Posted on 11/08/2005 5:00:55 PM PST by IndyInVa
English As The "Official" Language of America? A recent poll by a nonpartisan research firm says 83% of Marylanders believe laws should be passed making English the official language of the U.S. This would require that all official documents and government business be conducted only in English -- no more printing in other languages. Do you agree with this proposal?
69% Yes
31% No
Done. Still running 69-31
Our Registrar of Voters sent my wife and I separate notices saying somebody in our household said we don't speak English. We were supposed to return them saying which language we wanted our ballots in. We threw the da**ed things away, cursing aloud how you shouldn't vote if you don't speak English.
Well, today, at the polling place, we didn't have an "X" next to our name, so the nice polling lady had to read us a notice from a huge card about our rights to get a ballot in any language. I went ballistic in front of her and the other poll workers, complaining that I've spoken English my whole life and nobody should ever ask me what language I want to vote in. They made me fill out a card saying I wanted to vote in English and get future voting materials in English. One of the poll workers actually said "Yes" when I said that people that don't speak English shouldn't be allowed to vote.
Mr. Fong was at the table helping out as an interpreter for the Chinese people who don't speak English.
BTW, my father's family immigrated from Germany in the late 1920s. They learned English pretty quickly to survive.
To top it all off, our polling place was the local firehouse. They have a new placard on the exterior of the building saying it is a "Safe Drop" location. The sign shows a pair of hands receiving a throw-away baby. Aaargh!
What we really need is to be speaking several languages in our country? Has anyone checked out the Balkans lately? Just another way to divide America. English only.
Why would one want to "attack" someone who spoke Spanish? Most of us rational types don't "attack" someone who speaks a language other than our own. I agree we should all speak English in this country, but please, there is no reason to attack others who don't speak our language. You are just a little on the radical side aren't you?
Just voted....it's at 69% for and 31% against.
Are you saying these papers should only be printed in their native language? If not, every paper would be printed in hundreds of languages to be fair, right? If it's only printed in their native language, I think that should be the responsibility of their particular embassy to guide them appropriately.
It's like that in other countries AND it used to be like that here!!!
What happened?
When?
And WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE!!!!!
What does pandao mean?
Beats me.
Welcome to America! :)
You should move to the midwest, even our Congressman came back from Washing on a beark, during his speech he said, how wonderful to be back in the midwest, where people still have common sense.
Hahaha, well that's a whole different subject!!
Pandao? Where did you find the word?
This has an easy answer, IMO. When in Rome...
Did you mean to say "pendejo?"
70% YES
30% NO
Work it, FReepers, work it!
I didn't write it but used to live in California as a child. I've heard the word, do you know what it means? I'll have to check back and see in what context it was used.
70%-Yes--And then there's a school in Jonesboro GA which today mandated that its students woould be made to be proficient in both Spanish and English--What a crock!
Hahaha, well that's a whole different subject!!
Sooo, do we agree if we don't have a common language, misunderstandings are prevalent? Shoot, we're both speaking the same language and were still able to misunderstand one another! A common language brings a common understanding. Exactly what is not happening in France, different cultures colliding. Let's not yet get into the culture thing and just agree that perhaps if they were able to communicate, none of this would be happening.
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