Bill would make English official language of Pennsylvania
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| | Kelly Burt 
United States
Local time: 13:21
Member (2014)
German to English
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| Thinly-disguised Xenophobia | Mar 27, 2014 |
That's all any of these attempts at establishing an "official language" for the US or for individual states amount to. There are many reasons why people who come to the US don't/can't learn English, and there are communities of people who are born here for whom English is not their first language (and that doesn't necessarily mean Spanish is, either). Refusing to print documents and such in any language but English accomplishes nothing other than to make communication difficult and to send the... See more That's all any of these attempts at establishing an "official language" for the US or for individual states amount to. There are many reasons why people who come to the US don't/can't learn English, and there are communities of people who are born here for whom English is not their first language (and that doesn't necessarily mean Spanish is, either). Refusing to print documents and such in any language but English accomplishes nothing other than to make communication difficult and to send the message that immigrants aren't welcome in the US; it also shows a deep ignorance of and disrespect for the nation's history. Terrible.
[Edited at 2014-03-27 02:26 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | They will still be required to provide court interpreters | Mar 27, 2014 |
and translate all federal documents, because failing to do o would be a violation of the federal law, even if the bill passes.
[Edited at 2014-03-27 07:16 GMT]
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 22:21
Spanish to English
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Kelly Burt wrote:
Refusing to print documents and such in any language but English accomplishes nothing other than to make communication difficult and to send the message that immigrants aren't welcome in the US; it also shows a deep ignorance of and disrespect for the nation's history. Terrible.
[Edited at 2014-03-27 02:26 GMT]
Wholehearteed agreement here. The thin end of the wedge indeed.
| | | | liz askew
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:21
Member (2007)
French to English
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| Thinly-disguised Xenophobia | Apr 5, 2014 |
Kelly Burt wrote:
There are many reasons why people who come to the US don't/can't learn English.....
...send the message that immigrants aren't welcome in the US
Having lived abroad for years, I believe there is ONE reason to learn the "local lingo": one is a guest in other people's home. This IMHO overpowers any objection to the contrary.
As a matter of fact, immigrating legally into the US is extremely difficult/impossible, but inferring that once you are there you are subject to racism is rather excessive. Discrimination against the poorer part of population happens everywhere in the world, should we consider that also a form of racism? I'd rather call it presumption.
| | | | Reed James
Chile
Local time: 16:21
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
| Pennsylvania is free to do this | Apr 5, 2014 |
Kelly Burt wrote:
Refusing to print documents and such in any language but English accomplishes nothing other than to make communication difficult and to send the message that immigrants aren't welcome in the US; it also shows a deep ignorance of and disrespect for the nation's history. Terrible.
[Edited at 2014-03-27 02:26 GMT]
I think it's okay to propose and enforce this measure. It's not telling anyone to go home or "learn English or else". Doesn't being an immigrant mean blending in or at least coping? If people have made sacrifices to make it to the US, can't they make the sacrifice to learn English, albeit basic to be able to fill out forms? Surely that is not as impossible as what some people's journey to the US has been. I don't see the xenophobia in it. Not at all. I see it as a message to get everyone on the same page, for everyone to be moving in the same direction. If people are free to enact laws to make government officials bend over backwards for each and every race, ethnic group, language and dialect, age, disability and sexual orientation then people are free to enact laws to establish an official state language. Part of the freedom of living in the US is to move to the state you like best. If you don't like Pennsylvania, you can always move to Florida or California (47 more choices not counting Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, etc.).
And the point about saving money on printing is a fact. Can't this money be spent on other things like college scholarships or crime prevention?
[Edited at 2014-04-05 20:33 GMT]
| | | | | One common language means more opportunities | Apr 6, 2014 |
Choosing a major world language like English as an official language in Pennsylvania would mean that people in the minorities would have to learn it, not that they will not be able to keep using their language in their family or community or that their language will be banned from schools.
By making sure that the young in all minorities can speak the majority's language properly, you give them more academic and working opportunities outside of their families and communities. It make... See more Choosing a major world language like English as an official language in Pennsylvania would mean that people in the minorities would have to learn it, not that they will not be able to keep using their language in their family or community or that their language will be banned from schools.
By making sure that the young in all minorities can speak the majority's language properly, you give them more academic and working opportunities outside of their families and communities. It makes me sad to see that the children of some communities are deprived of a future outside of serving take away food, ironing clothes, or sorting vegetables because they lack sufficient knowledge of the main language in the country they live in. ▲ Collapse
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