Canada, you need to get firmer.

Exactly...like they used to do for the spanish kids in my elementary school when it came to learning english. I don't know if they still do that, though.

 

my biggest fear is that one day I'll be in a threatening situation, and when I go to call the police the recorded message will give me options as to what language I want the operator to speak. by the time it gets to English, it'll be too late.

this is America. if you don't like it, go back to Mexico.

 

Thank you.

I love you.

 

I disagree with both of you. America is and has always been a nation of immigrants. The diversity of this country is what led to the amazing feats of social progress that this country has achieved: Eliminating slavery, outlawing race-based crime, progressing the individual, outlawing discrimination against women, and so on. America has served as an example to the world in personal freedom until not too long ago as Europe began to prosper socially. Every language belongs in this country, and no one has any right to claim that English is the one and only language.

I also think that Spanish should be taught from a young age in school. That will guarantee that the child learns both languages. I see absolutely no harm in it... it'd be a much better use of a shitty education system. Kids might still come out not learning too much, but at least they'll have a second language will will open a whole lot of doors for them in this world.

 

i wasnt trying to make you feel dumb...im just a very blunt person...

 

I agree with you on the immigration thing. America has always been the free and welcoming country and that shouldn't change. I understand that some areas are heavily populated with different languages, cultures, and people.

However, being turned down a job at a cell phone store because I don't speak spanish? That's a little ridiculous. I asked the manager if he spoke spanish and he said he didn't...my point has been proven and I was able to still walk out of that store with my English/Italian speaking dignity.

 

i agree...however, i think more than just spansih should be taught early on...at least give the parents more choice. i understand that it'd be more costly, hiring more language teachers, etc...but in the end i think it'd be better. maybe have 1 romance language and somethign like german or something similar also availble to choose from.

 

I understand your frustration.

But you just have to realize that the country is changing, and that corporations are going to respond to this change.

It's not really a matter of being fair or not fair, or of nationalistic pride associated with a language.

 

I agree, that would be ideal. I wish there was a way to make sure radical reform in the education system.

I'm gonna say... privatize all schools and provide government vouchers to parents so that the parents could pick out whatever school to send their kids to. That way there would be competition between the schools, and the level of education will go up as a result.

 

exactly...i've been talking about that for so long it seems. huge reason why i left the public schools for private.

 

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"


The reason why immigration standards are so lenient in Canada, is that your country is vast and empty, and needs people to add industry and culture to the country. Canada also has amongst the worlds best refugee immigration policies. Your country is taking people from abject squalor and giving them the means to start a new life in your land.

So your unhappy with these people, who your society invites in with plenty of jobs which need to be filled, open land, good healthcare, and liberal social policies. A country which opens its arms to immigrants, because their not adapting to your model of society fast enough?

Immigrants are what keeps a society vibrant and growing. The tone of this thread leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

 

Yeah, it's such a simple concept too.

I went to a private school. I thank fucken sweet Jesus for it everyday.

 

Back in DR, we speak Spanish, there are many many jobs that you wont get if you dont speak English.
You dont know the language, you find a job somewhere else. You really want the job, you learn English. I know people from so many different countries, they all speak more than one language, because their education system is aware of the need for this, especially in today's globalized world. Americans are the only ones that I know that dont, reading this thread makes me understand why and it's sad.

 

Vouchers are a terrible terrible idea.

I'll go into that in another thread though.

 

*nods*

 

And I understand that...but sooooo many countries teach english right off the bat. America teaches english right off the bat. look at Japan...they learn like 6 languages throughout the course of their school life. We don't have that here. Every person I've talked to in another country said that they learned English at a young age in school.

If we were to learn a language in America in order to make it somewhere...narrowing it to ONE SINGLE language is too difficult. Take my area for instance...we have heavy spanish, french, polish, italian, and german populations in this immediate area...that would be a lot for any person to learn and kids in school would have to go year round like the japanese in order to learn all of these languages to meet the needs of our current multicultural society.

 

Spanish is the only one of those that would be particularly relevant to learn Malia.

Oh, on a side note. I find Sharia courts in Canada to be one of the worst ideas ever.

 

canadians are about to start lookin like those border gaurd militiamen pretty soon. they've had it pretty sweet. they's abouts to get CRANKY.

 

Spanish would be key in a national view of things...but as for the town neighboring mine..it's all polish. There isn't a spanish person in sight in that town. And that's the entire country...different parts of the country are populated heavier then others with different ethnicities.

 

I mean, I do believe that if you immigrate to a country you should learn the language they speak, for your own benefit, but I think people are a bit, not a bit, WAY insensitive to the immigrants social situation and it really bothers me when people act like the only ones benefiting from it are them and not their country, which is clearly not the case.
It's a give and take situation, like everything in life.