Thread: Ruben Navarrette: The right to speak Spanish

Originally Posted by reptile09

Is that not what we want. If their children and grandchildren are mostly speaking English isn't that a good thing? As the Hispanic family tree increases each generation, the adoption of English increases at an exponential rate.

My point is: Why does it have to take two or three generations for them to finally adopt the language, if they ever do? Most immigrants of every other part of the world learned English as soon as they came here, not after two or three generations. How many times do we hear about illegals and other Spanish speakers living here for 10 or 20 years and still do not speak a word of English? And if they refuse to learn English, how do they expect to properly prepare their kids for entering school? They thing is they don't, it is always up to the schools and ultimately the taxpayers to bring them up to the level of the other kids, costing us millions, if not billions of dollars in special bilingual, ESL or ELL type programs.

If those who chose to come here would take it upon themsleves to learn the language when they arrive and not wait for the next few generations to do it, we might not have such a huge problem with the school systems here, just look at CA. Once having some of the best schools in the country, they are now near or at the bottom, and all during the same period that millions of non-English speaking illegal alien and anchor baby kids entered the system. This is no coincidence if you ask me.

See. Here's where your going wrong. You're assuming that it takes several generations for a language to be adopted. Sure, the illegal alien who entered the country is going to have a tougher time learning English, but many still pick it up. As soon as they have their children and enroll them in Kindergarten, their children are good to go. They pick up English along with their classmates. I have yet to meet a child of an illegal immigrant who could not speak to me in English. It's amazing how they even picked it up from school alone and not their parents. They speak Spanish at home, but speak English with their friends. They did not need their parents to help them learn to read and write in English. Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, etc, did that for them. Their parents? Yeah, they have trouble sometimes, but they still try to speak it. All 1st generation immigrants have had trouble learning the English. Your mom did as well I imagine am I not right?

My point is that at 2nd generation (children of illegals) English is already adopted. The 1st generation don't speak it well, but they certainly speak it enough so that if you tried to pay attention to them you would understand what they're trying to say.

Originally Posted by flashman

I was at a store one time. Two women were speaking German. As I was searching for my brand of bread next to them, they continued speaking German. I had no problem with it though. Just because I'm there right next to them, does not mean they have to automatically speak English. I'm not going to cry over that. BUT, B-U-T if they wanted to speak with me, then I would very much appreciate they do it in English, not German. If they spoke to me in German, I would gladly let them know that I don't understand it. I'm not going to be rude about it and yell in their faces, "ENGLISH ONLY YOU DIRTY IMMIGRANTS!"

Some people are just to sensitive.

Can you identify the post that advocates yelling rude epitaphs at immigrants? I can't find it.

The problem is that people like Navarrette REFUSE to ACCEPT the fact that ENGLISH is THE language of OUR country. My Brazilian friend and I know English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and in addition she knows French and German. But my friend believes that PUBLIC blabbering in ALIEN tongues is RUDE, and I AGREE with her! Furthermore, we believe that ANY immigrant who REFUSES to LEARN English does NOT belong here!

Originally Posted by 1_paint

Originally Posted by flashman

I was at a store one time. Two women were speaking German. As I was searching for my brand of bread next to them, they continued speaking German. I had no problem with it though. Just because I'm there right next to them, does not mean they have to automatically speak English. I'm not going to cry over that. BUT, B-U-T if they wanted to speak with me, then I would very much appreciate they do it in English, not German. If they spoke to me in German, I would gladly let them know that I don't understand it. I'm not going to be rude about it and yell in their faces, "ENGLISH ONLY YOU DIRTY IMMIGRANTS!"

Some people are just to sensitive.

Can you identify the post that advocates yelling rude epitaphs at immigrants? I can't find it.

Nope. I cannot because no one here advocated that (at least not in this particular thread). But I do recall an individual yelling that exact phrase at what appeared to be a Chinese immigrant who was making at attempt to speak English. He must have had a bad day. I dunno. But my point is that I'm not going to get upset if they spoke to me in German. I'd kindly let them know through gestures that I "No speak German" "English please" or whatever.

Originally Posted by flashman

I was at a store one time. Two women were speaking German. As I was searching for my brand of bread next to them, they continued speaking German. I had no problem with it though. Just because I'm there right next to them, does not mean they have to automatically speak English. I'm not going to cry over that. BUT, B-U-T if they wanted to speak with me, then I would very much appreciate they do it in English, not German. If they spoke to me in German, I would gladly let them know that I don't understand it. I'm not going to be rude about it and yell in their faces, "ENGLISH ONLY YOU DIRTY IMMIGRANTS!"

Some people are just to sensitive.

The Germans are not demanding that everything be made available to them in German. Spanish speaking aliens/immigrants are the ONLY ones demanding this. THAT'S the issue here.

When they don't get their way, they scream racism. How's that for sensitive?

Originally Posted by flashman

Originally Posted by 1_paint

Originally Posted by flashman

I was at a store one time. Two women were speaking German. As I was searching for my brand of bread next to them, they continued speaking German. I had no problem with it though. Just because I'm there right next to them, does not mean they have to automatically speak English. I'm not going to cry over that. BUT, B-U-T if they wanted to speak with me, then I would very much appreciate they do it in English, not German. If they spoke to me in German, I would gladly let them know that I don't understand it. I'm not going to be rude about it and yell in their faces, "ENGLISH ONLY YOU DIRTY IMMIGRANTS!"

Some people are just to sensitive.

Can you identify the post that advocates yelling rude epitaphs at immigrants? I can't find it.

Nope. I cannot because no one here advocated that (at least not in this particular thread). But I do recall an individual yelling that exact phrase at what appeared to be a Chinese immigrant who was making at attempt to speak English. He must have had a bad day. I dunno. But my point is that I'm not going to get upset if they spoke to me in German. I'd kindly let them know through gestures that I "No speak German" "English please" or whatever.

The comparison of illegal aliens and immigrants is comparing apples to oranges. The comparison of people in the area talking to each other in a language you don't speak and being required to work with or do business with someone who can not communicate in English in America is comparing apples to oranges. Everyone should take pride in their heritage. But if they come to this country to work, they should be required to speak English well enogh to communicate in English.


When I found out the schedules for the state fair were printed in Spanish I requested one in Gaelic. I think I have that right. Don't you?

I am a new member and glad to be a part of the solutions that will return our Nation to what the first American's intended.

I work with a Mexican here on a Visa. He has had his application in for citizenship for over 8 years. He pays a fee every year to renew his application. He wants to be an American. He hates that these people are sneaking over here illegally. It is especially maddening to him when illegals speak spanish around us, or have the Mexican flag on their rear view mirrors.

It is "in your face" and they do it intentionally.

Welcome Lendo

Thanks for the welcome CaliNative. I have a large group of people in Houston looking for a group to get behind. Does ALIPAC have a Houston contingency?

I praise people who can speak several languages..... but it is not the display of linguistic skills that I find objectionable it is the cultural antipathy those speakers exhibit AGAINST the established cultural norms in the US..... is it their insistence on MAITAINING THEIR cultural ties and preferences over AMERICAN standards that make them HYPHENATED AMERICANS, less than 50% Americans ... if Americans at all. For LANGUAGE IS THE GLUE THAT PROVIDES CULTURAL COHESION...

RUBEN NAVARRETTE should address the question of DIVERSITY in immigration... I have challenged him to write a column on this question, but he refuses simply denying that there is any DE FACTO favoritism toward Mexicans/Latinos in the current US immigration system... I posed this question:

if the pre-1965 country-quota system was wrong because if discriminatedn in favor of white Europeans, then why is it not now wrong to allow this de facto discrimination in favor of Mexicans/Latinos?

Ruben simply denies that there is "discrimination"... but what do you call an overwhelming majority of immigrants being LATINO/MEXICAN?

where are the "discrimination police"? where are JJackson and Sharpton and Obama about giving African and Asians and others a fair chance at the American Dream?...