English as the official language of the US

My sister forwarded me an email asking if it was true. Here is what it said:

Isn't it intetresting that only one of these is a Republican (RINO) and all the rest are democrats or independents. Do these people think we live in some other country?

AGAINST ENGLISH
WHY WOULD ALL THESE SENATORS VOTE AGAINST ENGLISH AS OUR OFFICIAL LANGUAGE?
ANSWER:
BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID TO ALIENATE THE FASTEST GROWING BLOCK OF VOTERS!! UNBELIEVABLE!!

These people have whose best interests at heart? They need to be removed from office at the earliest possible time. Please forward to everyone you know whether or not their state is represented by one of these nuts.

Subject: 38 SENATORS VOTED AGAINST ENGLISH

THE SENATORS WHO VOTED AGAINST MAKING ENGLISH THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF "AMERICA - HERE THEY ARE.

Akaka (D-HI)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Domenici (R-NM)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Wyden (D-OR)


Subject: Send This Around The USA

***********

Here is my response:

It’s probably true. Most Democrats oppose, as do I, making English an official language. There are several reasons. It limits those who speak another language from talking with the government. This includes voting, education, heath and welfare, financial assistance in cases such as social security, police assistance and can have an impact on fundamental rights. Not only would it isolate millions of people who speak another language, these laws would fail to help those who need it integrate into American society. 97% of the population is proficient in the English language and to legislate it is unnecessary. Free English classes are offered all over the country for people from a variety of countries. In fact, people are learning the language at a faster rate than in previous generations.

The United States has thrived for over 200 years without this stupid law. What’s the need for it now?

To an extent, I find laws such as these inherently racist. Some people believe English should be the only language spoken. I think back to the time when Native American children were separated from their families, sent to a far away school and they were forbidden to speak in their native tongue. These languages have suffered as a result. As the elders die, that’s fewer and fewer who still speak the native tongue. The Salish language is a prime example. It has suffered and degraded over time.

I think this would also discourage people from wanting to learn a second language such as Spanish. With an attitude of ‘English only’ comes an intolerance for other languages and people from other countries. Also, when Americans go overseas for an extended length of time, they can expect to be treated the same exact way for not learning that native language of the country they are in.

As you can see, there is no real benefit to having English as an official language other than it sounds nice and very American.

True telephone conversation between my sister and me. The names have been changed to protect the stupid.

Heidi's sister: "So what made you want to marry a foreigner?"
Heidi: "Oh, I dunno. What made your husband want to marry a dumbass?"
Heidi's sister: Click. Dial tone.

territories settled by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, English is co equal with Spanish.

Man, these freeps just get more stupid and more tiresome every day.

It's a wasteful, unnecessary bill.

None of my grandparents spoke English when they arrived on these shores. The lack of having an official language did not stop them from working, thriving, and becoming good citizens of this country. My mother, born in Wisconsin, the youngest of twelve, was bilingual as were all her brothers and sisters. There was no need to make a law to tell my mother's family that they needed to speak, read, and write English to prosper.

language" or whatever bs phrase they are currently using, be REQUIRED to demonstrate advanced skills in reading, writing, speaking and comprehending this language, starting with the babbling idiot currently soiling the oval office.

Are there any other of the industrialized countries whose native citizens are so completely inept in their native tongues as so many in this country (thinking of freeperville here, amoung others)

I work in ESL (Elglish as a Second Language), teaching foreigners English, mainly to prepare them to enter college at an American university but also in some cases just to improve their English.

Recently, we sent some letters to our congressmen to ask that speakers of other languages be allowed more rights, etc. I don't remember now what the precise reason for our letters was, but it WASN'T to make English the official language in the US.

We just got a letter back from Pat Roberts our senior senator in which he said something like. "I'm glad to receive your letter and I too am aware of the need to make English the official language of the US. I have worked with Senator Inhofe of OK to make sure this happens . . . etc." He obviously never even read our letter. It was like something from Saturday Night Live or the Daily Show or Colbert's show or maybe some alternate universe, the Twilight Zone where Roberts dwells.

get them to think.

On edit: Just remembered why I remembered the above. Dorothy Parker was once asked to use the word "horiculture" in a sentence. She answered, "You can lead a whore to culture, but you can't make her think."

Just giving proper literary credit where it is due.