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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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 Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 5:26 pm Post subject: Bush Wants Newcomers to Know English |
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Original article here
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Bush Wants Newcomers to Know English
By SUZANNE GAMBOA, Associated Press Writer
51 minutes ago
The White House took both sides in a dispute over English being the national language Friday as a broad immigration bill moved toward a final Senate vote next week with one conservative predicting it will never become law.
Bush's support for the dueling sides doesn't stray from his long-held view on learning English, said White House press secretary Tony Snow.
"What the president has said all along is that he wants to make sure that people who become American citizens have a command of the English language," Snow said. "It's as simple as that."
The Senate on Thursday approved an amendment sponsored by Sen. James Inhofe (news, bio, voting record), R-Okla., that would declare English the national language. But it also approved an alternative proposal sponsored by Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., designating English the nation's "common and unifying language." Before the vote on the alternative, Inhofe warned his colleagues, "You can't have it both ways."
The White House seemed to. "We have supported both of these," Snow said of the two amendments.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, speaking Friday in Houston, added to the confusion.
"The president has never supported making English the national language," Gonzales said, adding, "I don't see the need to have legislation or a law that says English is going to be the national language."
As governor of Texas and a presidential candidate in 2000, Bush supported bilingual education programs. He sprinkles Spanish into his presidential speeches and has released political commercials in Spanish. But he also has said the national anthem should be sung in English.
The president plans to address immigration reform in his weekly radio address Saturday. He has generally favored a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and a guest worker program that would bring more foreigners to the U.S. to fill jobs. Both are central elements of the bill before the Senate.
Sen. Jeff Sessions (news, bio, voting record), R-Ala., an ardent opponent of the bill conceded Friday it is likely to pass next week. "The Senate should be ashamed of itself," he said. But he also predicted to reporters that it won't become law unless House and Senate negotiators rewrite it.
The adoption of Inhofe's amendment drew a heated protest Friday from Latinos.
John Trasvina, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said the amendment could be misinterpreted and lead to a cutback in services for those not proficient in English.
"Latinos don't need a law passed to say we ought to learn English. There are long waiting lists for adult English classes," Trasvina said. "It's false patriotism to pass an amendment to say you ought to learn English and not fulfill your responsibility of providing the opportunities."
New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici (news, bio, voting record), the only Republican to reject the Inhofe proposal, said the country should "move beyond the notion that English, and English only, will ensure the future of the United States." |
Last edited by Son Deureo! on Fri May 19, 2006 7:14 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| I sure hope Roh doesn't read this. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 7:10 pm Post subject: Re: Bush Wants Newcomers to Know English |
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| Son Deureo! wrote: |
| ...he wants to make sure that people who become American citizens have a command of the English language... |
Language as a condition of citizenship isn't a problem for most of us waygook as mere residents. |
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Natalia
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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For citizens, fair enough. It shows a respect for the country you apparently want to spend the rest of your life in, and a desire to become part of the culture of the country you plan to spend the rest of your life in.
This kind of stuff happens in lots of countries. If you want to live somewhere long term, you should make some sort of attempt to become a member of that society.
If think if this wasn't Bush saying it, fewer people would be looking for reasons to disagree. |
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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LOL, I couldn't even imagine how Korea would ever find foreign English teachers if fluency in Korean became a prerequisite for an E2.
I guess the reason I found this article interesting is that the US is seriously considering establishing English as the official language, and this is probably the closest we've come in a long time.
On the surface, it seems only logical that English would be the official language as it's spoken by the overwhelming majority.
It could easily be disastrous for a lot of immigrants, especially since ESL and bilingual education are already grossly underfunded in most of the US. Heck, there are school districts where immigrant kids are being put in special ed classes with mentally retarded kids if there level of English isn't high enough. |
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Moldy Rutabaga
Joined: 01 Jul 2003
Location: Ansan, Korea
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| Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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| There are long waiting lists for adult English classes," Trasvina said. "It's false patriotism to pass an amendment to say you ought to learn English and not fulfill your responsibility of providing the opportunities." |
More ESL jobs in the southwest states---sounds good to me! 
Ken:> |
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Woland
Joined: 10 May 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 2:29 am Post subject: |
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| Bush has to learn English first. |
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flotsam
Joined: 28 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Woland wrote: |
| Bush has to learn English first. |
| Moldy Rutabaga wrote: |
More ESL jobs in the southwest states---sounds good to me!
Ken:> |
Now that's a challenge, professor.  |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Son Deureo! wrote: |
LOL, I couldn't even imagine how Korea would ever find foreign English teachers if fluency in Korean became a prerequisite for an E2.
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| "What the president has said all along is that he wants to make sure that people who become American citizens have a command of the English language," Snow said. "It's as simple as that." |
Question: Since when does an E2 = citizenship? |
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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| jinju wrote: |
| Question: Since when does an E2 = citizenship? |
Who said it does? |
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jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 8:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Son Deureo! wrote: |
| jinju wrote: |
| Question: Since when does an E2 = citizenship? |
Who said it does? |
You did.
Bush was saying the language thing should be applied to CITIZENS, and you chimed in with something about E2 visas. Im not a big fan of Bush but Im sorry, twisting his words only makes YOU look bad. |
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Hater Depot
Joined: 29 Mar 2005
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| Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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| There is nothing Bush can do on this issue to save himself. In the past we've seen conservatives line up to defend him no matter what, but now they've decided that enough is enough. This is merely a convenient issue they can use to shiv him and dump him overboard without having to admit they were wrong for supporting him on other things. |
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Son Deureo!
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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OK.... that's an interesting way of reading my comment, but not what I meant.
I was responding to Van Islander's comment, because that would be hilarious but completely unimaginable. To be honest, I was surprised that even came up in the first place.
As an E2 visa holder in this country and a citizen of another country, I am fully aware of the difference between a work visa and citizenship. |
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Don Gately
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Location: In a basement taking a severe beating
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| Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject: |
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I swear to god that if they declare an official language in the States that's the final straw, I'm done with that fucking country and I'm emmigrating to New Zealand.
I can stand so much and then I can stand no more. |
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Moldy Rutabaga
Joined: 01 Jul 2003
Location: Ansan, Korea
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| Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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It's also interesting that many nations declare an official language only when that language is in danger--and it doesn't often work! Charlemagne tried to fix the Latin language and prevent French and failed completely. The modern French are adamant about the use of their language, because the international community increasingly won't use it any longer. The Quebecois, with their le hamburger, are fighting the same losing battle.
Ken:> |
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