[Vision2020] FW: Words Bring Pause
Kai Eiselein, editor
editor at lataheagle.com
Mon Mar 12 14:41:16 PDT 2007
Ok, so one can expect to see things labeled in English and Japanese in
Hawaii, mainly because of businesses catering to Japanese tourists. As a
matter of fact, I was the only American in the group I went scuba diving
with, everyone else was Japanese, with the exception of one divemaster, and
even he spoke Japanese fluently.
Frankly, I didn't notice a language smorgasbord on Oahu, just a lot of
Japanese signage and Japanese languge TV shows. Most of the non-Japanese
tourists I ran into were either Aussies and Kiwis, who speak a strange
dialect of English, LOL..
One would also expect to see signs and such in English and Spanish along the
US/Mexico border. I will be in Nogales, AZ next month, and I fully expect
I'll need to speak English, Spanish and Spanglish while there. No problem,
in a matter of hours of arriving, it'll be like I never left.
But should I have to speak Spanish in, say, Idaho? No I shouldn't, yet I
needed to a couple of weeks ago while in the Boise area, because most of the
hotel staff did not speak Engish at all. In order to communicate my needs, I
had to speak Spanish. Was it the end of the world? No. Was it annoying? Yes,
why should I have to switch to a foreign language in order to communicate in
my own country? I shouldn't have to.
I think English should be the official language of the US.
If businesses want to deal in more than one language to attract customers,
that is their choice. I don't feel that Joe Taxpayer should have to pay for
government documents to be printed in every language on the planet.
I think speaking more than one language is great, the more the better, but
in my home country I should only NEED to speak one.
-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On
Behalf Of Sue Hovey
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 1:18 PM
To: Donovan Arnold; keely emerinemix; vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Words Bring Pause
OK, I guess we can agree to disagree on the English language mandate.
But would you humor me on this one? You said:
If you haven't bought anything where the directions were primarily Spanish
it is because you haven't bought anything in a community that is in the
Southwestern United States. You probably buy your stuff in Moscow or Spokane
that is 98% White not 40% White.
I believe in buying locally so I don't tend to run off to Arizona or
California to buy products. If they are sold there and not shipped out, why
does that create a problem for you? And I really would like an example.
It's not that I'm unwilling to believe you, I just want to know what one
might be.
Actually for the past three months I have done all my buying in
Hawaii--lucky me. There are many things I love about this wonderful state,
and among them is the benefit of its linguistic diversity. I don't buy many
products here that need directions, but it's great fun to shop for groceries
where one runs into labels printed in many languages--of course one can shop
in World Market in Spokane and do the same thing.
Sue
----- Original Message -----
From: Donovan Arnold
To: Sue Hovey ; keely emerinemix ; vision2020 at moscow.com
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 5:12 AM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Words Bring Pause
Sue,
You wrote:
"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."
This is a false representation of what I said. I said I have the deepest
respect for those that try to learn the language and spite for those that
don't.
Unless you are mentally incapable, which I doubt most non-English speaking
people in this country are, you should be attempting to learn the language.
Further businesses and other agencies that print everything in two or 20
languages are only allowing them to not learn.
Many millions of people come into this country and refuse to learn the
language, they stay in cities like LA, Phoenix, and Las Vegas where
everything is in their language. They get jobs, go shopping, and drive on
the roads, not knowing more than three words in English and don't care to
learn it. I am not talking about people 65 who grew up in an other country
until last week, I am talking about people 18-50 that have lived the better
half of their life in this country, and people that refuse to teach English
to their children.
Anyone that really wants to learn English can learn English. I also
believe that it is a serious danger to the lives of people in this country
when people cannot communicate because of a language barrier, it happens
everyday, in emergency situations, or situations that quickly because
emergency situations because of a lack of communication.
Yes Sue, all the cultures that have come to the US have learned to speak
English. There are no major cities in the United States where the majority
speaks German, the Germans learned English, as did the French, the Italians,
the Greeks, the Spanish, the Russians, the Swedish, Japanese, all did, even
the Slaves that were forbidden by law from reading learned to speak English.
We have to have one language as a matter of necessity, you have road
signs, government literature, communications over the radio, TV and
Internet, the language of government meetings, the words on printed money
etc, can be only adequately done in one language. No one person chose the
English language we all agreed to it many years ago because it gave us the
greatest opportunity in the world.
If you haven't bought anything where the directions were primarily Spanish
it is because you haven't bought anything in a community that is in the
Southwestern United States. You probably buy your stuff in Moscow or Spokane
that is 98% White not 40% White.
Not having everyone speak one language is not only an inconvenience, it is
also a danger to our society.
Further, I don't even think you should be able to get a driver's license
without being able to speak English.
Best,
Donovan
Sue Hovey <suehovey at moscow.com> wrote:
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, 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.
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
>
>
>
> =======================================================
> List services made available by First Step Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> http://www.fsr.net
> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> The average US Credit Score is 675. The cost to see yours: $0 by
Experian.
>
http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=660600&bcd=EMAILFOOTERAVE
RAGE
>
> =======================================================
> List services made available by First Step Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> http://www.fsr.net
> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
>
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.8/717 - Release Date:
3/10/2007
> 2:25 PM
>
=======================================================
List services made available by First Step Internet,
serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
http://www.fsr.net
mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
=======================================================
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Finding fabulous fares is fun.
Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find flight
and hotel bargains.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.8/717 - Release Date:
3/10/2007 2:25 PM
=======================================================
List services made available by First Step Internet,
serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
http://www.fsr.net
mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
=======================================================
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love
(and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.8/717 - Release Date: 3/10/2007
2:25 PM
__________ NOD32 2109 (20070312) Information __________
This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
http://www.eset.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20070312/bfc51706/attachment-0001.html
-------------- next part --------------
An embedded and charset-unspecified text was scrubbed...
Name: ATT00188.txt
Url: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20070312/bfc51706/attachment-0001.txt
More information about the Vision2020
mailing list