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Immigrants speaking English: Why do you care, anyway?

Tucker Case

Matthew 16:3
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Why do people care so much if an immigrant is speaking English or their native language? I hear people piss and moan all the time about having to "press 1 for English", for example, as though they are somehow victimized by having to press a button. What the **** difference does it make to you? Are you harmed in some way? Does it wound you?

Because, as far as I can tell, the only person who suffers when an immigrant fails to learn English is the immigrant his/herself. It limits their ability to find jobs, it limits their ability to access services and receive assistance, etc.

It seems to me that people whining about immigrants speaking something other than English is nothing more than victim-mentality nonsense, but I could be wrong. so please enlighten me: How are you harmed? Why do you even care?
 
It is exactly victim-mentality nonsense.
 
I guess my views are shaped a lot by my mom on this issue. She immigrated here legally, speaking only German, then made a point of learning English (by reading comic books, she tells me). It just makes since to me that if you relocate to another country, that's it's worthwhile to learn the native language. That hardly seems too much to ask to me or racist or whatever gets tossed out anytime immigration is brought up.

I do admit that I wish I were bilingual but I have zero aptitude for learning a second language (seriously, I have tried) so I have great respect for those who can and do.
 
I guess my views are shaped a lot by my mom on this issue. She immigrated here legally, speaking only German, then made a point of learning English (by reading comic books, she tells me). It just makes since to me that if you relocate to another country, that's it's worthwhile to learn the native language. That hardly seems too much to ask to me or racist or whatever gets tossed out anytime immigration is brought up.

I do admit that I wish I were bilingual but I have zero aptitude for learning a second language (seriously, I have tried) so I have great respect for those who can and do.

Well, you're wrong, it is a lot to ask any adult to learn a new language.
 
I guess my views are shaped a lot by my mom on this issue. She immigrated here legally, speaking only German, then made a point of learning English (by reading comic books, she tells me). It just makes since to me that if you relocate to another country, that's it's worthwhile to learn the native language. That hardly seems too much to ask to me or racist or whatever gets tossed out anytime immigration is brought up.

I do admit that I wish I were bilingual but I have zero aptitude for learning a second language (seriously, I have tried) so I have great respect for those who can and do.

Your mom realized that she'd be the one who was screwed if she didn't learn English so she did the smart thing and learned English. But why do you feel that it is necessary to ask someone else to learn English if they are only ****ing themselves over by refusing to do so? It's not racist to ask, it's just a pointless waste of time and energy to give a **** if they do it or not.

The irony for me is that my father immigrated here illegally but spoke English far better than most Americans, since it was his native language and he learned it closer to the source.
 
Why do people care so much if an immigrant is speaking English or their native language? I hear people piss and moan all the time about having to "press 1 for English", for example, as though they are somehow victimized by having to press a button. What the **** difference does it make to you? Are you harmed in some way? Does it wound you?

Because, as far as I can tell, the only person who suffers when an immigrant fails to learn English is the immigrant his/herself. It limits their ability to find jobs, it limits their ability to access services and receive assistance, etc.

It seems to me that people whining about immigrants speaking something other than English is nothing more than victim-mentality nonsense, but I could be wrong. so please enlighten me: How are you harmed? Why do you even care?



They need to assimilate to the culture if they plan to live here. DOUBLE that if they plan to become a citizen.


If I were going to move to France, the FIRST thing I'd do is start learning to speak French. After moving one of my biggest priorities would be to master the language and hopefully one day speak well enough to be mistaken for a native.


For those who wish to be citizens... how can a nation be 'one people' if half of them can't TALK to each other??
 
Why do people care so much if an immigrant is speaking English or their native language? I hear people piss and moan all the time about having to "press 1 for English", for example, as though they are somehow victimized by having to press a button. What the **** difference does it make to you? Are you harmed in some way? Does it wound you?

Because, as far as I can tell, the only person who suffers when an immigrant fails to learn English is the immigrant his/herself. It limits their ability to find jobs, it limits their ability to access services and receive assistance, etc.

It seems to me that people whining about immigrants speaking something other than English is nothing more than victim-mentality nonsense, but I could be wrong. so please enlighten me: How are you harmed? Why do you even care?

I don't get offended or anything but I always do strongly suggest that they learn English for reasons you have already listed. Also, if they talk to me in non-English because they need something then I'll happily, flat-out deny them any help.

A couple days ago, some lady needed directions and good thing for her my sister was there and she knows spanish. Were it just me, she'd be lost lol.
 
Why do people care so much if an immigrant is speaking English or their native language? I hear people piss and moan all the time about having to "press 1 for English", for example, as though they are somehow victimized by having to press a button. What the **** difference does it make to you? Are you harmed in some way? Does it wound you?

Because, as far as I can tell, the only person who suffers when an immigrant fails to learn English is the immigrant his/herself. It limits their ability to find jobs, it limits their ability to access services and receive assistance, etc.

It seems to me that people whining about immigrants speaking something other than English is nothing more than victim-mentality nonsense, but I could be wrong. so please enlighten me: How are you harmed? Why do you even care?
I think this response is a very primitive, animalistic, us versus them kind of response. Cave men could tell in group and out group from one another by things like physical features and language. Somebody with different physical characteristics who speaks a different language is very frightening to some people, and it is this primitive instinct that is responsible for that.

To a greater or lesser extent people may or may not controlled by this instinct. People who live in cities and are exposed to a more cosmopolitan culture are going to display less bigotry, as a general matter, than those who live in sparsely populated rural areas, because of increased exposure to other cultures. They see that foreign people do them no harm. The rural types seldom actually confront foreigners and when they do their fear is as intense as a cave man encountering somebody from a rival tribe.
 
They need to assimilate to the culture if they plan to live here. DOUBLE that if they plan to become a citizen.


If I were going to move to France, the FIRST thing I'd do is start learning to speak French. After moving one of my biggest priorities would be to master the language and hopefully one day speak well enough to be mistaken for a native.


For those who wish to be citizens... how can a nation be 'one people' if half of them can't TALK to each other??


Ironic to hold up France as some sort of example...
 
I don't get offended or anything but I always do strongly suggest that they learn English for reasons you have already listed. Also, if they talk to me in non-English because they need something then I'll happily, flat-out deny them any help.

A couple days ago, some lady needed directions and good thing for her my sister was there and she knows spanish. Were it just me, she'd be lost lol.

That is an extremely impolite way to behave. Why do you do that?
 
Your mom realized that she'd be the one who was screwed if she didn't learn English so she did the smart thing and learned English. But why do you feel that it is necessary to ask someone else to learn English if they are only ****ing themselves over by refusing to do so? It's not racist to ask, it's just a pointless waste of time and energy to give a **** if they do it or not.

The irony for me is that my father immigrated here illegally but spoke English far better than most Americans, since it was his native language and he learned it closer to the source.

Asking authoritarians why they need to be busy-bodies who want to force people to do things a particular way seldom yields a productive answer.
 
Why do people care so much if an immigrant is speaking English or their native language? I hear people piss and moan all the time about having to "press 1 for English", for example, as though they are somehow victimized by having to press a button. What the **** difference does it make to you? Are you harmed in some way? Does it wound you?

Because, as far as I can tell, the only person who suffers when an immigrant fails to learn English is the immigrant his/herself. It limits their ability to find jobs, it limits their ability to access services and receive assistance, etc.

It seems to me that people whining about immigrants speaking something other than English is nothing more than victim-mentality nonsense, but I could be wrong. so please enlighten me: How are you harmed? Why do you even care?

To an extent I do get it, now that I'm in LA. As I've mentioned before, for me I find my unilingualism embarrassing now which I should, imo. However, I can understand why some think it's a problem, when entire communities seem to speak Spanish or Chinese. For example, I can't have a night out at a bar within probably 10 miles and actually expect the people there to be speaking English. Okay, bars attached to national chain restaurants, perhaps, but all local bars, I wouldn't be able to understand a thing. Even just trying to go to the local hamburger joints as I will be the only one speaking English, sure the people behind the counter can understand and respond, but the entire rest of the experience is akin to being in a foreign land.

Once again, with having both grandfathers speaking 7 languages both including Porteguese, I find this to be my failing, not the failing of others, but with the arrogance of most complainers, I understand why they feel so uncomfortable and want to blame their limited lingual capabilities on others.
 
Your mom realized that she'd be the one who was screwed if she didn't learn English so she did the smart thing and learned English. But why do you feel that it is necessary to ask someone else to learn English if they are only ****ing themselves over by refusing to do so? It's not racist to ask, it's just a pointless waste of time and energy to give a **** if they do it or not.

The irony for me is that my father immigrated here illegally but spoke English far better than most Americans, since it was his native language and he learned it closer to the source.

I can agree with all of this if you're also saying that you're fine with us having zero obligation to accommodate those who won't learn. I mean, that's what you're saying right? We have no reason to complain if the only one who's ****ed is the non English speaker? If they don't like that they can't communicate with teachers, police officers, etc. that's their problem, right? What I often see is people demanding we accommodate every other non native language then getting pissy and accusatory when we ask why we should have to do that.
 
I do admit that I wish I were bilingual but I have zero aptitude for learning a second language (seriously, I have tried) so I have great respect for those who can and do.
Gee, and I wonder how many immigrants, legal or otherwise, could say exactly the same thing. But it's a perfect excuse for you, and intolerable for them. Hypocrite much?
 
They need to assimilate to the culture if they plan to live here.

Why? Did something change from how it has always been historically speaking since the US's inception?

I mean, do you think Chinatown, little Italy, Southie, etc are examples of "assimilation"? Because they aren't.

If I were going to move to France, the FIRST thing I'd do is start learning to speak French. After moving one of my biggest priorities would be to master the language and hopefully one day speak well enough to be mistaken for a native.

Bully for you. Why do you care if a French guy lives here without speaking English, though?


For those who wish to be citizens... how can a nation be 'one people' if half of them can't TALK to each other??

Easily. Ask Canada.
 
Why? Did something change from how it has always been historically speaking since the US's inception?

I mean, do you think Chinatown, little Italy, Southie, etc are examples of "assimilation"? Because they aren't.



Bully for you. Why do you care if a French guy lives here without speaking English, though?




Easily. Ask Canada.



I've yet to meet a single Kaybecker that didn't speak English fairly well. Maybe there are some. Not that I've met.
 
I can agree with all of this if you're also saying that you're fine with us having zero obligation to accommodate those who won't learn. I mean, that's what you're saying right? We have no reason to complain if the only one who's ****ed is the non English speaker? If they don't like that they can't communicate with teachers, police officers, etc. that's their problem, right? What I often see is people demanding we accommodate every other non native language then getting pissy and accusatory when we ask why we should have to do that.

The accommodations aren't for those who don't speak English, they are for those that DO, but not as well as they speak their native language. If you are dealing with the Police, for example, shouldn't you be able to understand everything that they are telling you? I know I would want to know everything. Legal documents, too. My mother-in-law speaks English very well, but every single time she's given the option for Italian, she takes it because she has to translate English into Italian in her head in order to understand it. It causes confusion sometimes and you do NOT want confusion wehn dealing with legal documents etc.
 
I've yet to meet a single Kaybecker that didn't speak English fairly well. Maybe there are some. Not that I've met.

The older ones.

I know in Ireland, there are sections that speak Irish full-time and many of the old timers don't speak English at all. It still works. Turns out it's similar to teh fact that you probably cannot "talk" to a deaf person. Amazingly, the world survives.
 
Why? Did something change from how it has always been historically speaking since the US's inception?

I mean, do you think Chinatown, little Italy, Southie, etc are examples of "assimilation"? Because they aren't.



Bully for you. Why do you care if a French guy lives here without speaking English, though?




Easily. Ask Canada.




Ok, fine.


We'll make America bilingual. English and Spanish.


Oops... you know we have a lot of Asians and Indians. Guess we'd better add Vietnamese, Cambodian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, and... oh crap, India has over a dozen official languages... sigh, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali and Kashmiri at least...


Well **** if we do that we'll have to add Arabic and Yiddish at the very least. Better throw in Portuguese for folks from Brazil.


Where does it end??


Are we going to need street signs and government forms and official translators in every gov office in 100 different languages?
 
Gee, and I wonder how many immigrants, legal or otherwise, could say exactly the same thing. But it's a perfect excuse for you, and intolerable for them. Hypocrite much?

Well I would be if I moved to Mexico or Germany and got pissy if anyone expected me to learn their language.
 
Ok, fine.


We'll make America bilingual. English and Spanish.


Oops... you know we have a lot of Asians and Indians. Guess we'd better add Vietnamese, Cambodian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, and... oh crap, India has over a dozen official languages... sigh, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali and Kashmiri at least...


Well **** if we do that we'll have to add Arabic and Yiddish at the very least. Better throw in Portuguese for folks from Brazil.


Where does it end??


Are we going to need street signs and government forms and official translators in every gov office in 100 different languages?

Where did Tucker suggest making the country bilingual? Did I miss it?
 
They need to assimilate to the culture if they plan to live here.

Beyond cultural practices that are illegal... why?

And what exact culture are you referring to?

I'm not saying it's the case in your particular case but I often find the hidden meaning behind that phrase is simply "Come to agree with things I think are right" politically more than anything else.

America, if it is a free country as so many suggest, has no requirement to assimilate or submit to any "culture".
 
I guess my views are shaped a lot by my mom on this issue. She immigrated here legally, speaking only German, then made a point of learning English (by reading comic books, she tells me). It just makes since to me that if you relocate to another country, that's it's worthwhile to learn the native language. That hardly seems too much to ask to me or racist or whatever gets tossed out anytime immigration is brought up.

I do admit that I wish I were bilingual but I have zero aptitude for learning a second language (seriously, I have tried) so I have great respect for those who can and do.

Oh, the irony...
 
The accommodations aren't for those who don't speak English, they are for those that DO, but not as well as they speak their native language.

That makes no sense. Of course it accomodates those who won't learn the language. If you won't even acknowledge that, I don't think there's too much more to say.

If you are dealing with the Police, for example, shouldn't you be able to understand everything that they are telling you?

Yes, you should, which is why it would be a good idea to speak the language the cops do, but as you've already stated, if a non English speaker cannot make themselves understood, that's their problem and their problem alone.

I know I would want to know everything. Legal documents, too. My mother-in-law speaks English very well, but every single time she's given the option for Italian, she takes it because she has to translate English into Italian in her head in order to understand it. It causes confusion sometimes and you do NOT want confusion wehn dealing with legal documents etc.

Right, and here's where you encounter the frustration (which you condemn) of those who do want all parties to, gasp, actually be able to speak to each other. Racist bastards.
 
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