Voters Reject Obama's call for Bilingualism »
Posted By RedRiverJ 1 year, 3 months ago in NewsBarack Obama said yesterday that "instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English," Americans "need to make sure your child can speak Spanish." A national telephone survey conducted last month by Rasmussen Reports found that U.S. voters overwhelmingly disagree with the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
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RedRiverJ1 year, 3 months ago
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Klarissa1 year, 3 months ago
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This is what Obama said:
Voters Reject Obama's call for Bilingualism
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Barack Obama said yesterday that "instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English," Americans "need to make sure your child can speak Spanish." A national telephone survey conducted last month by Rasmussen Reports found that U.S. voters overwhelmingly disagree with the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
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Klarissa1 year, 3 months ago
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This is what Obama said:
Voters Reject Obama's call for Bilingualism
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Barack Obama said yesterday that "instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English," Americans "need to make sure your child can speak Spanish." A national telephone survey conducted last month by Rasmussen Reports found that U.S. voters overwhelmingly disagree with the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
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NoSpinDave1 year, 3 months ago
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all this is is yet ANOTHER example of Barak "The Fraud" Obama telling one group EXACTLY what they want to hear.
This guys act is to transparent, it seriously calls into question the intelligence of ANYONE who this this FRAUD is truthful.
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Endoscopy1 year, 3 months ago
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What a bunch of garbage having people speak their native language and it be acceptable to having the government and other businesses forced to talk them. This article is about Spanish but we have groups that speak German, Romanian, French, Chinese, Japanese, etc. If we do this with Spanish all the other language groups will be standing in line for their language to be accounted for. Then everybody should be forced to learn several languages.
Obama doesn't think things through to their logical conclusion.
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Spinward1 year, 3 months ago
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I went to France, so I bought a phrase book ($6) and learned what I needed to in order to get by.
I didn't have the nerve to assume they should speak English as I have respect for thier culture, customs, and national heritage of which their language is a big part.
Why Obama has no respect for our national heritage I have no idea, but OUR PRESIDENT SHOULD RESPECT OUR CUSTOMS AND HERITAGE.
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birddog54Comment removed: Abusive29 Replies
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bubba21 year, 3 months ago
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(I still won't vote for McCain, but ...)
This is silly. I would have expected Obama to have more sense than to say something like that.
Immigration is one issue for which I am very 'conservative'.
While I am not in favor of a 'border fence' - the borders need to be more strictly monitored, and ALL employers that hire illegals to work for them should be prosecuted.
The process to become a citizen is long and hugely bureaucratic. But, if someone from another country really wants to live and work here, they can get their green cards and go through the legal process to reside in our country.
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cushi1 year, 3 months ago
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Bubba2, I'm disappointed that you've bought into the crap that his statement was about immigration. The statement had nothing to do with immigration per se, and everything to do with preparing ourselves for the future, which, like it or not, will be a global one.
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GHOSTWHOWALKS1 year, 3 months ago
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Dionys1 year, 3 months ago
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KazamaSmokers1 year, 3 months ago
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anioklyComment removed: Spammer
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Harbeas1 year, 3 months ago
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What a stupid remark(obama). I would like to see some politician champion english as our national language. Then maye we would not see all these instruction manuals printed in 250 different laguages. If you think this is done at no extra cost, think again. ANYONE living in America should speak our language. Ditto for any American living in a foreign country.
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Aidenag1 year, 3 months ago
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They don't make manuals with so many different languages for Americans that dont speak english Harbeas... They make them that way because the product is sold in many countries, and it costs less to print one manual of larger size for everyone, then to have specific manuals, made in smaller production runs for each nation...
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JoseMadreComment removed: Hard Banned
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Grrr1 year, 3 months ago
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Certainly seems to me that, yet again, what was said is being misunderstood, perhaps intentionally spun by the usual talking head suspects. It was obviously a statement about the benefits of multi-lingual education and the sorry state of education and the job market in general in America, not support for immigrants not learning to speak English.
Of course, that's only obvious to sane people. Or at least reasonably intelligent ones.
If you want to stop illegal immigration, enforce the employment laws. Simple. Of course that would be against the wishes of big business.
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Klarissa1 year, 3 months ago
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What is there to be misunderstood about, he said, "Americans need to make sure your child can speak Spanish", implying that English will not be the language of the land when the children grow up.
You just don't want to admit that his statement bothers you.
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donald511 year, 3 months ago
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The Ugly Americans (ref: the book of the same title published in'59 by Lederer) are alive and well on this one. Heaven forbid our state department has no young people coming in that can speak the foreign languages necessary for a viable assignment overseas! Ow, I forgot, the only requirement for government service under the repugs is loyalty to your terrorist party!
As we read here there are hundreds of dedicated repugs screening every phrase of Obama's and bouncing them against past surveys to creat fault and deception!
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nonparted1 year, 3 months ago
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Wow, its a whose who of unprincipled repugs voting for this fabricated story... so typical of you right wing sycophants! You folks just love to validate eachothers lies and deceptions!
hey donald u forgot to mention dems for they also fit directly into ur statement
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ADAGUY1 year, 3 months ago
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I didn't take a foreign language in high school because I was too lazy! Now, I really wish I had. Being able to speak Spanish opens a few doors of opportunities.
I believe that we should require our children to learn other languages, after all, we are bordering a nation of Hispanics on one side, as well as French on the other side.
Should we learn these languages to make life easier for immigrants? NO, we should learn these languages to make ourselves more versatile.
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Global_WarmerComment removed: Abusive1 Reply
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stephen-johnson1 year, 3 months ago
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((Barack Obama said yesterday that "instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English," Americans "need to make sure your child can speak Spanish."))
Actually, US parents should be sure that their children can speak ENGLISH. Unless they plan to immigrate to a Spanish-speaking country. Then they damn well better learn Spanish. You better believe that no effort will be spent there to accommodate English-speakers. Only the US is not expected to defend its language, its customs or its borders.
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jdhatl1 year, 3 months ago
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Please keep speaking Spanish and all other languages because it is so much fun to annoy these stupid Americans who can't even learn an easy language like Spanish. Everybody should learn spanish, it won't hurt you. And then you will be able to understand all the trash your employees are talking about you.
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BronxBomber1 year, 3 months ago
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I'm Hispanic, and I don't see why any of my fellow Latinos don't want to acquiesce, and try to adhere to this nation's language which is principally English. Immigrants from all over the world have come to the USA, & learned to adapt, and adhere to this nations overall customs and whatnot. I learned Spanish on my own, I was born and raised in New York City, but I realized that in order to get a job, and get ahead in this country, I had to learn English. I mean they are just being lazy,bull-headed, and ignorant to do otherwise.
If I was in a foreign country. I'd have to learn it's customs, and languages irregardless of whether I like it or not. If you are to live and thrive in a symbiotic relationship in a foreign country, then you better learn it's language, and customs amigo! Comprende?
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cloud151 year, 3 months ago
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I understand where Obama is coming from on this issue, but I feel he was too direct with it and didn't take into consideration the feelings of the American public. Obama feels that eventually Spanish will be an important language in America, but what he fails to realize is that although we don't have an official national language, or national language is English, and should stay that way. Immigrants need to learn our language so they can adapt to our society. I'm not saying they need to forget about their past and native culture, because without those features of past immigrants we as a nation wouldn't be where we are, but they need to realize they came into our country, and they need to learn the dominant language.
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cushi1 year, 3 months ago
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I think that his straight forward manner of speaking is refreshing and honest! We are so used to being spoiled and mollycoddled! We are moving into a world stage where hard ball is being played! We can no longer have the luxury of always being soft peddled and spoon fed things that we need to hear. That such a to-do is being made over this very reasonable and pertinent comment is embarrassing and shameful!
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cushi1 year, 3 months ago
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If I didn't know any better, I would think that that is all Barack Obama said. Fortunately, I heard his speech and I know it's not.
Nevertheless, all this outrage is pure foolishness, because, like it or not, America is becoming part of a global network, and, surprise, surprise, Spanish is probably the second most popular language in the world. It would be to everyone's advantage, and particularly our children, to be able to speak it as a second language. Many of them will travel internationally, something that most of us will not do or rarely do in our lifetimes.
Obama thinks ahead of the times, which is why he is visionary and often villified for it. People have tendency to be afraid of change and reluctant to embrace it in any form, selling themselves short every time.
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NoWayMan1 year, 3 months ago
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exactly. obama is saying we're being outpaced by the rest of the world in terms of communication and language arts education, and this will hurt us in the long run. and it shouldn't be that way. if americans were to learn other languages, it would make us stronger, not weaker.
anyone who speaks more than one language knows this is true.
and...if spanish is second, does that mean english is third? cause mandarin is first. and what about hindi?
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nonparted1 year, 3 months ago
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Many of them will travel internationally, something that most of us will not do or rarely do in our lifetimes.
cushi this part of ur statemnt is pure spectulation and as someone mentioned before spanish is an elective course in HS.
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Klarissa1 year, 3 months ago
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http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography...
1. Mandarin Chinese - 882 million
2. Spanish - 325 million
3. English - 312-380 million
4. Arabic - 206-422 million
5. Hindi - 181 million
6. Portuguese - 178 million
7. Bengali - 173 million
8. Russian - 146 million
9. Japanese - 128 million
10. German - 96 million
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memestryker1 year, 3 months ago
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Even the Chinese realized their many different dialects and even languages was hamstringing them economically, and they teach all children English.
When is the U.S. going to join the rest of the world in speaking English as the first language?
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ARRAY1 year, 3 months ago
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I did not hear Mr. Obama speak, but why Spanish? If he is only interested in education, then any second language would do - like German, or French. If he is interested in catering to Mexicans, then Spanish would be the obvious choice.
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NoWayMan1 year, 3 months ago
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if you seek out the enitre quote, which is not provided here (of course) Obama clearly is not just talking about English and Spanish. he's talking about how americans should be able to speak more than one language, whatever that language may be. and, as his example, he uses europeans who are able to speak english, french and german.
Obama's quote: "You should be thinking about how can your child become bilingual. We should have every child speaking more than one language. It's embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe and all we can say is merci beaucoup, right?"
(crowd applauds.)
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wvrussell1 year, 3 months ago
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I took French and Spanish in school, but would hardly would say I speak another language. But I was in a game site online and 2 people were conversing in French. Now some people must think the Internet is only in the US because they starting harassing them to speak English. They went on to tell this joke, in English of course (maybe it wasn't a joke): What do you call a person who speaks 2 languages? - Bilingual. What do you call a person that speaks 1 language? - American.
If the rest of the educated world is bilingual why not Americans? Are we falling behind the rest of the world? Doesn't have to be Spanish. By the way, I am now learning to speak German.
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cushi1 year, 3 months ago
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I went to college on a foreign language scholarship. I also took 3 yrs of french, 4 of spanish, and 2 of latin in high school. Even as a student, I was able to get higher paying jobs because of my ability to speak more than one language.
Those of you who are so busy turning up your noses at the prospect of learning spanish or another language besides English had better recognize how much you are cutting off your noses to spite your face!
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NoWayMan1 year, 3 months ago
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for americans to speak more than one language would give us an advantage in the international arena.
its a serious disadvantage for americans to meet with foreign interests (business, govt, whatever) and have them know how to speak our language, but we can't speak their language.
americans should strive to speak as many languages as they can. the more languages you know, the bigger advantage you have on the international stage and in life. and its fun to be able to communicate in more ways than one.
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