then it's very confusing why in elementary schools (at least in orange county, florida) they are teaching kids spanish.
hispanic or non hispanic
a bit confusing
then more government offices are requiring spanish speaking workers
u go to walmart everything is in spanish and english
a confusing trend
ain't it?

maybe it's true

"That is neither here nor there. The fact of the matter is if the majority of countries have an official language, what is the problem with the US having English as ours?"

we're a country of immigrants...and always have been. MANY languages are spoken here, not just english. i personally would see a national language as a way to shut others out.

We have two official languages here in Canada. English and French. Everything is in both including soup can labels.

they were trying to set up a vote here in michigan about making english the official state language since the united states does not have such a thing but nothing ever came of it.

i know it sounds strange for an individual state to have to take it on but it was a start.

it doesn't sound strange. roughly half of the states have english as their official language.

you're right. it just seems strange that only certain areas have it listed as official.

lulu, immigrants, legal, have always been required to learn english to become a citizen.
We are a country of legal immigrants, and noone disagrees with that. Even now we have a very generous legal immigration policy. The largest in the history of the country at 17% a year.
The problem, and what every is complaining about is illegal immigration. These undocumented illegal immigrants, most from latin America, do not even try to learn english.
Yes TLW, the government is forced to hire bilingual personnel to deal with the illegal immigrants who show up everyday in our courts, and social service office seeking benefits that they are not entitled to. This is included in the cost of illegal immigration on taxpayers.
We have always been a country of compassion, and in the past we have helped even illegal immigrants. Giving them food stamps, helping with shelter, schooling and medical treatment for their children. However like any good thing the system is being abused, and the onslought has become so great that now many states are taking away these benefits from illegal immigrants. The cost has just become to great and can not continue.
You should remember, that even if you take the higher est. of 24 million illegal immigrants in this country today. We are a country of almost 400 million people, and they are outnumbered. Outnumbered by a democratic population with rights to vote and getting more and more fed up with politicians who do not legislate our will.

"We are a country of legal immigrants, and noone disagrees with that."

that's not exactly what i was meaning...i meant how WE came here, as a country. before we even HAD a constitution...

OK, you mean conquerors!!!

I forget wha movie this comes from, but I thought it was funny:

"This is America. We speak American here."

English SHOULD be our official language.

I cant remember Knox, although I want to say Talledega nights!

I like this quote for everyone who says we have always been a country of immigrants. I agree with this man, and what he said in 1907!

Theodore Roosevelt on Immigrants and being an American in 1907:

“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But, this is predicated upon the man’s becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language. And we have room for but one sole loyalty, and that is a loyalty to the American people.” – Theodore Roosevelt 1907

Lol actually I think there is a special language called "American". For example, if I were to refer to drinking a tea, a lot of people in the usa think I am drinking an ice tea.....when in fact I am drinking a "hot tea". Here in Canada, we call it tea....if its hot.

Some states, if you ask them for a pop, they think you want a punch in the head!!! When in fact, I want a "soda". If I were to say I wanted a "soda" here, people would either laugh at me or look at me strange.

To be "pissed" in America = your mad
To be "pissed" here, it means you are drunk/trashed/wasted.

So, there are a few differences in "english"......and its hilarious because I have friends in England, and I joke to them how they need to learn to speak "English" They are sending me the 'english' handbook soon!

in my back home we have two official languages: spanish and quechua
quechua is the language of the aborigin people (let's say native people) We have 12 million people in my country 3 million are native people. Because our Spanish conquerors happen not to killed them or isolated them on reservations
they still own their land, and have representatives in congress, and even a state secretary for native affairs.
the only thing that amazes me about the spanish and USA is that i see u guys fighting so much immigrants (my homeboys), but i don't see any actual and critical action of your people in Washingtom which makes me wonder if actually they are really intending help you with your groundless battle.
As a matter of fact the government is enforcing the use of spanish in their offices.
May be is a sign of changes of view and times.

American - pop/soda, sack/bag, tea (sweetened, iced, hot)
cool/hot, bad/good, pepsi/coke, burger/meat/soy
dog/Chicago style or barking?

English - King/monarch, Lord/God or dignitary, tea/sugar or cream

There is no doubt that we have taken our independence from the level of subservience to a monarchy to individuality. There is no doubt that this country has language of dialect, not unlike any other country. As we move around this country, we do not hesitate to learn the differences in dialect, it's apparent that you all have knowledge, if not understanding of these dialects, whether it's in the hood or in the city.

There are many hundreds of languages, thousands when one considers dialect, that are brought to this country, but how many of these do any of you hear in a day, week , month.

Yes we have always, in the past provided some assistance in learning, adult evening classes mostly. Saturday classes for kids. Teachers, friends, neighbors extended their time as well, to a more than willing, population whose adult faction demanded that their children find a way to learn, to assimilate however they could. Even if it meant they required English be spoken in their own home.

Never before in our history, as the melting pot of the world, have we ever had laws that require that the laws be written and posted in more than just English.

Further consider the word bi-lingual. bi = two. Why bi, why not multi-linqual?
Like the word Terrorist, we are being force fed a new propaganda, a new thought pattern that of bi-lingual. Bi as in spanish - why?

Why were the immigration laws between our land borders not enforced? Why was the new immigration bill, unreadable, immensely lengthy and disproportionalty biased when considering amnesty? All these things that FORCED congress to by pass it. Why?

Because given enough time, it will all be a totally moot point, when we are virtually all one country united under the North American Commitment and the Amero.

Is this how sheep are led?

It's time that we stop thinking with our emotions, it's time to analyze who has the power in this country? It's time to look at what possible agenda our representatives have, and what they have to fear, from the more powerful among them.

It's time to stop allowing key words to drive us. It time to look beyond a single issue.

For the first in our history, we are in a position where the only power we have to gain back the freedoms we've lost, is to look at a picture being painted for us, by those in the world with money and power and greed. The only power we have is to be united in what we should be fighting. The greatest power we have is to unite others in this world by sharing thoughts and ideas and issues of possible world order, world government, a world monetary system. No borders, and what of laws?

We live in a country where the government does not want the responsibility of holding to its own laws, and for that reason we are held to the morals of judges, we are held to the president of a court decision, our money is a commodity, sold for interest.

We need to stop trying to correct what the government will not correct, it is a passtime THEY have given to keep us busy. We need to stop the North American Commitment and we need to stop the Fed, and we need to get people in power who will not fear to govern according to OUR will.

((((Red))))

There seem to be plenty of distractions thrown at us each and every day. Add in the entertainment industry, professional sports, advertising and a list of others a mile long.
It's no wonder that nobody has the time to think for themselves, let alone pay attention to the real issues.

Hey, Fanta, I think that quote first came from one of the 50,000 slobs vs snobs movies from the 80s that were rip-offs of Animal House. Well, maybe not 50,000, but, at the time, it sure seemed that way.