[Vision2020] Words Bring Pause
Sue Hovey
suehovey at moscow.com
Mon Mar 12 03:11:40 PDT 2007
Donovan, Your contention that those who don't speak English are rude and make everyone cater to them is a pretty narrow view of the conditions of many non-English speakers. Some of them are elderly with limited opportunities to learn English, many of them are eager to learn and seek out classes only to find they cannot afford the tuition or the classes are full. Others, and I have known numbers of them, struggle to learn as much as they can while they clean the houses, pick the fruit, and care for the children of the more affluent.
I think I might not so much mind the misguided efforts of arrogant lawmakers, if in their haste to proclaim English as our national language, they also passed laws to facilitate that learning for non-English speaking adults. Fortunately we do have programs in place for school age children, but even today there is a national movement to deny many of these children education services.
You state that all of our prior immigrants learned to speak English, surely you know that is not so. Certainly you are correct that being unable to speak English does hinder those who need to make a living here. I don't think you actually meant to say English is an American invention--sometimes even those of us who speak it don't get it right all the time.
I do see products with Spanish as well as English instructions, but unless they are imports, I have not yet seen any which give priority to instructions in Spanish, not even tortilla warmers, recipes on salsa bottles, or Corona. (OK so you don't need instructions for beer) What are some of those products anyway?
Sue
----- Original Message -----
From: Donovan Arnold
To: Sue Hovey ; keely emerinemix ; vision2020 at moscow.com
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 7:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Words Bring Pause
Now the good Senator can go to Somalia and give the same speech to them, as they too have also elected to make Somalia and English their official languages.
I think helping those that cannot speak English in this country is wonderful. However, I think not learning to speak the language simple keeps those individuals down in society and hinders society as well.
In the sheltered world of Northern Idaho, Spanish is by far a second language, but in many other parts of the west, in an increasing number of places, English is the second language and most the people on the street are speaking Spanish, not English, the signs are in Spanish and if you do not speak Spanish you often find yourself unable to ask the person next to you or an employee at a business a question.
Even instructions on some products are primarily in Spanish, with English as the second language.
The US is a nation of immigrants, Spanish, German, French, Italian Greek, Swedish, Irish, Arabic, Asian, African, Eskimo, etc. But they all learned to speak English. It isn't favoritism, it even an American invention, it isn't superiority, and it certainly isn't the most sensible, logical, or easiest language to master, but they all, all, even the poor ones, learned to speak the language. They didn't try to change the country to their culture and language, they added too it, they didn't destroy it, ignore it, or disrespect it.
In the United States we speak English. To refuse to speak the language of the people in the country you choose to live in is rude and disrespectful to those in it.
I have the deepest respect for the people that come here and learn the language, but I have nothing but spite for those that come here and refuse to help out and make everyone cater to them.
Best,
Donovan
"If you speak English, Press 1 now. If you don't speak English, learn it, then press 1."
Sue Hovey <suehovey at moscow.com> wrote:
Edgar Malepeai is a very special person and a remarkable teacher. One of
the impacts of legislation such as this is the harm in inflicts on people
who speak English (in Edgar's case it's beautifully spoken and articulate as
well) as a second language (or third or fourth) because there is the implied
message that some languages are superior to others.
Some of you may not appreciate the message "numero dos, para Espanol" but
there are those of us who sometimes push button two just to make our minds
remember what we used to know pretty well.
Closing with a non sequitur: When Governor George Bush told Texans he was
learning Spanish, Jim Hightower responded, "Now he can be bi-ignorant."
Sue Hovey
----- Original Message -----
From: "keely emerinemix"
To: ;
Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 2:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Words Bring Pause
> Thanks to Sen. Malepeai for his clearheaded and rational comments against
> a
> divisive and unnecessary bill.
>
> keely
>
>
> From: "Tom Hansen"
> To: "Vision 2020"
> Subject: [Vision2020] Words Bring Pause
> Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 14:42:03 -0700
>
> >From today's (March 11, 2007) Spokesman Review with a very special thanks
> to
> State Senator Edgar Malepeai -
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Words Bring Pause
>
> The Idaho Senate voted 20-15 in favor of Senate Bill 1172, declaring
> English
> to be the official language of Idaho, in a debate that took a personal
> turn.
>
> "It's not for shutting people out, but bringing people in," Sen. Mel
> Richardson, R-Idaho Falls, lead sponsor of the bill, told the Senate.
>
> Sen. Edgar Malepeai, D-Pocatello, said quietly, "Looking around the
> chamber,
> I think I'm probably the only one that has English as a second language."
> Malepeai recalled that his late father and uncles served proudly in the
> U.S.
> military. "They spoke very, very broken English, but they were proud
> American Samoans," Malepeai said. Democracy and freedom "is what unifies
> people in this country," he said, "not the English language." A hush fell
> in
> the Senate after Malepeai's comments, and no one else debated the bill.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "I love my country but fear my government."
>
> - Author Unknown
>
>
>
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