Korean Job Discussion Forums

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

A proposed amendment would make English the official lang. in the U.S., and opponents are calling this "racist."

Do you think so? Why or why not?

Hater Depot · Joined: 29 Mar 2005

I don't think it is inherently racist. Certainly at least some of the proponents of this have racist motivations.

On the other hand in some circles, 'racist' has been defined down to 'people who disagree with me'.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Its not racist.. it just some type of government symbolism of some sort.

Its also not about to be the 'official language'.. they are watering it down and calling it the 'national language'.. and its basically just some kind of symbolic statement in relation to massive immigration from Mexico - along with this entire minutemen on the Arizona border thing.

As far as legally taking away any of the many bilingual education type things.. or federal forms/documents and making English only.. none of that stuff will happen with this amendment.

Its pure symbolism and nothing more.. and the fact its just that.. kind of makes it a pointless expenditure of tax-payer dollars for no real apparent reason.

bucheon bum · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

No, but I still don't support the idea of having an official language of the USA. I think that is one thing that makes it unique.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

Jeez, who cares? How many people know that the US has no official language? The whole world thinks English when they think USA. Don't close to 90% speak it? A good bit more percent-wise than in Canada.

(And I do believe there are a few other nations without an official language.)

bignate · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Location: Hell's Ditch

No, I don't think that it is racist....a little ignorant and hubristic, but not racist.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

People are focused on the emotional arguments for and against but should be aware that there could be a whole host of legal, financial, and bureaucratic impacts on this issue... maintaining the current status quo, is that really such a bad thing?

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

Wangja · Joined: 17 May 2004 Location: Seoul, Yongsan

Not racist.

Mildly amusing, not roll in the aisles stuff, but not racist.

Woland · Joined: 10 May 2006 Location: Seoul

Not racist. Just a waste of time. If it actually had any real impact on people, like reducing access to services or things like that, then it would be dangerous.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

The motivation seems to be, while not racist, errr wanting to send a message to some constituents.

Most nations do have one or more official languages. Canada two, Switzerland, crap, maybe about 8. From a libertarian point of view, let the market decide. If you're in Miami or Texas, you're going to supply services in English and Spanish certainly. At a minimum let the states decide. Granted there is the problem of what languages you supply government services in. Although Canada has two official languages, of course it supplies many services in Chinese, Italian, etc. where appropriate.

I think an official language, at most, should state something along the lines of government services and education are only guaranteed in the official language. Important product information need to be labelled at least in the official language. One cannot argue justified ignorance of the law if it's solely in English.

However, it should not be used like Quebec to dictate what language a business' signs are in. It should not be used as a moral hammer to dictate what language employees might want to speak on their break, etc.

ajgeddes · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Location: Yongsan

You would think for people to call something racist, it would need to have something to do with race. Can only white people speak English?

Anyways, on to the point. There is nothing wrong with it. It is just a lame attempt to keep Spanish from taking over certain states.

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

This just goes to show that foreigners have been given wayyyyy too much liberty in USA and it needs to be cut off.

Korea has embraced English, but I don't expect them to take it as their official language. Nor would I tell them to.

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

Octavius Hite · Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:39 pm Post subject:

Racist. It's clear that the intent of the move is to show Latino's whose in charge. The fact that it is coming out now in middle of a huge immigration fight and an election campaign is no surprise. Like gay marriage in the last few elections, the republicans will use this to fool the redneck vote into believing that the dems want to make them speak spanish and turn the country over to the dark people. Thats whats going on here and everyone (whose educated and been paying attention since 2000) knows it.