Obama wants all kids to speak Spanish!?

[Xaquin44]

I am so sorry I did not explain this thought clearly enough. Then again why bother because you already think it is the dumbest thing you have ever read.
My point was the people who came here and established this wonderful nation spoke English not Spanish. Our Constitution was written in English not some other foreign laguage. Immigrants who came here in the 1800's learned to speak English because they wanted to become Americans. But then again you don't really care about this debate - just enough to bash someone instead of asking them to explain more clearly.

Hey, I'm not the one acting like some drama queen making threa topics that have nothing to do with the actual content of the post.

Also, The ORIGINAL settlers spoke their own languages (most of which are dead now (the natives and their languages). The next founders spoke some form of norse (most likely german/danish/norwegian/etc.) The next founders (the ones credited with the discovery) spoke Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. THEN the guys we all know and love came over speaking English, French, Dutch and etc. Later they brought slaves that spoke various African and Asian languages.

The only reason the constitution is written in english is because we killed everyone else faster.

that said, the founding of the nation aside, the majority of the country currently speaks english and I think that is what the minority should try to speak as well.


not that any of this has anything to do with Obama saying learning a foreign language can be helpful.

Drama queen.

 

[Xaquin44]

There are a couple of problems. The main one started by Hussein was an arogant talking down to Americans that they need to speak another language. That is the crux of the dispute.

Learning a second language should be required.

soooo you're calling Obama (haha you used his middle name like it matters) arrogant and then saying the exact same thing.

lol

 

[morningbell]

This is what Obama thinks is the most important thing for our kids to learn? Be afraid be very afraid.



YouTube - Barack Obama: Your Children Should Learn To Speak Spanish

Spanish is Latin rooted language as well as French, Italian, Romanian, Spanish, Portuguese and Greek. Once you know Spanish, you have an edge on your vocabulary. Plus its real cool to "prensa dos para o#r el menú en español"


I see no problem in this :shrug:

 

[bcp]

maybe obama should just try to run for office in a spanish speaking country.

 

[Dixie]

Spanish is Latin rooted language as well as French, Italian, Romanian, Spanish, Portuguese and Greek. Once you know Spanish, you have an edge on your vocabulary. Plus its real cool to "prensa dos para o#r el menú en español"

I see no problem in this :shrug:

A friend of mine took a Spanish class just recently. We went out to dinner at whatever that Mexican place is in Lexington Park - she wanted to try her Spanish out. When they took her order she merely said "numero uno". (Please excuse my atrocious spelling). I don't know why but that really cracked me up.

 

[Dixie]

maybe obama should just try to run for office in a spanish speaking country.

He is isn't he? (JK!)

 

[This_person]

OMG NOW I am frightened!

Our founding fathers may have spoken English but the people who helped settle and build this country came from all over God's creation. The person credited with finding this country was Italian - doubt seriously if English was his first language. The Spanish that settled in Florida probably had Spanish as a first language. The people who built the railroad were more than likely Irish, Swedish, Scottish and probably not English speaking. Who have I forgotten? The point is that we are a very diverse country found by very diverse people. Spanish is the second most common language spoken in America - I see absolutely nothing wrong with learning it.

There is nothing wrong with learning Spanish, and nothing wrong with giving credit where credit is due to people who were on the continent before the country (see the difference in those two words?) was founded.

That's not the point.

The point is the attitude that we should be concerned with learning a second language instead of concerning ourselves with immigrants and whether they can speak the language of the country. The point is whether or not we should establish what this country's language actually is, before it's too late to have it be English. The point is the elitist attitude that many Europeans can speak more than one language, and therefore we should be embarrassed that many Americans cannot.

 

[morningbell]

A friend of mine took a Spanish class just recently. We went out to dinner at whatever that Mexican place is in Lexington Park - she wanted to try her Spanish out. When they took her order she merely said "numero uno". (Please excuse my atrocious spelling). I don't know why but that really cracked me up.

she should have added "con una cerveza"

 

[This_person]

Oh man am I wrong in my history again? I thought that Christopher Columbus guy was CREDITED with finding America.

It wasn't lost. There were many people already here, in the form of immigrants from Asia and elsewhere. Some people inaccurately call them Native Americans - inaccurate because they were not native to America. Others call them (closer to accurately) American Indians, as they were in America and thought to be in India by the folks that named them this. Asian and Polynesian (sp?) is probably the most accurate.

 

[Dixie]

There is nothing wrong with learning Spanish, and nothing wrong with giving credit where credit is due to people who were on the continent before the country (see the difference in those two words?) was founded.

That's not the point.

The point is the attitude that we should be concerned with learning a second language instead of concerning ourselves with immigrants and whether they can speak the language of the country. The point is whether or not we should establish what this country's language actually is, before it's too late to have it be English. The point is the elitist attitude that many Europeans can speak more than one language, and therefore we should be embarrassed that many Americans cannot.

You didn't watch the clip either did you? Dympha (I've misspelled her name) did - read what she said Obama said. The person who started this thread has selective hearing.

 

[morningbell]

There is nothing wrong with learning Spanish, and nothing wrong with giving credit where credit is due to people who were on the continent before the country (see the difference in those two words?) was founded.

That's not the point.

The point is the attitude that we should be concerned with learning a second language instead of concerning ourselves with immigrants and whether they can speak the language of the country. The point is whether or not we should establish what this country's language actually is, before it's too late to have it be English. The point is the elitist attitude that many Europeans can speak more than one language, and therefore we should be embarrassed that many Americans cannot.

HA! We ARE immigrants! Try learning Navjo!

I watched 30 Days with Morgan Spurlok last night. He spent 30 days with the Navajo on a reservation. Those people stress family staying together, community and tradition meanwhile there is no work on the reservation so they have to move to San Diego, Tuscon, Lubbock, etc just to find work then send the money back to the reservation. Sounds familiar huh?

 

[MMDad]

Because taking on and learning a trade is a "low aspiration."

I didn't say everyone, Andy. I just said that you have low aspirations.

 

[Dixie]

she should have added "con una cerveza"

See? Now this is really where learning a second language could come in handy.

 

[Dixie]

My son has speech issues. Spanish would just screw things up!

English is hard enough isn't it?

 

[SamSpade]

There was a language requirement in my high school as well, growing up. They offered Spanish, French, German and Latin. I think Latin was a good choice for me.

But no one I know who took four years of any language can speak a lick of it now - because they have no need to use it.

I'm frequently astonished at the sheer volume of unadulterated crap I learned in school, most of which turned out to be utterly useless.

 

[This_person]

You didn't watch the clip either did you? Dympha (I've misspelled her name) did - read what she said Obama said. The person who started this thread has selective hearing.

I did watch it.

"People are worried about 'English only'.... But, understand this; instead of worrying about whether, uh, immigrants can learn English - they'll learn English - you need to make sure your child can speak SPANISH. YOU should be thinking about how can your child become bi-lingual."


"You know, it's embarrassing. It's embarrassing when, uh, Europeans come over here - they all speak English. They speak French. They speak German. And then we go over to Europe (laughs, crowd laughs) and (still laughing) all we can say is merci beua coup. (crowd laughs and applauds)"​

Read what I said in my first post in this thread. I did read it, and I have no selective hearing.

 

[morningbell]

English is hard enough isn't it?

We now speak in a series of abbreviations and codes. It makes me sad when I come across people not knowing how to use two, too, and to correctly or when people are trying to ax me and not ask me a question, like nails on a chalkboard to me.

 

[This_person]

HA! We ARE immigrants! Try learning Navjo!

I watched 30 Days with Morgan Spurlok last night. He spent 30 days with the Navajo on a reservation. Those people stress family staying together, community and tradition meanwhile there is no work on the reservation so they have to move to San Diego, Tuscon, Lubbock, etc just to find work then send the money back to the reservation. Sounds familiar huh?

The Navajo are immigrants, too.

What they stress is not what they practice. The alcoholism rate on reservations is around 50%. There is no work because they do not create jobs for themselves (sovereign nations and all )

 

[SamSpade]

I did watch it.

"People are worried about 'English only'.... But, understand this; instead of worrying about whether, uh, immigrants can learn English - they'll learn English - you need to make sure your child can speak SPANISH. YOU should be thinking about how can your child become bi-lingual."​

"You know, it's embarrassing. It's embarrassing when, uh, Europeans come over here - they all speak English. They speak French. They speak German. And then we go over to Europe (laughs, crowd laughs) and (still laughing) all we can say is merci beua coup. (crowd laughs and applauds)"​

Read what I said in my first post in this thread. I did read it, and I have no selective hearing.

I've been over there too. The hotel staff speaks English. The deli counter person doesn't. The bellhop doesn't. The waiter barely does.

Those people don't come over here.

It's like characterizing all Chinese as industrious, hi-tech nerds and scientists - thus ignoring the more than a billion rural peasants with very little education. Why do we think that? That's who visits here.

Learn a language because you NEED to. But not because you're "embarassed" by your culture.

 

[Xaquin44]

We now speak in a series of abbreviations and codes. It makes me sad when I come across people not knowing how to use two, too, and to correctly or when people are trying to ax me and not ask me a question, like nails on a chalkboard to me.

ugh 'baby daddy'

-shudder-