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Old 11-01-2013, 11:28 AM
 
Location: A great city, by a Great Lake!
15,896 posts, read 11,959,798 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by urbanlife78 View Post
Is this a daily issue for you or something? Having to interact with people who don't speak English? I am not sure how we as a country would force everyone here to only speak English, nor do I see the point in doing that.

It's called assimilating to your new country. I didn't say they couldn't speak their own language in their private lives, but if you're going to live here, and conduct business here, then speak the language.
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Old 11-01-2013, 11:39 AM
 
62,727 posts, read 28,935,937 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by no1brownsfan View Post
It's called assimilating to your new country. I didn't say they couldn't speak their own language in their private lives, but if you're going to live here, and conduct business here, then speak the language.
I totally agree with you. Why migrate here if you don't desire to assimilate into our mainstream society? Like you, I don't care what language one chooses to speak in their "private" lives.
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Old 11-01-2013, 11:56 AM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
46,001 posts, read 35,097,852 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by no1brownsfan View Post
It's called assimilating to your new country. I didn't say they couldn't speak their own language in their private lives, but if you're going to live here, and conduct business here, then speak the language.
So if someone speaks Dutch and runs a Dutch bakery and someone who comes in to the bakery also speaks Dutch they can't do business speaking in Dutch because they are conducting business in the US and must speak English? How would one enforce that? And why would we want to waste time enforcing that?
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Old 11-01-2013, 12:19 PM
 
Location: A great city, by a Great Lake!
15,896 posts, read 11,959,798 times
Reputation: 7502
Quote:
Originally Posted by urbanlife78 View Post
So if someone speaks Dutch and runs a Dutch bakery and someone who comes in to the bakery also speaks Dutch they can't do business speaking in Dutch because they are conducting business in the US and must speak English? How would one enforce that? And why would we want to waste time enforcing that?

I think you're missing the point. The point is if I move to another country then it would behoove me to learn their language, as well as their culture to try and fit in and assimilate as much as possible. Being the newbie, why should I expect them to cater to me?
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Old 11-01-2013, 12:51 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
8,802 posts, read 8,881,188 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by urbanlife78 View Post
So if someone speaks Dutch and runs a Dutch bakery and someone who comes in to the bakery also speaks Dutch they can't do business speaking in Dutch because they are conducting business in the US and must speak English? How would one enforce that? And why would we want to waste time enforcing that?
I think you're trying to take this to an irrational extreme. When we say English as an official language, we mean that it's the official language of government, including medium of instruction in schools, and a requirement for citizenship. The reason why it should be a requirement for citizenship is because it complements the whole premise of being a citizen of this country. Approximately 80% of Americans speak English as a first language, and far more speak it as a second/third/etc language. Therefore, to fully participate in this nation, it's appropriate to learn English. Hopefully that isn't too far over your head. I expect you to disagree, but hopefully you don't find it an unreasonable task for those coming to this country.
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Old 11-01-2013, 02:03 PM
 
47,525 posts, read 69,565,345 times
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Originally Posted by Oldglory View Post
I totally agree with you. Why migrate here if you don't desire to assimilate into our mainstream society? Like you, I don't care what language one chooses to speak in their "private" lives.
Well the easy life of food stamps and welfare handouts. This country has become the welfare office of the world. Too many immigrants have zero use for the USA laws and culture, but they sure do love the handouts and the easy life here.
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Old 11-01-2013, 02:25 PM
 
Location: Alaska
7,448 posts, read 5,714,718 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kevinm View Post
If you allow the culture of a country to be watered down or destroyed, the country ceases to exist. A common language is part of that culture.
Well the Obama's America!
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Old 11-01-2013, 03:25 PM
 
20,524 posts, read 15,865,638 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TriMT7 View Post
Interesting?

Actually, "Muslims" have traditionally been a "problem" for many European countries going back hundreds of years.


Beginning with the way the "Muslims" conquered, colonized, subjugated - and often enslaved - Europeans and encroached into various countries in Europe, such as Spain and Portugal .... all before any European country EVER decided (or could) colonize a Muslim country.
Agreed. I forgot about the Muslims "owning" part of Europe back in the day.
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Old 11-01-2013, 03:27 PM
 
62,727 posts, read 28,935,937 times
Reputation: 18487
I would expect to hear a foreign language in an ethnic "business" neighborhood, duh. That's not the same thing as expecting one to speak our language out in mainstream society.
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Old 11-01-2013, 05:38 PM
 
Location: 53179
14,416 posts, read 22,427,310 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by urbanlife78 View Post
So would you speak Dutch or English if you ran into an American in the Netherlands?
I know that anytime you meet a native you automatically speak your native tongue.
If I run into someone from Sweden here in The US, we speak Swedish. But 99% of my day I speak English.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 4
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