Has it come to the point where the US has to make English its official language?

Many people around the civilized world speak English in addition to their native language.If someone lives in America and cannot speak English,well tough.Everything should only be written only in english,whether its a sign,a package of a product,a form you have to fill out etc.,you get the idea.Everything used to only be written in english in the past.I called a big company yesterday and there was actually an option for people that only speak creole,WTF??

 

I don't have a problem with certain things being translated.
In the UK we had a whole glut of it, so, my mind boggles at the amount that is likely in the U.S .
Should everything be in English? No.
Just not anything and everything needs translating or should be translated.

 

Why should they only speak English in America exactly in your opinion? Because that's how it was in the past??

Please detail your argument against other languages, because so far it reeks of racism and a strong adherence to tradition.

 

I knew someone would bring up the BS politically correct "racism" thingy up.What is racist about speaking English??Maybe America is racist against Italian people because when you call a call center,they do not have an option for those that only speak Italian.Its unfortunate when the race card is thrown into issues that have NOTHING to do with racism.-------And Aristartle its nothing personal against you,but your view is actually how some people think.------If I lived in a different country,lets say France as one example, the first thing I would do is learn French.Reason being is I would not expect the country of France to change its ways because I do not speak French.

 

I'm sorry, what are your arguments that people should only speak English in America exactly?

So far your reasons are:

1) English is traditionally what Americans have had on their food labels.
2) There is no option for Italian speakers on automated phone services in America.
3) There is nothing racist about speaking, promoting, and assimilating America into an English speaking country.
4) If you moved to another country like France, where they actually have an official language unlike America, you would not expect the government of France to change because you speak another language.

Is there anything else??

Because it still reeks of racism. Do you wish to know how I can tell that you are a white male?

 

O.K. i gotta chime in..

as one who's grandparents came from poland between WW1 and WW2,and as one who has spent a good deal of time in the cities in the northeast,,i fail to see why the "speak english" thing is such a issue..

to this day there are whole communities as well as neighborhoods in and around every major city in the northeast where english is not the first language.
there are polish speaking neighborhoods,greek speaking,italian speaking,german speaking,,you name it there are neighborhoods that english as a language all but does not exist..

while i think its a waste of taxpayers money to have forms in different languages,and i am against that,i have no problem with folks speaking there native languages no matter where they are from..

for this to suddenly become a issue obviously largely due to the influx of hispanics does STINK TO HIGH HEAVEN OF RACISM to me..

if someone were to come up to my grandparents and demand they speak english i would more than likely slap them silly...

 

also,, you said you called a private corporation,, SO FUCKING WHAT?? they are private,, i dont care if they DEMAND you speak spanish,.. they are a private entity.. it is there choice how they run THERE business...

if you dont want to deal with them because of it,,then dont.. that is your choice..

there i said my 2 cents worth....

 

THEIR business, dear. It's their business over there.

 

I love the various cultures.I should not have to say this but I will my wife was born in and raised in a spanish speaking country for her first 20 years.The first thing people from other countries did when they came to the US years ago was learn English.So this is not a racial issue with me.I have no problem with people of various cultures speaking their own languages in conversations,matter of fact I like it.As far as I know that has nothing to do with having an official language.

 

I don't think he wants everybody to SPEAK English.
I think he wants everything to be WRITTEN in English.

 

Is that for real?

 

.

 

for real

 

Does he look like he gives a toss about grammatical accuracy?

 

I'm not sure it needs to be an official language but English seems to be the common language.

In Toronto, on any given day, I'll bet 25 languages can be heard. And it all works.
It's a relatively safe, clean place of five million people or so.

As a fifth generation Canadian, I am told I am now a minority in my own city.
But the language is still English for the common one used.

 

private companies should be under NO OBLIGATION,, nor should they be dictated to or forced to run there company the way the government or you demands it be run..
i shop in hispanic markets all the time.. most of what we buy the only thing on the package in english is the nutritional values..

i dont have a problem with it..
if i did i would CHOOSE to shop elsewhere..

your demanding the federal government take unconstitutional steps to satisfy your desires..
it may not be racist but it sure as hell is unconstitutional....

 

."hippiehillbilly",I agree with your above post.Private companies can do what they want,but government agencies should have everything in English.

 

Yeah, I'd like to know how far you want to go with this.

 

as i stated,, as a taxpayer,,yeah im all for any governmental forms being in english,,if folks have a problem they can bring a translator to do there business with them..

the rest is unconstitutional and puts undue restrictions on what we have left of a free market society..

 

i think when they translate things, they should translate it into more than the usual spanish/french/chinese

how about languages that other people speak? like me and my german. you never see a box or menu translated into german.