Thread: If you KNOW English, you are OBLIGATED to USE it!

At my credit union last Friday, I observed a woman client transacting business with the teller in SPANISH instead of English! At first I thought that maybe, JUST maybe, the client did NOT know English and needed a Spanish-speaking teller. Then she headed for the door. Cautiously I followed her out, taking care NOT to let her see me. When outside, I noticed her talking to someone else. Only THIS time it was in ENGLISH, and HER English was GOOD! I made my way to the bus stop to wait for the next bus downtown. My, was I EVER pissed at that two-faced woman for doing business in a FOREIGN language in an AMERICAN institution when she ALREADY knew ENOUGH English to get the job done! If we allow this UNCONSCIONABLE nonsense to continue, soon we WON'T have a country ANYMORE! When I recounted the incident to my legal resident Brazilian friend, she warned that you had BETTER officialize English FAST, or your great country is GONE!

Your friend is right about that joazinha. Most of the Dems keep voting down making English our official language. Like there should be any question.

At my credit Union a couple of months ago. There was a transaction going on, at a teller next to mine being conducted in spanish. When my teller asked me how I was doing today, I said "I would be better if my financial institution didn't cater to illegal aliens" She shot back "it's not catering" to which I replied, I'm fluent in German, do you have a german translator I would like to have it conducted in German. She said she did not, and I said you proved my point that you cater to illegals aliens.

I know for a fact that there are many Hispanic citizens who won't speak English unless they have too even though they know how. Many if not most of the illegals probably don't speak English.

Making English our Official language will not force anyone to speak English. My stance on our language is to use it out of respect when in public. I know if I were to migrate to another country or was even born there and my parents taught me two languages, I would speak the language of that country when in public. I don't care what language someone speaks at home, however. You can't teach some people manners and respect though, it is either learned at home or not. It shows a certain amount of arrogance and disrespect to not speak the native language of the country you are living in.

I don't know...I think it's going a bit overboard to insist people who are bilingual speak English 100% of the time.

I once dated a man who immigrated here (legally) from Germany. He was fluent in English but would occasionally speak German if he happened upon somebody else who spoke German. It was a great way for him to stay fluent in the language.

They came to OUR country so they better learn our language. Being unemployed has opened my eyes to the fact, if you're not bilingual in Calif. you'll have a hard time finding work...Why should we cater to them at the expense of U.S. citizens? We're being penalized for not speaking Spanish and we're in our own country...I sure hope someone comes up with a proposition to stop this craziness. Since when should an American need to be bilingual to get a job in AMERICA? God help us!

At the medical clinic where I work all the hispanic people (99% of whom speak perfect english) all refuse to speak english when in our office. All the medical forms are bilingual. If the patient wants to speak spanish we have to get an interpreter or else face being sued.

On the flip side, I have frequently witnessed spanish doctors just start speaking spanish to the patients even when the patients themselves start the conversation in english! Alot of the legal immigrants want to speak spanish in public, it's not just the illegals.

It especially boils my blood when they come in wearing "I love Mexico" jackets, speaking spanish and getting free medical while sitting there with Gucci purses and gold necklaces!!!

bchapp---I worked for the school district for years and would look at the long line for the free lunch program. It was disgusting to watch them stand in line for their FREE lunch and talk on their cell phones...At one school in our district they gave away 1,200 free lunches a day. That's one school, one district, one town in one state...It boggles the mind how much money is going to provide them food off the backs of the U.S. taxpayer! I was a guidance secretary and would answer the phones to Spanish speaking parents demanding someone to talk to them. One time I was screamed at by this man because I told him I didn't speak Spanish!

I think we're not offended by their use of Spanish. I think it's more that they're insisting that we use Spanish. And this was instituted by the great Bill Clinton. As a result, we are legally required to provide them translators. This is fouling up everything because, by the law Clinton passed, we either provide the translators if they request them, or suffer a lawsuit. I actually believe it's become a control issue.

I, too, am in the medical field. I cannot tell you the times I have had English-speaking patients who became non-English speaking in the middle of the night demanding that we provide a translator right then and there.... for really no reason. It was just "the law" and they were insisting that we adhere to "the law." I have cracked several teeth gritting them because of situations like this and trying to keep my mouth shut because I have a family to support. My hospital went to the expense of hiring a translator service via 1-800 and instituted a program of having several staff people be available to provide translator services.

This occurred in a spat of incidents over a period of time -- maybe 2 years -- and then it calmed down. From what I know now, I fully believe that this was part of Mexico's meddling. How many times have you seen something begin on the west coast and within 2 days they are spouting the exact same words on the east coast? It's happening now with racial profiling, "hate crimes," and this anti-deflamation movement. Want to know how it began? It began with funding from the Mexican government to the Mexican consulates who are now dispensing the funds to various pro-illegal orgnaizations like National Council of La Raza and LULAC. If you're interested, I'll spend the time to find the links for you.

[quote="americangirl"]I don't know...I think it's going a bit overboard to insist people who are bilingual speak English 100% of the time.

I once dated a man who immigrated here (legally) from Germany. He was fluent in English but would occasionally speak German if he happened upon somebody else who spoke German. It was a great way for him to stay fluent in the language.[/quote


If the Offical English bill passes it won't be against the law if someone speaks another language in public. My point was about respect and assimilation. We don't have millions of Germans in this country (especially here illegally) demanding that we cater to them in German. New immigrants and tourists are more than likely going to be speaking in their native language but when an immigrant has been here for years and still insists on using his native tongue out in public rather than our language, something is amiss. Many immigrant parents encourage their kids to keep their native language as their primary one too rather than English. These are all examples of non-assimilaton.