So we have countless men crossing the boarder with no belongings and no homes and no jobs. Why don't we create a program where illegal immigrant men and women sign up to a course to learn English after which they are put into the Military for service and only at the end of that service do they earn US citizenship. This would help the military with needed numbers and it would help assimilate immigrants into American values. If the Immigrant doesnt want this path we can deport them back to their country.
You're viewing a single comment thread. View all comments, or full comment thread.
Comments (32)
sorted by:
English guy here. Why do Americans consider English to be so important? Of course there was a strong connection with England (before you kicked King George III's ass) but surely your country was built from a larger cross-section of other languages.
Having no uniting language is as destructive as no uniting culture. Think Tower of Babel
I think what makes speaking English here so important, is the perception that being American means a lot. We consider ourselves lucky and blessed to be born Americans, even in these weird times. Our history and heritage also give us a deep resentment of anyone who 1) would tell us what to do (a la a king), 2) would take advantage of the freedoms that were so hard won, 3) are liars, cheaters, and thieves. We also hate traitors with a passion.
If you go to another country and refuse to learn their language and customs, that's a slap in the face. See: Australia
Common law. Common literature. Common great books and ideas. European, west and east.
I got downvoted for asking this so it is obviously an emotional subject.
When I have met many Americans who are proud of their (for example) Polish or Italian ancestry. If I were one of those I would feel pretty insulted that my heritage was somehow inferior to immigrants from England.
In 1776, English was the universal language of the colonists and has remained so in 98 percent of the country.
Why do the Scots, Welsh, and Irish speak English? Commerce/Trade. Do you really expect everyone to have their own personal translator while conducting business?
During the heyday of the British Empire, English was spoken world-wide. It was common sense to choose English. What other language is spoken on every continent?