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Nope. No more than I would expect a French police officer to determine whether or not I spoke French if I were to be arrested in Paris. If you are coming to this country, or even moreso if you live here, and you don't speak the language, YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE!!!!
Global executions? Are we still executing globes without a fair trial? :mrgreen:
You might, might have a point if English was designated the official language and everyone was required by law to speak it, but neither is true. Furthermore, one of the things we as a nation pride ourselves on is how people come here from other parts of the world to start a new life for themselves -- it stands to reason, barring the aforementioned legal requirements, that some portion of those people aren't going to speak English (or at least speak it well).
Even if this country didn't proudly describe itself as a nation of immigrants and even if fluency in English was required by law, making sure someone understands what you are telling them is a basic (almost atomic) component of communication. There are plenty of circumstances under which someone would simply be too stunned or shocky or otherwise medically incapable of understanding what they're being told, and folks in those situations have Constitutional rights, too.
I pride myself on the fact that when my relatives came here from Europe they already spoke English. I would not even consider visiting a country, nevermind moving there if I was not fluent in the primary language of the country. It's utterly disrespectful so far as I am concerned.
Don't get yourself in trouble, and there won't be any trouble, now will there? I have no compassion or sympathy for criminals, whether accidental or intentional. I never have and never will.
There are many circumstances under which someone might come to America without a working knowledge of English -- to escape tyranny or economic destitution in the hopes of making a better life for themselves being only two of the chief examples. Americans, in general, are fairly forgiving of visitors and immigrants who have difficulty with the language -- if they make the effort, we do our best to help them. That's one of the things I like about this country.
Regardless, we aren't talking about respect or manners or taste or anything like that. We're talking about legal matters. English is not the official language, we are not legally required to be fluent in English, and simple common sense dictates that when you are issuing a warning required by the Supreme Court you should make a good faith effort to ensure that your intended audience is able to understand you.
"Don't get yourself in trouble" is not only inadequate advice, it completely ignores the realities of our criminal justice system.
Or perhaps it culls the herd and creates needed prison space for that endless stream of n'er do wells that we produce in countless thousands by the day.
In those situations (which should be very few), the FIRST thing they need to be doing is learning ENGLISH. Apparently a large number of you folks don't have enough to do, if you've got all sorts of time and energy to help these people.
English should not only be the OFFICIAL language of the USA, it should be the ONLY language allowed here in this nation, both in a spoken and a written form.
You also need to remember that I am not a proponent of requiring the Miranda Warning to begin with. Especially since I am not in favor of several of those provisions to begin with. Nor am I in favor of applying ANY Constitutional protections to anyone who is not a US Citizen.
I tend to disagree; but then again we have a fundamental diasgreement on how society and individual's lives should be oriented so that's really not worth getting into.
Little Belgium has three official languages, Dutch, French and German. The US, with its much larger population, could easily have more than one. I'd like to suggest we start with the two obvious ones, as they are the most widely spoken: English and Spanish. Perhaps someone would like to add to that list.
Not really. It's called "being helpful and polite." That's how I was raised.
Okay, except -- it's not.
Okay, except -- that's the law.
How can you possibly disagree with the facts? This response genuinely confuses me.
Why would we need more than one language here in the United States? What Belgium does is of no consequence or importance in this discussion.
Because we're a cosmopolitan and sophisticated nation, and because we have so many mutual ties with other nations around the world. Perhaps French would be a good third language for us, or maybe Mandarin.
Remembering that I'm an ISOLATIONIST, Dittohead? I do not believe those ties with other nations are a good thing. Definitely not on the level that they exist today.
U.S. joins the top execution club. I would rank U.S. 1st because of it's mistaken convictions.
Remembering that I'm an ISOLATIONIST, Dittohead? I do not believe those ties with other nations are a good thing. Definitely not on the level that they exist today.
Oh, I didn't know that.
I'll add "isolationist" to the long list of issues on which you're on the wrong side.
So NATO and UN are out then?
Oh, I didn't know that. I'll add "isolationist" to the long list of issues on which you're on the wrong side.
Yes; and all US military facilities overseas are closed as well.
And this is ignoring all the sudden and massive catostrophics downfalls America will endure after withdrawing from the World Market?
U.S. joins the top execution club. I would rank U.S. 1st because of it's mistaken convictions.
No. This is EMBRACING the sudden and massive catastrophic downfalls that America would endure as what is necessary to bring this country back in line with what it was always intended to be so far as I'm concerned.
It wouldn't bring America back in line. Unless your 'line' is rubble and ruin, paved with the blood of innocence. Then nothing, not even an act of God, could bring America back to the way its intended. Ya know, with the concept of liberty and freedom.
Sorry Tigger; I couldn't let that happen.
"In Line" is back to the way this country was before things started to get out of hand about 150 years ago. Rubble, ruin, and blood in the streets will likely be necessary to return this nation to its proper state of being. Liberty and Freedom have much less to do with what this nation was founded on than people like to think.
If/when it comes to that I hope yours is a quick and painless end.
Pray tell Tigger. What exactly was this country founded on?
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