Texas senator calls man's Spanish-language testimony 'insult

[Hush]

Texas senator calls man's Spanish-language testimony 'insulting,' tells him to 'speak English'

BY Christine Roberts
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politic ... z1PYNRw0p2

Poll Results

You can only vote once.

Do you agree with Sen. Harris that speaking Spanish during a committee hearing is 'insulting'?
Yes, if the person testifying knows English...then he or she should speak in English. 76%
No, the person testifying should be able to speak in whatever language they want. 22%
I'm not sure. 2%

[driver6814]

Been here since 1988. Can't or won't speak english. More confortable speaking native language.

I'd be more comfortable with him in his native land

[CThomas]

I think I mentioned this a while back but a guy who use to work for a vendor of mine as a cleaner could barely speak english after having been in the US for 12 years. Long story short, he snuck in following his wife (she had green card), he requested asylum claiming he fled the peruvian military. 12 years later he received a green card. After 12 years he still could not carry on anything more then the most basic conversation in english. He said why do I need to learn english. I have spanish TV, radio, and papers, most major stores have signs in spanish, any company I call I can almost always get someone who speaks spanish including my bank and credit card companies. Sadly he is correct.
Oh by the way all this was conveyed to me via an interpreter.
In his defense he was one of the hardest working guys I have ever met, at one time he worked 3 jobs trying to get ahead.

[lobo56]

Should be required............but hell no..... (they....politicians) are to damn afraid they may piss somebody off.

Way to go Senator.

[Emilio]

I think it's a Mexican thing. same goes for teachings orientals how to speach AND drive.

[yotehunter57]

That's BULL. I worked with many Mexicans at a flooring mill a few years back. The good workers took classes to learn english and asked us to help if they said something wrong. The good guys want to fit in, and not sound like the white trash that grew up here.

yh57

[Maser]

I don't believe this country should be an English only speaking company because that's a direct contradiction to the First Amendment. I learned both English and Spanish at the same time and continue to speak both and I will be raising my kids the same. My oldest and I carry on conversations in both languages. Knowing how to speak more than one language is NEVER a bad thing and will open up many doors for your career.

Now getting back to the whole English vs Spanish debate, while I don't agree it should be a requirement to live in this country, I do feel that people should at least try and learn the language that the Constitution is written in which is English. It would be no different than if I chose to live in Germany and not learn how to speak German. It's just common sense. The main reason why Spanish only speakers choose to not learn English while in America is NOT because they want to make this country a Spanish only speaking country, but rather due to the fact that there's no real reason for them to learn English when things are already in Spanish. Same applies to people who only speak English. They choose not to learn Spanish due to the fact things are already in English here.

So yeah, while I don't believe learning to speak English or only speaking English should be a requirement, I do feel that common sense should tell you to at least make an attempt to learn it. Heck, I was starting to learn Dutch for my trip to Amsterdam on my 21st birthday, but alas that never happened.

[L1A1Rocker]

I once had an English only foreman have a problem with some workers. Seems they were pulling a "no comprendo" schtick on him. After bitching him out we walked over to where they were standing around. I told them to load the pallets (I don't speak any spanish either) and got a couple of "no comprendos" too. I asked "you comprendo check?" Got a few "Sees" and some nods. I told them to "load the damn pallets now or you don't get your 'efing check, comprendo?" They all hopped to it.

[CThomas]

[quote="Maser"]I don't believe this country should be an English only speaking company because that's a direct contradiction to the First Amendment.

Sorry, but it is that kind of thinking that has put us in the crapper as a country overall.
No doubt knowing another language can be very helpful and doing as the romans do when in rome is fine. All for people keeping up their heritage but in American we speak english and it has been that way for over 200 years. A country needs to be unified and a common language is what does that. The change we are seeing here stems from a failed immigration policy both legal and especially illegal. Corrupt corp america has seized on this and has decided to cater to this segment of the population and thus we are seeing a major shift in our culture and it is not good. You have read it for years that immigrants were happy to get here and made a huge effort to assimilate as quickly as possible. That is now changing as many new comers do not see the need as described. It will all contribute to a failed state ie my country.

PS An old pol sci professor of mine said one of the major failures for the former soviet unions military and society was that within its borders they spoke several languages!

[jlwilliams]

I don't believe this country should be an English only speaking company because that's a direct contradiction to the First Amendment... Knowing how to speak more than one language is NEVER a bad thing and will open up many doors for your career.

OK, I agree that speaking more than one language in never a bad thing. Education opens doors.

To say that adopting an official language is contrary to the first ammendment is absurd. There is just no connection.

You score a point for endorsing a practice of expanding knowledge and for passing that on to your kids. You get a five yard penalty for the crapy 'Constitutional' logic.

Is there a reason you refer to our country as a 'company'? Is that a statement or a typo?

[ick]

¿que?

[continuity]

I don't believe this country should be an English only speaking company because that's a direct contradiction to the First Amendment. ...

My nutcase neighbor says you're an idiot. I tend to agree. WTF is wrong with you?