Let's not lose perspective

[luis]

[Zach]

It's too bad that point is irrelevant at that stage of the argument.

There used to be a time where coming to the American melting pot meant you assimilated to our society. Now it seems ass backwards and people expect is to assimilate to theirs.

[Josh]

Don't look so far. Some phrases form one topic in German PB forum. I try to translate with my poor english. In brackets the original German text:

• First of all, you should learn German!
  [Du solltest erstmal Deutsch lernen!]
• If you really interested to be taken seriously, take my advice and learn German!
  [Wenn Du wirklich Interesse daran hast, ernstgenommen zu werden, befolge meinen Rat und lerne Deutsch!]
• Maybe it's better, you try it in a forum of your native language?
  [Vielleicht versuchst Du es mal im Forum Deiner Muttersprache?]

[Zach]

This will always be an issue with any community (small like a forum, or large like a country) where there is a majority spoken defacto language.

And I honestly don't see anything wrong with it. There is nothing wrong with teaching your children to be bi-lingual, and perhaps in the future when 50% of more of the USA population actually IS bi-lingual it will not be as much an issue. But for those who only speak English it is a very fine point.

Our laws are in English, our signs are in English, our business is conducted in English (unless 2 parties speak another language better) everywhere you look there is English.

Protecting minorities rights, imho is not the same as allowing the minority to push their preferences upon a majority. It is a very thin line to navigate.

Years ago French was supposed to be the next big language in America, like is being claimed about Spanish now.. I don't know about you, but I don't speak French and don't remember the last time I bought something that came with French instructions anywhere near as detailed as the English ones..

The bottom line is, if someone comes to the country, legally or illegally, and can't be bothered to attempt to learn the language (staying in an isolated community, etc) then I have no sympthaty when they start crying about being taken advantage of, or their rights being violated because they did not understand what was happening.

I know plenty of immigrants from Spanish speaking countries who have felt the same way as I do, also. It's not too much to ask to learn to speak English in America.

I sure as hell would try to learn some basic words if I went abroad, so I expect the same courtesy from my fellow Human beings coming here.

---

I hold pretty moderate and fair views with regards to these kinds of immigration issues, but thanks to the uber PC culture of today, I would be labled a Xenophobe / Racist, etc by their insane logic.

[PB]

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do."