, they think of one big melting pot. Even in this case, there’s a certain extent to how much should the many different cultures in the United States blend? In the words of the 28th president Woodrow Wilson, “ While you bring all countries with you, you come with the purpose of leaving all other countries behind you-bring what is best of their spirit, but not looking over your shoulders and seeking to perpetuate what you intended to leave behind in them” (Sarvestani 1). It’s a shame when people from other countries want to come to America for a better life for themselves and their families, they don’t even want to learn the language. English should be the official language of the United States for many reasons.

The first reason is that the government spends a lot of money to help communicate with people that speak different languages. For example, Los Angeles used one eighth of their budget, which is two billion dollars, to print ballots in English and Spanish. The Immigration and Naturalization service spends $115 million every year just to cater to multiple languages. Written language translation alone costs 1.86 million dollars to provide the translation for food stamp recipients. It is even more for oral translation. Oral translation costs 20 million each year. Even in the medical field, there are costs because of the language barriers. For hospitals to provide translators costs 78.2 million dollars. Then if the patient needs it in the emergency room, it can cost 8.6 million dollars every year. As of now, hospitals are reimbursed by two companies, which are Medi-Cal and Medicare, and they only cover part of the cost. So most doctors are ending up paying $500 dollars per visit. On the other hand to provide bilingual education is another section that the country overall spends too much money. The nation spends over $665 million to provide bilingual education. These are only a few of expenses that have put the United States in the damage it is in (Thomas 2).

The second reason is most immigrants who have become Americans cannot speak English at all or not very well. . The number of people who can not speak English at all is 6.7 million people, which equals a shocking 2.9 percent! On the other hand, the number of people who speak another language other than English at home was 13.8 percent of residents. Currently in America, there are over 300 languages spoken in the States (Thomas 1).

If this plan would go into effect to make English as the official language, some people would complain, say that it is racist, biased, and unconstitutional. However, when immigrants come into our country, they state that the reason why they came was for a better life. If immigrants want a better life for their families, why wouldn’t they want to learn English so they could have the better opportunities?

Finally, learning English will give immigrants a better chance at jobs. If English were the official language, it would force immigrants to learn the language and they could earn 24,396 dollars more a year than if they could not speak English at all. Even if they know some English but are not very fluent, they will still earn half as much over an immigrant that can not speak the language at all (Thomas 1).

In the words of an unknown author, “If you can speak three languages you're trilingual. If you can speak two languages you're bilingual. If you can speak only one language you're an American” (“Quotes” 1). It is great if people can speak more than one language; however, if the United States wants to excel as a united country, then having one language as an official language would help. If America had one language, it would stop the government from having to spend so much money, eliminate the language barrier, and open more opportunities for the immigrant to have a better chance at good paying jobs.

1 posted on 03/12/2009 7:49:46 AM PDT by WakeUpAndVote
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To: WakeUpAndVote

Outstanding !!!!


2 posted on 03/12/2009 8:00:41 AM PDT by Kimmers (Working hard so Obamas friends don't have to)
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To: WakeUpAndVote
"Mexican Americans love education, so they go to night school and they take spanish and get a 'B'..."
--Cheech Marin
3 posted on 03/12/2009 8:01:54 AM PDT by Sudetenland (Victory in 2012...but first Victory in 2010!!!)
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To: WakeUpAndVote

When in Rome, do what the Romans do.

When in America, speak English.

I am surprised that she got an ‘A’ though, going against the establishment and all.....


4 posted on 03/12/2009 8:08:47 AM PDT by BornToBeAmerican (Freedom is not free)
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To: Sudetenland

While you were typing that I wrote another tune...it’s, like, the same thing, only different - you wanna hear it? :)


5 posted on 03/12/2009 8:17:57 AM PDT by Andonius_99 (There are two sides to every issue. One is right, the other is wrong; but the middle is always evil.)
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To: WakeUpAndVote

I am soooo proud of the one who wrote this! A++++++++++!


6 posted on 03/12/2009 8:19:03 AM PDT by mickidawn1969
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To: WakeUpAndVote

Very nice. Our society has gotten very good at stifling thoughts and opinions, even when they are pure common sense. We throw around trite expressions like “diversity makes us stronger” which can be true if we mean diversity of experiences and philsophies, but only if diversity is not an obstacle to communication and collaboration. Inability to speak to each other does not make us stronger, nobody could make the case that it does. It balkanizes us and that is not good.


7 posted on 03/12/2009 9:28:46 AM PDT by pepsi_junkie (Who is John Galt?)
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To: WakeUpAndVote

E Pluribus Unum!


8 posted on 03/12/2009 10:10:17 AM PDT by Two Kids' Dad (((( Two Kids' Dad ---- (T) - CA ** Join the "T" party ** ))))
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To: WakeUpAndVote; 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; ...

Excellent Essay Ping!


9 posted on 03/12/2009 12:17:41 PM PDT by HiJinx (~ Support Our Troops ~ www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil ~)
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To: WakeUpAndVote
However, when immigrants come into our country, they state that the reason why they came was for a better life. If immigrants want a better life for their families, why wouldn’t they want to learn English so they could have the better opportunities?

Back during the last big immigration wave post-World War II, applicants for immigration were asked to affirm that they were not part of the nazi government or sympathetic thereto. Any who lied were found and deported, even the 80 something geezers in wheelchairs today.

Back then, we were concerned about weeding out immigrants who were incompatible with American values and American society. Why can't we do the same now?

10 posted on 03/12/2009 1:30:44 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or, are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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