Five-in-six Americans support making English the official language of the United States

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

i think spanish is here to stay and will become more part of our society, than it is now, in the coming years

making english the official language, is a feel good jesture for a impotent country that allowed itself to get in this predictament with the large amount of illegals ..

Agreed at this point it would seem to be a symbolic gesture - so not sure it really matters whether they do it or not. Doesn't make much of a difference to anything.

[homesick_american 1]

Navarrette: Immigration anxiety is cultural

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- On Thursday, senators announced a rather remarkable bipartisan compromise on immigration reform that combines border enforcement, a guest worker program, a path to legalization for illegal immigrants, tougher employer sanctions, and an education/skills-based point system for future immigrants.

The same day, the Census Bureau reported what many Americans already know: The United States is becoming a Hispanic nation. Hispanics are the nation's largest minority with 44.3 million people and they account for almost half the growth in the U.S. population. Meanwhile, since 2000, the white school-age population dropped 4 percent, and the white population shrank in sixteen states.

The stories are connected. Anti-illegal immigration crusaders claim their worries are entirely practical -- tied to border security or the cost of entitlements or the fact that illegal immigrants supposedly depress wages for the low skilled.

(That reminds me. Memo to the low skilled: "Grow up. Stop complaining. And go get more skills. Then you won't have to suffer the humiliation of being driven out of the market by folks with a sixth-grade education who are here illegally and don't even speak English.")

But I digress ...

As someone who has written about immigration for more than 15 years, and heard from hundreds of thousands of readers along the way, I can tell you that most of the anxiety over illegal immigration is cultural. People worry about changing demographics, the encroachment of Spanish, the fear that the country is becoming Hispanic-ized, etc. One sociologist called it "cultural displacement" -- the fear that your children will grow up in a world different than the one you grew up in, with fewer advantages, where they will have to work harder for what they accomplish.

One of the more fearful members of Congress is Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-California. Last year, while campaigning, he told a largely white audience near San Diego that if we don't end illegal immigration, one day our children would live in a world where instead of electing to take Spanish in high school, they'll have to take Spanish. Bilbray now heads the House Immigration Reform Caucus. That's where members of Congress come together at regular meetings and complain about illegal immigration while counting the campaign contributions they collect from businesses back home, many of which undoubtedly profit from hiring illegal immigrants.

Last week, Bilbray popped up on one newscast after another and milked his 15 minutes. He opposes the Senate plan, which he calls -- wait for it -- amnesty. But, like most of the critics, he offers no alternate piece of legislation to solve the problem over which he claims to be worried sick.

The Senate compromise isn't perfect. But it's bold and thoughtful, and it's a start. It also did something that's very significant -- dividing traditional allies and uniting traditional adversaries.

If the deal crumbles, we'll return to the status quo. Illegal immigrants will still come to the United States do jobs that Americans won't do. And employers will still hire them. Nothing will change. No one will be punished or held accountable. There's a word for that. I know -- wait for it: amnesty.

That guy is so full of sh!t; I read that article a couple of days ago. He writes for the SD Union Tribune...big clue there.

[mawilson 2,133]

That guy is so full of sh!t; I read that article a couple of days ago. He writes for the SD Union Tribune...big clue there.

Why, you don't think the encroachment of Spanish is a valid cause for concern (for English speakers)?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

People worry about changing demographics, the encroachment of Spanish, the fear that the country is becoming Hispanic-ized, etc. One sociologist called it "cultural displacement" -- the fear that your children will grow up in a world different than the one you grew up in, with fewer advantages, where they will have to work harder for what they accomplish.

Let's just say for a second that this is the case. Is that not a valid concern for a people to have? Even more so if this process is majorly driven by people that set up shop in the country without having been invited?

To put this on a smaller scale for a second: Every homeowner out there would be concerned if his neighborhood takes a downturn and the value of the property that one worked very hard to establish goes down the drain. Homeowners associations and deed restricted communities exist because of that very concern. One is justfied in seeking to protect one's assets.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Of course it's a valid concern. But how do we deal with it?

I really like the idea of banning sibling and parent green cards. That'll end chain migration. That works.

But I really do draw the line at all the talk of deporting illegals. Many of them have been here for a long time, we've been complicit in their crimes by allowing them to stay as long as they have, by allowing the existence of all the facilities they enjoy. We can not, at this point, pretend we do not share blame for the situation and try to make scapegoats out of them. That would be wrong, whether it's legal or not.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Of course it's a valid concern. But how do we deal with it?

I really like the idea of banning sibling and parent green cards. That'll end chain migration. That works.

But I really do draw the line at all the talk of deporting illegals. Many of them have been here for a long time, we've been complicit in their crimes by allowing them to stay as long as they have, by allowing the existence of all the facilities they enjoy. We can not, at this point, pretend we do not share blame for the situation and try to make scapegoats out of them. That would be wrong, whether it's legal or not.

Why all the talk of deportation? There are so many guest workers here for a number of years that eventually run out of options and find themselves needing to return home. If we have no problem showing those folks - that came here legally to work and live temporarily - the door when their visas or their jobs end, then I don't know why I should feel bad about showing those the door that came here uninvited. And it doesn't take deportation. Their jobs just need to end - read: you gotta crack down on the employers.

I don't get the whole idea that the illegal crowd is suddenly entitled to more than legal guest workers.

[mawilson 2,133]

Why all the talk of deportation? There are so many guest workers here for a number of years that eventually run out of options and find themselves needing to return home.

I don't think so -- they would much sooner find their way into your home and my home.

Are we ready to face an army of 10 million hungry unemployed workers?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

So what changes would result if we were to make English the official language? Would it have any consequence? Or would we just be trying to make a point?

There is a fear and a movement motivated by that fear - that Spanish will become more integrated into American English. So what better way than to pour bleach on it.

Thank God, the race card played just in time.

I was a little worried we're not getting there in this thread.

Then why should anyone give a damn about the integration, use, or implementation of Spanish into our language? As if our English language isn't already riddled with 'foreign' words. Languages evolve...get over it.

[chri'stina 190]

Of course it's a valid concern. But how do we deal with it?

I really like the idea of banning sibling and parent green cards. That'll end chain migration. That works.

But I really do draw the line at all the talk of deporting illegals. Many of them have been here for a long time, we've been complicit in their crimes by allowing them to stay as long as they have, by allowing the existence of all the facilities they enjoy. We can not, at this point, pretend we do not share blame for the situation and try to make scapegoats out of them. That would be wrong, whether it's legal or not.

(about bolded part)

I don't like the idea of that, but for personal reasons. There was a hope that we could bring one of Suj's sisters here in the future, who is a widow with a 13yr old daughter, who will have no one to take care of her in India once my inlaws pass away. They are already elderly and I don't know how long they will be around. Yes there are other siblings there, but you know how everything falls on the son. (grrr on that)

It causes me a lot of stress(and even more for Suj) to think of her not being able to come live with us someday. Because that means we may have to go there very often or worse, move there. Moving there would cause us to lose a lot economically. And visiting the US would take much more saving than to visit India from the US.

I really don't know how we are going to handle the future if she can never move here. It's really a serious issue for us.

Yet I know that just because Sujeet lives here does not entitle his siblings to come. But there was a hope that she could come here and not be left alone in India.

[mawilson 2,133]

I don't see why sibling visas should be banned. Isn't it bad enough that it takes up

to 10 years to get your brother or sister here?

[Addie_Goodvibes 0]

You think it would eliminate the "push 2 for Spanish" message on the USCIS phone system?

That one really gets to me! Why not have other # options like push 3 for tagalog, 4 for Japanese. 5 for Korean and so on....

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Spanish is the second most common language in the United States after English. There are more Spanish speakers in the United States than there are speakers of French (another language inherited from European colonization), Hawaiian, and the various Native American languages taken all together. According to the 2000 United States Census, Spanish is spoken most frequently at home by about 28.1 million people aged 5 or over. Of these, 14.3 million reported that they also spoke English "very well" [1]. The United States is home to more than 40 million Hispanics, making it the fifth largest Spanish-speaking community in the world, after Mexico, Colombia, Spain and Argentina([2], [3]).

New Mexico is commonly thought to have Spanish as an official language alongside English, due to the widespread usage of Spanish in the state. In fact, although the original state constitution of 1912 provided for a temporarily bilingual government, New Mexico has no official language. Although Spanish is not the most spoken language in any one U.S. state, it is the second most spoken language in 43 states and in the District of Columbia. Throughout the history of the Southwest U.S., the controversial issues on language as part of cultural rights and bilingual representation in state government has caused friction between non-Latino and Latino residents.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_in_the_United_States

[Fandango 1,440]

Even in those instances where they throw a complete blinder?

ie:

Top five places you will find a lost television remote:

5. Under magazines on floor

4. In kitchen by the refridgerator

3. Boyfriend's hand

2. Under seat cusions

and the number one place you will find a lost remote.....

1. Beagle2, Mars lander!

Hooray!!!!!!

ps: edited to add that this is in reference to LisaD's post....

LOL Beagle2, Mars lander hahahahahahha

I woulda said 'the oven'

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So what changes would result if we were to make English the official language? Would it have any consequence? Or would we just be trying to make a point?

There is a fear and a movement motivated by that fear - that Spanish will become more integrated into American English. So what better way than to pour bleach on it.

Thank God, the race card played just in time.

I was a little worried we're not getting there in this thread.

Then why should anyone give a damn about the integration, use, or implementation of Spanish into our language? As if our English language isn't already riddled with 'foreign' words. Languages evolve...get over it.

Why did you feel the need to play the race card in this thread?

[homesick_american 1]

That guy is so full of sh!t; I read that article a couple of days ago. He writes for the SD Union Tribune...big clue there.

Why, you don't think the encroachment of Spanish is a valid cause for concern (for English speakers)?

*shrug* It never concerned me much.

ETA: You must be realistic when you're in Texas. It's the state that has the longest land border with Mexico, a Spanish-speaking country...and much of Texas was once part of Mexico anyway, and many old "Mexican" families have lived in Texas since it belonged to Mexico. They're as American as apple pie, and a lot of them still speak Spanish in the home. Hearing Spanish on the radio, having Spanish-language television stations and newspapers, and hearing people speaking Spanish in public never bothered me. It's part of the scenery in Texas. I grew up with it; to me it is completely normal.

Edited May 23, 2007 by homesick_american