[MineralMan]

"If they do not want to learn English why did they bother to come here???? English should be the official language of the U.S. If they do not want to learn then they need to go home to their country.
"

Hmmm....if you're talking about the Hmong immigrants, it wasn't so much that they wanted to come here. They're refugees. Remember that pesky Vietnam war? We used Hmong tribesmen in Laos to do much of our fighting in Laos. They were a minority in that country, but were traditionally hunters and worked with us to fight the Communist forces.

After our withdrawal from Vietnam (that's the kindest words I have for what we did), the Hmong who had fought on our side had to flee or be killed.

We've been bringing them here to the US for quite some time. They are settling in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and near Fresno, CA, for the most part.

They're learning English, but it's tough on the old folks to learn a new language. Here in Minnesota, they're becoming truck farmers, working in retail shops, and doing all sorts of other jobs. The young people are doing fine with their English, but the people who are older...in fact the very people who fought on our side in Laos...are having a harder time with the language. They'll get there.

I have Hmong neighbors, just two doors down from my house in Saint Paul. Grandma and Grandpa don't speak much English...almost none in fact. Mom and Dad speak it pretty well. The kids? They don't even have an accent. That is the way it has always been.

You say they should all just speak English. I'm telling you that it isn't all that easy for older people.

Did they want to settle in the cold climes of Minnesota? I doubt it. Did they want to come to the USA? I'll bet they'd rather be living where they've traditionally lived, at least the oldsters.

As for our Hispanic immigrants, the same thing applies. You may have noted all the young Hispanic men who are serving in Iraq and who are earning their citizenship through their service. Well, their LEGAL parents still have an accent or have trouble with English.

How many languages do you speak?

[ijcr]

A Swiss guy, looking for directions, pulls up at a bus stop where two Americans are waiting.

"Entschuldigung, koennen Sie Deutsch sprechen?" he says. The two Americans just stare at him.

"Excusez-moi, parlez vous francais?" The two continue to stare.

"Parlare italiano?" No response.

"Hablan ustedes espanol?" Still nothing.

The Swiss guy drives off, extremely disgusted.

The first American turns to the second and says, "Y'know, maybe we should learn a foreign language...."

"Why?" says the other, "That guy knew four languages, and it didn't do him any good."

[JSteff]

"How many languages do you speak?"

I know Spanish real roughly, and understand a bit of German but I will never need it. I was born in the U.S. and if I go somewhere else to live ..... well I would learn the language.

If I couldn't I would MOVE to were I could speak the language. You see I think it is RUDE for any citizen any where in the world to move somewhere and expect the citizens of that country to learn their language.

Do you remember the Balkans? That area of the world has like 20 some languages or language variants. How are they economically? How are they socially? How are they education wise?

They are NO WHERE! They have the U.N. and NATO running around with military troops who are enforcing PC rules. They are barely above third world status. Is that what you want for our country?

Why is it that the rest of most of the world teaches English as the second language? Why is REQUIRED in many countries that you learn ENGLISH? Because it is the language of Business.

So if any immigrants are here and haven't learned in a couple of years they are obviously NOT trying. You yourself said their kids have learned English which means they are able to speak two languages. So can they.

So can their parents and grandparents. If not they can move back to their country of origin or to the Balkans. Citizenship is NOT a right it is a responsibility.