Republican Presidential Candidates Tone Down Illegal Immigration Rhetoric at Spanish Debate

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

It's a waste of taxpayer money to have ballots and election literature in other languages when English is a requirement of citizenship.

Very true.

[HAL 9000 96]

Yet Republicans and Democrats alike love votes, no matter how hypocritical to established norms they fly. Its the same as those that support the same clowns year after year, full knowing that they are going to get the same dose of idiocy from year one through year four of each and every Presidency, and yet have the gall to complain about how things don't change.

[kerewin21 2]

It's a waste of taxpayer money to have ballots and election literature in other languages when English is a requirement of citizenship.

Very true.

English is not a requirement of citizenship in all cases.

Language

Applicants for naturalization must be able to read, write, speak, and understand words in ordinary usage in the English language. Applicants exempt from this requirement are those who on the date of filing:

have been residing in the United States subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence for at least 15 years and are over 55 years of age;

have been residing in the United States subsequent to a lawful admission for permanent residence for at least 20 years and are over 50 years of age; or

have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment, where the impairment affects the applicant’s ability to learn English.

http://www.us-immigration-attorney.com/citizenship.htm

In addition, many people who were born here and learned english in school don't speak well enough to understand the debates, much less people who are learning it as a second language.

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

In America, the national language is English.

The official languages of the Americas are: Spanish, English, Portuguese, Dutch, French and other minor languages (both native and creole languages).

It always piss me off how you "Americans" call yourselves Americans, even when you're saying that other people from the Americas are not welcome in your country.

maybe you can list another country or two that includes "america" in its name, say like the "united states of american venezuela" or "mexico states of america" or something?

maybe that's why everyone calls the usa "america" - it's the only country to have that in its name

United States OF America, as in, North America, Central America, South America. Mute point in form of once again favoring isolating ownership of something that is more than just "USA" geographically speaking to one particular nation. It is arrogant to think that America is only the USA.

It's childish and whiny to take offense to me calling myself an American.

[SMOKE 1,426]

It's childish and whiny to take offense to me calling myself an American.

i agree. just small people w/ small minds looking for something to ####### about.

[HAL 9000 96]

In America, the national language is English.

The official languages of the Americas are: Spanish, English, Portuguese, Dutch, French and other minor languages (both native and creole languages).

It always piss me off how you "Americans" call yourselves Americans, even when you're saying that other people from the Americas are not welcome in your country.

maybe you can list another country or two that includes "america" in its name, say like the "united states of american venezuela" or "mexico states of america" or something?

maybe that's why everyone calls the usa "america" - it's the only country to have that in its name

United States OF America, as in, North America, Central America, South America. Mute point in form of once again favoring isolating ownership of something that is more than just "USA" geographically speaking to one particular nation. It is arrogant to think that America is only the USA.

It's childish and whiny to take offense to me calling myself an American.

Its irresponsible to read selectively.

As I embolden my original point of view, not mentioning nor implying taking offense. Conclusion: America is North, Central, and South. Geography 101.

[no name 1]

Its irresponsible to read selectively.

As I embolden my original point of view, not mentioning nor implying taking offense. Conclusion: America is North, Central, and South. Geography 101.

It is. Post #37 explained it in detail.

Edited December 14, 2007 by devilette

[HAL 9000 96]

Its irresponsible to read selectively.

As I embolden my original point of view, not mentioning nor implying taking offense. Conclusion: America is North, Central, and South. Geography 101.

It is. Post #37 explained it in detail.

Two different things we're looking at here- geography vs. inclusionism.

Last time I looked, maps mentioned something more than just America as one political/cultural entity. Just a thought. Other folks, on the other hand, insist in taking ownership in a term that to them identifies themselves- in itself NOT a bad thing as all of us are in fact, Americans. I argue against excluding other Americans: those from geographical America by virtue of arrogance from citizens of the United States of America. Its unfortunate that we here in the USA don't have a more specific term to call ourselves other than a geographical identifier.

Nevertheless, you can call yourself anything you like. American, Mexican, Venezuelan, Bolivian, whatever toots your horn. []

lunchtime

[SMOKE 1,426]

Its irresponsible to read selectively.

As I embolden my original point of view, not mentioning nor implying taking offense. Conclusion: America is North, Central, and South. Geography 101.

It is. Post #37 explained it in detail.

Two different things we're looking at here- geography vs. inclusionism.

Last time I looked, maps mentioned something more than just America as one political/cultural entity. Just a thought. Other folks, on the other hand, insist in taking ownership in a term that to them identifies themselves- in itself NOT a bad thing as all of us are in fact, Americans. I argue against excluding other Americans: those from geographical America by virtue of arrogance from citizens of the United States of America. Its unfortunate that we here in the USA don't have a more specific term to call ourselves other than a geographical identifier.

Nevertheless, you can call yourself anything you like. American, Mexican, Venezuelan, Bolivian, whatever toots your horn. []

lunchtime

i see little minds can't grasp what has been so clearly spelled out for you. so, maybe after they change the names of those countires to-Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia of America- then maybe someone (the entire world) will refer to people from those counties as Americans. until then please remove the chip from your shoulder & move on to another pointless arguement.

have a nice lunch.

[mawilson 2,133]

I argue against excluding other Americans: those from geographical America by virtue of arrogance from citizens of the United States of America.

You argue a lot, don't you.

[no name 1]

You seem to not be able to grasp the fact that USA is United States of AMERICA. Hence, the name Americans.

Its irresponsible to read selectively.

As I embolden my original point of view, not mentioning nor implying taking offense. Conclusion: America is North, Central, and South. Geography 101.

It is. Post #37 explained it in detail.

Two different things we're looking at here- geography vs. inclusionism.

Last time I looked, maps mentioned something more than just America as one political/cultural entity. Just a thought. Other folks, on the other hand, insist in taking ownership in a term that to them identifies themselves- in itself NOT a bad thing as all of us are in fact, Americans. I argue against excluding other Americans: those from geographical America by virtue of arrogance from citizens of the United States of America. Its unfortunate that we here in the USA don't have a more specific term to call ourselves other than a geographical identifier.

Nevertheless, you can call yourself anything you like. American, Mexican, Venezuelan, Bolivian, whatever toots your horn. []

lunchtime

i see little minds can't grasp what has been so clearly spelled out for you. so, maybe after they change the names of those countires to-Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia of America- then maybe someone (the entire world) will refer to people from those counties as Americans. until then please remove the chip from your shoulder & move on to another pointless arguement.

have a nice lunch.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

Its irresponsible to read selectively.

As I embolden my original point of view, not mentioning nor implying taking offense. Conclusion: America is North, Central, and South. Geography 101.

It is. Post #37 explained it in detail.

Two different things we're looking at here- geography vs. inclusionism.

Last time I looked, maps mentioned something more than just America as one political/cultural entity. Just a thought. Other folks, on the other hand, insist in taking ownership in a term that to them identifies themselves- in itself NOT a bad thing as all of us are in fact, Americans. I argue against excluding other Americans: those from geographical America by virtue of arrogance from citizens of the United States of America. Its unfortunate that we here in the USA don't have a more specific term to call ourselves other than a geographical identifier.

Nevertheless, you can call yourself anything you like. American, Mexican, Venezuelan, Bolivian, whatever toots your horn. []

lunchtime

in your travels, why not take a world map and ask some of the people in the country you are in where america is. ask them to point at it. argue with them that what they are pointing at isn't the only america according to you. enjoy your stay at the mental hospital too.

[HAL 9000 96]

Its irresponsible to read selectively.

As I embolden my original point of view, not mentioning nor implying taking offense. Conclusion: America is North, Central, and South. Geography 101.

It is. Post #37 explained it in detail.

Two different things we're looking at here- geography vs. inclusionism.

Last time I looked, maps mentioned something more than just America as one political/cultural entity. Just a thought. Other folks, on the other hand, insist in taking ownership in a term that to them identifies themselves- in itself NOT a bad thing as all of us are in fact, Americans. I argue against excluding other Americans: those from geographical America by virtue of arrogance from citizens of the United States of America. Its unfortunate that we here in the USA don't have a more specific term to call ourselves other than a geographical identifier.

Nevertheless, you can call yourself anything you like. American, Mexican, Venezuelan, Bolivian, whatever toots your horn. []

lunchtime

i see little minds can't grasp what has been so clearly spelled out for you. so, maybe after they change the names of those countires to-Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia of America- then maybe someone (the entire world) will refer to people from those counties as Americans. until then please remove the chip from your shoulder & move on to another pointless arguement.

have a nice lunch.

Thank you "big" mind.

Arrogance comes from self describing while excluding. That is merely all I am referring to in my little-minded argument. But since you are taking your big-minded time to make an irrelevant answer to what I separate into two clearly different ways of looking at things, then please ask for clarification before confusing a simple debate.

In all my travels around the world, my observation is that foreigners have a better grasp of American geography than some folks reading comprehension does in this thread. They seem to be able to read North America, Central America, and South America better than many in our own country.

My argument is different than the officialization and acceptance of the term America as a political word- even though clearly, as Charles states, it is by matter of common knowledge that many people around the world take for granted that USC Americans self-describe themselves as Americans in the face of other nationalities. Yet, Charles needs to travel a little more in the Americas as I have to answer his own trip around the hemisphere. Funny to say that Amerigo Vespucci originally labeled what is now South America as America. Maybe then Venezuelans can easily and comfortably call themselves Americans just like we here in the States like to do, without us Americans trying to exclude them based on the name of their country.

Again, call yourself what you will. Do I budge when called American while going through Passport Control at Country X or Y? Nope. I prefer to simply call myself human.

[HAL 9000 96]

You seem to not be able to grasp the fact that USA is United States of AMERICA. Hence, the name Americans.

Its irresponsible to read selectively.

As I embolden my original point of view, not mentioning nor implying taking offense. Conclusion: America is North, Central, and South. Geography 101.

It is. Post #37 explained it in detail.

Two different things we're looking at here- geography vs. inclusionism.

Last time I looked, maps mentioned something more than just America as one political/cultural entity. Just a thought. Other folks, on the other hand, insist in taking ownership in a term that to them identifies themselves- in itself NOT a bad thing as all of us are in fact, Americans. I argue against excluding other Americans: those from geographical America by virtue of arrogance from citizens of the United States of America. Its unfortunate that we here in the USA don't have a more specific term to call ourselves other than a geographical identifier.

Nevertheless, you can call yourself anything you like. American, Mexican, Venezuelan, Bolivian, whatever toots your horn. []

lunchtime

i see little minds can't grasp what has been so clearly spelled out for you. so, maybe after they change the names of those countires to-Mexico, Venezuela, Bolivia of America- then maybe someone (the entire world) will refer to people from those counties as Americans. until then please remove the chip from your shoulder & move on to another pointless arguement.

have a nice lunch.

Something that I don't argue against. As I also and clearly answer and bold the preposition "of" in this country's name.

What are we arguing?

I think I need to clarify for those that fail to read me without asking for clarification: Arrogance is excluding other Americans from the Hemisphere. All have a right to call themselves what they want to call themselves, as I've stated for the umpteenth time.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

Yet, Charles needs to travel a little more in the Americas as I have to answer his own trip around the hemisphere.

i'm been to about 18 countries, lived for 15 years overseas and not in the mood to travel to every banana republic in central and south america just to see you proven wrong.

there is no other country that includes "america" in its title.

edited to correct number of years from 13 to 15. 12 in europe, 3 in japan.

Edited December 14, 2007 by charlesandnessa