Thread: Gingrich: Declare English official

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/nation/16542258.htm

Thu, Jan. 25, 2007

Gingrich: Declare English official
By EUNICE MOSCOSO
Cox News Service

WASHINGTON - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Wednesday that American civilization will "decay" unless the government declares English the nation's official language and works aggressively to help immigrants learn English.

"Immigrant parents want their children to compete in the core American economic system and to have the highest possible income," Gingrich said. "That inherently requires mastering English. Those people who would trap immigrants into linguistic ghettos ... are in fact denying them the opportunity to pursue happiness."

Gingrich, a Republican who might run for president, spoke at a news conference sponsored by ProEnglish, an organization pushing for English as the nation's official language.

Gingrich said that bilingual education in the United States, which puts non-English speakers in separate classes, has been "stunningly destructive" and that the money spent on bilingual education should be transferred to English immersion programs for students.

He also said the federal government should create English immersion centers for adults; offer vouchers to help immigrants take English classes online or buy English-learning products; and stop printing voting ballots in other languages.

"We should have a principle that government documents are in English," Gingrich said.

He said that he has nothing against other cultures and welcomes Spanish-language television stations and Vietnamese newspapers but that English must be a unifying force in the country.

Immigrant advocates and civil rights groups say that making English the nation's official language would infringe on people's right to free speech, would encourage discrimination against immigrants and could make it difficult for people with limited or no English skills to receive basic public services such as healthcare.

John Trasvina, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said that a national official English law is unnecessary.

"Latinos and immigrants do not need a law to tell them that English is the language to get ahead in the United States," he said. "A conservative like Newt Gingrich ought to know that you don't pass a law, you provide English classes."

ProEnglish released a Zogby poll Wednesday that shows 69 percent of Americans believe that the country is at risk of becoming a multilingual society where people cannot communicate with each other.

The poll also shows that 92 percent agreed that preserving English as a common language is important to maintaining unity as a nation, and 60 percent said Congress and the president are not doing enough to protect English as a common, unifying language. The poll of 1,019 likely voters was conducted in December and has a 3 percentage-point margin of error.

Several counties, cities and towns across the United States, including Cherokee County, Ga., and Farmers Branch, have adopted ordinances declaring English their official language to crack down on illegal immigration.

In Farmers Branch, the City Council decided Monday to allow residents to vote on the immigration ordinance in May.

K.C. McAlpin, who grew up in Houston and is executive director of ProEnglish, said that more towns and cities will follow if the federal government fails to address the issue.

"This popular demand is only going to grow in intensity until Congress and the president act," he said.

This report includes material from the Houston Chronicle.

ONLINE: ProEnglish, www.proenglish.org

"Immigrant parents want their children to compete in the core American economic system and to have the highest possible income," Gingrich said. "That inherently requires mastering English.

Is he talking "immigrant parents" or "illegal immigrant parents"?

The majority of illegal immigrant parents don't give a damn about their children mastering English. They plan to take over the US anyway.

English should have been made the official language years ago. I don't know about Canada but in Europe when a country has more than one official language there are always problems. Look at the UN and NATO.

NEWT........you ole bull shit artist

What a dycodomy you present to the American people.
Getting them ready for the GUEST WORKER are ya?
For the NAU?

Beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing.

.

I agree sis. Newt is more of the same ole, same ole...

Someone really needs to stand up to these advocacy groups once and for all and tell them point blank that making English the official language in no way infringes on free speech. They are free to say anything they wish--they will just have to learn how to say it in English! Not only that, but they are free to speak their native language on their own, but the language of government and commerce is to be in English. Enough of these ridiculous, nonsensical arguments. Oh, and while I'm at it: they say that we don't need a law making English the official language because everyone knows they need to speak English. My answer to them: humor us.

It's a sign of just how far down we've come that we need to justify six ways till Sunday why English should be the language spoken the the USA.

Originally Posted by AlturaCt

I agree sis. Newt is more of the same ole, same ole...

Except for the fact that he's put up the steam in the bull shit Americans category.

"Immigrant parents want their children to compete in the core American economic system and to have the highest possible income," Gingrich said. "That inherently requires mastering English. Those people who would trap immigrants into linguistic ghettos ... are in fact denying them the opportunity to pursue happiness."

I'm no fan of Newt but I'll endorse any effort to demand English be declared our nations language and stop spending money on bilingual services and print materials!!!

Originally Posted by CCUSA

"Immigrant parents want their children to compete in the core American economic system and to have the highest possible income," Gingrich said. "That inherently requires mastering English. Those people who would trap immigrants into linguistic ghettos ... are in fact denying them the opportunity to pursue happiness."

I'm no fan of Newt but I'll endorse any effort to demand English be declared our nations language and stop spending money on bilingual services and print materials!!!

CC
Newt is for GUEST WORKER/AMNESTY
He'll just be taking more American taxpayer money for the BIG goal.

The only people trapping anyone into a linguistic ghetto are the ILLEGALS themselves. They've been given EVERY opportunity - at taxpayer expense I might add - to learn ENGLISH.

It's all in the fine print, CC. He's blowing a smoke screen.

To be sure, I want English declared as well. But Newt is a deceiver and anything he says has an underlying goal. In this case it's to smooze the American people into a corner and push a GUEST WORKER on HIS word.

I was not a fan and now I'm definately not a fan.