The Fair and Balanced ACLU. These guys are SO funny!

[Carrel]

We already have to cow tow to the minorities enough around here.  Don't beleive me?  Call any major business and wait for the language options.

So if I own a business and offer my services in several different languages that is "cow towing" to minorities? And all this time I thought we were trying to reach a broader market- I had no idea that some white people (I'm assuming you're white LePaul) would be offended by a business that offered Spanish language signs, operators or instructions.
You really are a sensitive guy LePaul.
Sheeesh.
 

[lazs2]

carrel is not as wrong as he usually is on this...

Any business has the right to offer their service in any language or combo of languages that they please.. if it makes more money for them to offer spanish options then they would be foolish not too..

When  the government does it then it is discrimination tho..  Polish speakers  should not take a back seat to spanish speakers..  tho.. I would say about 99% of the polish speakers here speak english too..   of the spanish speakers..  probly 50% barely even speak much spanish.

lazs

[Carrel]

Not to be totally wrong again Lazs, but if it's the Government they have a responsibility to reach as many people as they can, in as many languages as necessary. A business is driven by profit,, but a Government is driven by serevice. I would hope if it's important enough to be "official information" we'd do our best to get it out there, right?

[moot]

That's not the point,  that's not why "Press 1 for english" is so intolerably aberrant.

[bustr]

I remember when it used to be: "If you need assistance in a foreign language please contact the operator or press zero."

Before the ACLU began sueing over the right to access, people learned english very rapidly to be competitive as American citizens. American immigration laws were stricter and didn't allow the ACLU to balkanise the U.S. by making it effectivly a nonrequirement for 3rd world Bantus, Hamung, Somalis, south american\mexican indians, <place ethnicity here etc>  to learn a word of the U.S. english language.

But then the ACLU always did sue over things that had a side benifit for the democrud party of creating new voter populations........legal or ilegal.....

[mietla]

Not to be totally wrong again Lazs, but if it's the Government they have a responsibility to reach as many people as they can, in as many languages as necessary. A business is driven by profit,, but a Government is driven by serevice. I would hope if it's important enough to be "official information" we'd do our best to get it out there, right?

what you said is just plain silly. Tower of Babel has already been tried. A mild succes if I remember correctly.

You wanna live here, learn the language. I did.

[lazs2]

thank you carrel for restoring my faith in your ability to get it wrong.

No.. government is not service.   least of all in pandering to one group in an unequal way.  So long as english is the only language of government then it is as fair and equal as it can be..  when you add spanish then the polish (and every other language) speakers are discriminated against in an unfair manner.

It is either one language of every single known or possible language treated equally.. the latter is impossible so the only fair thing is the former.

It is also about contributing to the problem.  People who only speak one language that is not english are relegated to second class citizens.  For the government to sponsor them to continue such behavior is immoral.  Just as welfare and other socialist programs have created inequality and missery.

If governments job is to provide for justice and to uphold the constitution and raise armies then to pick and choose what languages (besides english) that it wishes to pander to is exactly backwards..

If government is, as you see it, a "service" that takes from those who can according to their ability and gives to those who won't according to their need....  then yes.. the more screwed up and unfair it is the better...
 
in such a world there is no unfairness... only progress toward utopia.

The framers.. and most of us libertarians and conservatives, know that utopia is wrong.. that your utopia for instance is my hell.. how is that fair?  Nope only the opportunity to make your own happiness.. the pursuit of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is the only fair thing..  the government is their only to make sure that everyone keeps their word.

lazs

[AKIron]

When I came to this country I didn't know a single word of the language. It took me the better part of 3 years to learn it. Fortunately my father and mother were willing teachers. English is the language of the US. You wanna live here, learn it like everyone else has had to.

[Carrel]

thank you carrel for restoring my faith in your ability to get it wrong.
lazs

You're welcome, Lazs- when you said I got something right it scared me, so I had to elaborate. 

[moot]

What was your birth language, Iron? 

[Bodhi]

I often wonder whether the people who support our government communicating to people in multiple languages expect that other governments will pander to them when they visit those countries.

[Maverick]

What was your birth language, Iron? 

Same as everyone elses, "WWAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"




 

[Carrel]

I often wonder whether the people who support our government communicating to people in multiple languages expect that other governments will pander to them when they visit those countries.

Actually multiple language signs are more common in Europe than they are in America. I don't know if they do multiple language ballots like we do, but with the exception of the printing costs, which are miniscule in the whole scheme of things, I can't understand the objection to their use. I understand a common language (English) is our goal, but immigrants understand that also, for the most part, and in fact our local junior college had to double up on the night time Conversational English courses.

[Bodhi]

Actually multiple language signs are more common in Europe than they are in America. I don't know if they do multiple language ballots like we do, but with the exception of the printing costs, which are miniscule in the whole scheme of things, I can't understand the objection to their use. I understand a common language (English) is our goal, but immigrants understand that also, for the most part, and in fact our local junior college had to double up on the night time Conversational English courses.

I grew up in northern Vermont, so we naturally did have some signs in French and English.  My mother's father spoke French when he was born in northern Vermont, but he learned English so that he could communicate and participate in our society. 

I have no objections to anyone coming to live here and not understanding English, but are willing to learn.  What I do object to are those that come here and expect us to learn their language so we can communicate with them.

[AKIron]

Same as everyone elses, "WWAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"