This Makes Me Happy, Part 2

[bigb]

I just don't believe the theory that every single person can learn a language totally fluently if they live in a place even for 20 or so years if they came here as an adult. I've been trying to teach my dad computers for 10 or so years with no luck. Conversely, he's been trying to teach me carpentry for the same amount of time and I still suck at it. To me the concept that language can be extremely difficult for people to learn isn't exactly a foreign one (pun intended!).

I can totally agree that some will struggle much more than others. I knew missionaries who struggled with Spanish after the two years. But I still maintain that if it's something you immerse yourself in, you'll at least be passable at it. If you worked at carpentry every day for 20 years, you'd probably at least be able to make a house stand up. It might not be the best built house, but it would stand. I honestly think that if I were to decide to move to Japan tomorrow and spent 20 years there, giving an effort, I'd at least be able to speak passable Japanese.

 

[Scat]

I won't even respond to the point you are making, because others have addressed that, and it is a valid point. The way you phrase it however and saying "pes, er, dollars" is borderline being intentionally derogatory. Yes, the peso is the currency used in Mexico, and the man was originally from Mexico, but the use of this phrase suggested that is a bad thing. In summary, stop being racist, and your point might come across as more sincere instead of as a token disguise for your xenophobia.

but racism lurks at the foundation of his point. It also serves as the mortar between the bricks. How can he take it out without fear of the whole thing toppling down?

You guys crack me up.

 

[Hantlers]

I'm still confused as to how saying that somebody living in America for 23 years should be able to speak fluent english is racist. Can somebody explain that to me?

Would you live in a foreign country for 20+ years and still only speak your native language? Because that is just ridiculous and a lack of respect for the country and the culture that you reside in.

 

[Bronco70]

I think anyone who wants to build a life here should learn english.

But not to accommodate me. To make life easier, and possibly create opportunities for themselves. My life is not any harder because of immigrants that don't speak english.

 

[Nate505]

I think anyone who wants to build a life here should learn english.

But not to accommodate me. To make life easier, and possibly create opportunities for themselves. My life is not any harder because of immigrants that don't speak english.

I do think people in the service industry should know English. I hate going to a place and ordering something only to have the clerk/teller/etc. not understand what I'm ordering. But I really don't care if some day laborer or mechanic (that doesn't deal with the customer) or whatever doesn't know it.

 

[The-Joker]

I think when most of these people, pretty much spend 100% of their time within the mexican culture... and probably have little interaction with english speakers, they see no need to learn English.

I think when these people come to this country, they don't want to integrate into our society... they want to be a part of their society, but in a country where there is more opportunity (essentially a country where they wont' be killed, and their kids won't be taken)

 

[Duck Rodgers]

Another problem with Mexicans particularly not learning English is the demagoguery of American foundations, such as the Ford Foundation, against American citizens themselves. They fund academic programs in Mexico that teach that Americans are bad and that you guys should go take back your land. The proliferation of that demagoguery and the rise of Chicano movements make massive healthy immigration nearly impossible from that country. These foundations do that stuff because they know that a lot of Mexicans that make it to America are never going to learn English. If they did, most of them would realize most of the programs the Ford Foundation supports are complete bull **** and it's just a charlatan globalist immiseration thesis ideological pushing front group.

Learn English, you are less likely to be preyed upon. Don't learn English, who knows. That would be my entire motivation for learning English if I weren't raised here.

 

[Scat]

Would you live in a foreign country for 20+ years and still only speak your native language? Because that is just ridiculous and a lack of respect for the country and the culture that you reside in.

Silly, there is no such thing as American culture so your argument is moot and your a racist. Just ask NAOS. He'll tell you.

 

[Darkwing Duck]

I'm still confused as to how saying that somebody living in America for 23 years should be able to speak fluent english is racist. Can somebody explain that to me?

Would you live in a foreign country for 20+ years and still only speak your native language? Because that is just ridiculous and a lack of respect for the country and the culture that you reside in.

There is quite the gap between speaking a second language fluently and speaking only a native language.

There is also quite the gap between speaking a language and speaking it in an official capacity.

I'm amused by the black and white description of language here. You either know it or don't know it. Laughable.

 

[asian_roger]

Not knowing English after living in America 20+ years is their own problem. Life would be much easier if they knew English and it would be easier for them to move up in society. If they were smart, they would attempt to learn English to improve their own life.

 

[The-Joker]

Not knowing English after living in America 20+ years is their own problem. Life would be much easier if they knew English and it would be easier for them to move up in society. If they were smart, they would attempt to learn English to improve their own life.

clap, clap, clap, clap, clap

These people don't live in American society, they live in a safer, better Mexican society based in certain parts of every town all over the US. All this proves is that a guy was able to get by for 22 years without learning English... and I'm not surprised... because we're talking about 2 different societies. and none of us can understand, because I'd assume all of us are firmly planted in the other society.

 

[Boondocksaint27]

It appears to me that anytime people are critical of illegal immigration, the "racist" label is quickly thrown out. I would love to see an open discussion about both sides of the immigration issue, where the pro-immigrant side doesn't throw out the label of "racist" as the backbone to their argument. I know several people who are critical of illegal immigration, and they are of hispanic origin.