Is the English Language Proposal Racist?

[FredLC]

I'm not challenging none of that. I'm just saying that the term "de facto" official is contraditory; if it is official, it's not "de facto". - no matter if it's written in the Wiki.

Saying that it is the "de facto" language of the country would have sufficed.

 

[GenMarshall]

I'm not challenging none of that. I'm just saying that the term "de facto" official is contraditory; if it is official, it's not "de facto". - no matter if it's written in the Wiki.

Saying that it is the "de facto" language of the country would have sufficed.

Whops, my bad for my grammar error

 

[De Lorimier]

Establishing one official language would help the economy and make communication easier. It isn't racist one way or the other, it's just common sense.

I agree with the general sentiment that it's not racist and all, BUT:

How does naming English as the official language actually helps the economy and overall communications in the USA right now? I think it only does what .Shane. pointed to.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

The US is one of the few nations without an official language. Many of the countries with official languages have sizable minority languages, and as far as I know they aren't discriminated against any more just because another language is official and theirs isn't. English is already the de facto offical language (meaning it acts as the official language but isn't legally recognized as such). So I say let's make it official. Then maybe in a few decades we can add Spanish as our second official language (a country can have more than one, after all).

 

[Tycoon101]

Give solace to Xenophobes and win some easy points for politicians. But, it won't materially change much.

Thank God that someone (Offhand) mentioned me! Yep, that isn't racist and it's one of the smartest things that Americans have done in the past few years. I'm extremely glad that this has finally been approved.

 

[Truronian]

Thank God that someone (Offhand) mentioned me! Yep, that isn't racist and it's one of the smartest things that Americans have done in the past few years. I'm extremely glad that this has finally been approved.

But what is this actually going to do?

Everyone is saying its a good idea, but I can't see a single pointful thing that is going to occur now English has been officialised. I think .Shane. really nailed the true provocation for this.

 

[downtown]

This is a really stupid bill, and only being used for political pandering to score some cheap points with Xenophobes. Like everybody else has said, English pracically is the offical language. This changes nothing

It isnt rascit, but certainly, we have so many more pressing issues to deal with. This senate sucks.

 

[capslock]

So now I am a racist, homphobic, xenophobe. lol I am learning so much about myself here!

 

[MjM]

This is how it shouldve been in the forming of the country, before people could come out and whine about it.

 

[luiz]

There is no point in passing a pointless bill.
If everyone agress this changes nothing, there is no need to waste paper in it.

 

[amadeus]

Agreed. Either make English the official language or don't bother at all.

 

[zeon252]

it's not rascist at all, if you want to live here you should speak English. We shouldn't be playing the national anthem in Spanish, Mexico doesn't play it's national anthem in English.

 

[Neomega]

It would save us so much money and protect us against so many lawsuits if English were just made the national language.

For those asking, if english is the official language, than all contracts etc. would only have to be written in English, as well as warning signs etc.

 

[blackheart]

it's not rascist at all, if you want to live here you should speak English. We shouldn't be playing the national anthem in Spanish, Mexico doesn't play it's national anthem in English.

How the hell did this jump to what language the national anthem is played in? Last time I checked all major sporting events have the national anthem in English.

 

[nihilistic]

I'm not challenging none of that. I'm just saying that the term "de facto" official is contraditory; if it is official, it's not "de facto". - no matter if it's written in the Wiki.

Saying that it is the "de facto" language of the country would have sufficed.

Or you can look at it another way:

You can view it in context of mathematics and consider the modifiers as non-associative, that it is meant to be read as (de facto (official language)) but cannot be changed into ((de facto official) language). Essentially, the modifier "de facto" only applies to the term "official langage" but not the term "official" alone.

 

[Neonanocyborgasm]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060518-114129-1805r.htm



My main question if 82% of democrats approval making English the official language, why did 34-39 democrat senators vote against the proposal?

And exactly how can making english be the official language be racist? Is there a race out there that cannot learn english?

This could be a problem for the democrats if they dont wake up about it.

English is already the de facto official language of the US. It has simply never been formalized. The only thing that would happen if this law were enacted would be that all official government documents would be printed in English only. The government would not be required to use any other languages, to accomodate others. However, it does so all the time. So, in other words, if this law were enacted, nothing would change. So how is it racist?

 

[Tycoon101]

I'm glad that this has been done so the country has some national unity in one language. I like not having to worry about another language coming in and covering everything else up, thus disunifying the Nation. America speaks English and many other languages, but they others must learn English to be truly American.

 

[The Yankee]

I don't care if there is the official language or not...it won't change a thing other than having a few additional words on a piece of paper. You'll still see four or eight languages on your voter registration information.

But...I have to wonder why Harry Reid was complaining that this was racist and aimed at Hispanics. If the official language was going to be Urdu, would it still be just as racist? Feels like a bait to me...but I'm not being hooked.

 

[bhsup]

You'll still see four or eight languages on your voter registration information.

That's precisely the thing I'd like to get away from. I don't so much mind the bi-lingual signs at Lowe's, or the bi-lingual automated telephone menus. But voter registration, indicating that one is now a US citizen, should only be in English.

 

[The Yankee]

It doesn't really bother me. If it somehow increases our anemic voter participation, then so be it. Even if someone learns English, they may still be more comfortable in their own language or there might be something lost in mental translation, which I doubt, but whatever. It takes up a couple more paragraphs. I don't remember seeing the candidates' names in anything other than English, however.