This forum...

[eufo]

Originally Posted by fort lauderdale

I think there should be push for English as a NATIONAL language. That would prevent the rest of the U.S from becoming Miami in 25 years, and help with social division between American and Hispanic/ other immigrant groups. Whitehouse.gov is in spanish for crying out loud!

Agreed, but a call for English would probably be called "racist" and "discriminatory" against those who wish to speak their own language or some such nonsense.

I feel bitter today.

[Nutshell]

Originally Posted by eufo

Agreed, but a call for English would probably be called "racist" and "discriminatory" against those who wish to speak their own language or some such nonsense.

I feel bitter today.

I share that feeling...

To those people, I say "tough!". They CHOSE to move to the USA and therefore, they must know that English is the common language.

I honestly don't care what language people use when they're at home, or with friends who are the same nationality as them. However, I pretty much take offence when I am made to feel like an outcast for simply speaking English and I feel that English should be made compulsary, especially at work.

It's one thing to accept different cultures and embrace diversity, but it's another thing to watch your own culture get steamrollered by someone else's culture in your own country.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by Nutshell

I share that feeling...

To those people, I say "tough!". They CHOSE to move to the USA and therefore, they must know that English is the common language.

I honestly don't care what language people use when they're at home, or with friends who are the same nationality as them. However, I pretty much take offence when I am made to feel like an outcast for simply speaking English and I feel that English should be made compulsary, especially at work.

It's one thing to accept different cultures and embrace diversity, but it's another thing to watch your own culture get steamrollered by someone else's culture in your own country.

That is absoultely how I feel about the language debate. Honestly, I don't even care if you speak your native language with your family out in at the store or something, as long as you speak English when it comes times to pay. I honestly think Broward still has a fighting chance of retaining English as a first language. My hope was restored yesterday when I was eating at a restaurant, and the latin-looking guy behind me was speaking perfect spanish, and then, when the (hispanic/heavy accent) waitress came, he said with an American/Southern twang "What do you have on tap? Nothin like an ice cold beer". He continued to go back in fourth with his family in his beyond-perfect English to Spanish, but only spoke English with the waitress. I see similar almost everywhere here. I mean, you hear a lot of Spanish spoken, but I can say it has been rare to find someone that did not at least attempt to speak English, except in areas fringing on Dade County. One of the things I love most about my area it the cultural diversity, and when people are united by a common language, you get to experience it in a way like no other.

[Nutshell]

Originally Posted by fort lauderdale

That is absoultely how I feel about the language debate. Honestly, I don't even care if you speak your native language with your family out in at the store or something, as long as you speak English when it comes times to pay. I honestly think Broward still has a fighting chance of retaining English as a first language. My hope was restored yesterday when I was eating at a restaurant, and the latin-looking guy behind me was speaking perfect spanish, and then, when the (hispanic/heavy accent) waitress came, he said with an American/Southern twang "What do you have on tap? Nothin like an ice cold beer". He continued to go back in fourth with his family in his beyond-perfect English to Spanish, but only spoke English with the waitress. I see similar almost everywhere here. I mean, you hear a lot of Spanish spoken, but I can say it has been rare to find someone that did not at least attempt to speak English, except in areas fringing on Dade County. One of the things I love most about my area it the cultural diversity, and when people are united by a common language, you get to experience it in a way like no other.

I feel the same way as you do. One thing I like about New York is that you hear a million and one different languages on the subway. Diversity really works when you have a bunch of people from different cultures who all assimilate and unite under one language when it matters, i.e. in the workplace, while keeping in touch with their cultural identity at the same time. This is something clearly lacking in Miami - Spanish is taking over in every sense and if you don't speak it, you're left out in the cold.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by Nutshell

I feel the same way as you do. One thing I like about New York is that you hear a million and one different languages on the subway. Diversity really works when you have a bunch of people from different cultures who all assimilate and unite under one language when it matters, i.e. in the workplace, while keeping in touch with their cultural identity at the same time. This is something clearly lacking in Miami - Spanish is taking over in every sense and if you don't speak it, you're left out in the cold.

The thing about Broward is that we DO have a few more cultures then just Latins, and that interestingly enough, the wealthier areas tend to be the more ethnically diverse ones, and also the areas with the lower crime rates. The thing about Miami is that the waves of immigration became so large and uncontrolled, that there was little time to assimilate, and now you have today's divided Miami and its corresponding attitude.

[Musclehead]

Originally Posted by fort lauderdale

The thing about Broward is that we DO have a few more cultures then just Latins, and that interestingly enough, the wealthier areas tend to be the more ethnically diverse ones, and also the areas with the lower crime rates. The thing about Miami is that the waves of immigration became so large and uncontrolled, that there was little time to assimilate, and now you have today's divided Miami and its corresponding attitude.

Broward is more "diverse " than Dade ... not only do you have Hispanics of different nationalities other than Cuban, but you have more people from the English speaking Caribbean as well as from Haiti , also Canadians, Asians and large Ukranian and Romanian areas . I still believe that Broward is still several years from becoming like Miami - Dade .

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by Musclehead

Broward is more "diverse " than Dade ... not only do you have Hispanics of different nationalities other than Cuban, but you have more people from the English speaking Caribbean as well as from Haiti , also Canadians, Asians and large Ukranian and Romanian areas . I still believe that Broward is still several years from becoming like Miami - Dade .

On top of that you have Jews, the only Italian-Pularity county outside of the Northeast, and plain old white Americans. No group is excluded here.

[Musclehead]

Originally Posted by fort lauderdale

On top of that you have Jews, the only Italian-Pularity county outside of the Northeast, and plain old white Americans. No group is excluded here.

I know there are a lot of Italians in Coral Springs ... but what is "Italian -Pularity " ?

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by Musclehead

I know there are a lot of Italians in Coral Springs ... but what is "Italian -Pularity " ?

They make up the highest percentage of ethnicity, but less than a majority. Just like Broward County is 49.9 percent non hispanic white, making it a plurality, but not majority white county. If it were 50 percent, it would be white- Majority. Most Broward communities are dominated by Italian ancestry within thier white community except for some eastern communities. Check out CDs ancestry stats!

[mbmouse]

OK, sorry all, but this thread that started out as a "please lets not be so negative about Miami in this forum" (to summarize) and now it is a "What is the official language, and what it should be and why in both FL and the U.S.A.
So it is time to close it. If someone wants to start a new thread on the topic, ok, just keep it Miami, or it will be moved to the political and other controversies forum.
Thank you.