Este los Estados Unidos, hablamos ingles aqui!

Night Star
If we went to their country and refused to speak their language, they would be pretty upset. Many of the spanish speaking community are not here beacause they respect America. They are here for jobs which takes away from legal citizens, they are here for the freebies, they are here to sell drugs and bring their violence, and molest children while getting leaching off the system. While many cannot afford their own medical, their tax dollars are going to fund illegals and the illegals medical care.Many just want to take over. That is tha reality.

From the first moment I read your posts and opinions I knew the type of person you were. I decided to not judge you because I know that we are flawed, myself included, and even now I will not blame or judge you for your train of thought. I will say a few things however. If you went to Mexico for example, and I can only speak for Mexico because that's where I'm from; you would find that people are either generally accepting or don't care about you at all because they have their own problems to deal with. "Every head is a world" my grandma always says, and you are not the center of mine or of anyone else.

To the point of "they dont respect America" and "they are here for jobs, freebies, drugs, violen, etc." How would you feel if I said that all white Americans wear cowboy hats, listen to country, and marry their cousins?

My dad told me that he'll never forget the day he saw a man in Mexico picking the "best looking pieces of mud" so his kids could eat. The ones that are here taking "your jobs" are here to avoid that situation. There are bad people in all races and Mexicans are not the exception. But to say that they come here to sell drugs and not say why is disingenuous. "SOME" of them sell drugs because "SOME" Americans are buying them. "Bring their violence" again not all. "Molest our children" again not all and there are many Americans that do it as well.

Your perspective on reality is incorrect. I don't know if its resentment, ignorance, or even malice, but none of these gives you the reason to throw logic out the window. You can protest and be angry without being incorrect.

Originally posted by mappam
This is one of my Biggest pet peeves!!

We lived in Brazil for two years - we had HAD to learn Portuguese to communicate! This was over 20 years ago and there was Very Little in English (beyond the airport or Major Hotels).

We also live in Florida and in the area we live there isn't as much of this - yet.

But a few years ago we were in Texas and the Hotel Airport driver did NOT speak a word of English! Not one word!

Why would the Hotel even employ someone that Works in the US and deals with Hotel guests on an everyday basis. So I blame the Hotel management as much as the driver.

I can't tell you how much it 'bugggggs' me when I am asked to 'press 1 for Spanish"!!!!! Or try to read the directions on a package and have trouble finding the English over the Spanish!

To me "WE" (or the THEY=TPTB) are sending a very Clear Message that the Spanish Speaking People are NOT as smart as the rest of the world. That 'we' have to learn their language because they are too dumb to learn ours.

When was the last time you were asked to 'press 2 for Dutch' or picked up a package and the instructions were in Swedish?

Are the Dutch and Swedish that much smarter than the Spanish?

This is America. Specificilly NORTH AMERICA or The United States Of America....Not South America or Central America or Mexico or Cuba etc etc....

Why Cater to just ONE (other) language?

So - if you want to LIVE here in USA - Learn the language the same as my family had to learn Portugues in Brazil. Shoot - we didn't even have cable then for TV in English

or internet or or or....

In a few more years, after the unfettered illegal immigration of millions more broke a__ mexicans, English will be the secondary language, and spanish the primary. I can see it coming as plain as day. Stores here in Florida cater to latins, and have most of their staff able to speak both languages. they are more every day showing their preference for the spanish language. i try to not shop at those stores, but it is becoming increasingly more difficult to do that. it's like trying to buy US made goods, it's almost impossible.


I also find it insulting to go to a store, and the clerks will speak spanish between themselves, right in front of you, and look at you like--what's your problem??? get used to it, it's not going to change, and it's only going to get worse.

No problemo, senor.

As far as Cubans in south Florida, at least the older ones, will NOT learn the language if it kills them. They're stubborn and since they're surrounded by hispanics for the most part, they feel no need to learn the language.
I know,
A Cuban.

reply to post by dgtempe


In this case, the lady was 50 something, and given the location, most likely Cuban by birth.

How about looking at things from a different perspective?

If Mexico, and Cuba and the whole of Central and South America had high employment, do you think that they would bother to go to the USA illegally?

No, they would not.

What investment has the USA made in improving the economy of those places? Oh no, "Buy American". Don't dare try and help your neighbouring countries to do well.

But, when it comes to war, oh then, well, especially if our oil interests are at stake, well then lets spend a hundred Katrillion dollars to blow the #### out of them.

Thats the typical American outlook; at least the typical American government policy.

Now you bitch because so many people from those poor countries are doing desperate things to get to America. I am sure that 99.99% of them would have rather remained in their own country if that was a possibility without starvation.

Think about it.

In my area of Canada we have a fairly reasonable work program where people from those countries come to work legally. They come here, work, some open restaurants with great food, and then most return home to their families at the end of the season. It works.

Oh, and they get health care too!

Its not America's responsibility to help other countries. We are to take care of own first, you can have the scraps. We're not self-righteous, we are self preserving, to deter off the path will surely lead us to ruin

reply to post by soultorent

to deter off the path will surely lead us to ruin

kinda looks like you are just about there.

maybe its time for you to try a different path.

[edit on 8/25/2009 by wayno]

I never understood latin people who moved to USA and refuses to learn english. It's not a big deal, I've been teaching myself for like 10 years, not living in an anglo speaker country but in a spanish one, and even when my spelling and redaction aren't 100% correct, I know how to explain myself.

For the same reason, i help teaching spanish to non-native speakers too, it's a good way to pay back the ones who have helped me in the past. I have great memories of funny and lovely gringos learning to swear in chilean slang, hahaha.

reply to post by JaxonRoberts


Hahaha!

That's true all over the world man, it's not something exclusive to the United States and certainly not a Latin thing. I've seen people from China, Indians, French, Germans, Japaneses and from a few others places doing the exact same thing all over the world. Including (unfortunately) Americans.

This has a lot to do with the level of education they had and how closed they live inside their own communities suffering from a pretty serious case of "belly button syndrome" while living in countries other than their own.

Ignorant people is just something you ignore. They are the ones paying the price for not getting what they want. Next time pretend you didn't understood a thing and just curse them using a unusual curse word with a smile on your face. Be cynical, it works

[edit on 25-8-2009 by thomas_]

The same happens in Spain.
There are places where I feel like a foreigner. The waiters speak little spanish, they speak only english or german. The signs are in english. Even ask for directions or anything in your own language is difficult.

reply to post by dgtempe


Me rio a algunos de estos locos que estan tratando de dirigir la conversacion hacia imigracion. Cuando el sujeto es claramente que todo lo que estamos pidiendo es que aprendan el idioma si van a vivir y trabajar aqui. Yo tuve que aprender el idioma de ellos cuando estaba en la Republica Dominicana. Y lo aprendi en como un mes, porque no tuve otra opcion.

Asi que me gusta su atitud, aunque seas Cubana. Y te respeto mucho por eso. Gracias.

La Verdad es la verdad!!!!


Mi hijito.

I can't really get angry at the woman you encountered at the restaurant where you work. If I would get angry, I would be a hypocrite, because I am like third generation in this country and my great-grandparents were fresh-off-the-boat Eastern European. My great grandparents, to my knowledge never learned a lick of English. They ensured that their children had a proficiency in the language though. Their kids acted as their translators when dealing with the bankers, bill collectors, ect. ect. They settled in areas where most of the population was of their ethnic background and the need to learn English wasn't really necessary.

It's the same now a days as well but I believe anyone planning to reside here permanently should make an attempt to learn the language. I would say that the woman is a disappointment and very rude. With learning the language; the woman ought to learn etiquette as well.

[edit on 25-8-2009 by Jakes51]

First i think you need to realize that South Florida is a completely different world. Its basically as close to a south american country you can get within the US. Why is it like that? well because it was founded by hispanics(Non-Mexican), by large part cubans in the early 60s.
So it makes sense that spanish is very common. Some of you have said, well if i live in Germany or France i would have to learn their language, well of course you would cuz thats all they speak, but like i said South Florida is another world and you literally can get by knowing little to no english.

Bottom line is if you plan on coming to south florida to live or visit, treat it like if you were going to france, and come prepared to hear different languages.

There's a saying that goes: What do you call someone who can speak 3 languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who can speak 2 languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who can speak 1 language? American

Heya,

I can't contribute much to this thread in terms of an American immigration perspective but it is quite often to see threads regarding this language issue and I usually stay out because I know it is a matter that does not concern me but just for the record I will this time add this:

- The US in my experience are on the top countries I have been lucky to visit that are most hospitable in terms of tolerance language wise

Whether for work or pleasure I have been fortunate to travel around a little and I always enjoyed each place I went to. But as it concerns language from losing trains in eastern Europe because people were unwilling to calmly let me explain that the date on my papers that had them so puzzled was my birth date... not the documents' expiration date... to Berlin where whenever I asked someone if they spoke English they'd proudly say yes and then answer me in German with a "This is our language...", proud look on their face, and Paris where so much as trying to speak anything other than French made cab-drivers refuse to give me a ride.... in the US everyone was not only more than patient and willing to tolerate my accent but actually happy to accommodate a foreign customer often starting dialogue asking me where I was from, what was it like there, hoping to visit my country too, etc.

That was always as a tourist of course but I'm just saying that in my experience (admittedly little) if I was to move to the US I believe it would be a country a lot more tolerating towards me as I tried to learn the language better and overcome my accent than a lot of countries out there.

And for the people that think you don't have to learn English to be in the US and people just have to learn Spanish or any other language to accommodate you... take a trip to Germany, France, Bulgaria, Romania, etc. and try pulling that one off. You won't get enough sympathy to even start a dialogue.

Cheers.

reply to post by JaxonRoberts


The customer is always right, right?!

You really got double whammied: not only has she allegedly lived here for 15 years and not bothered to learn the local language (rude, and very odd), but to curse you out for not speaking hers... Sounds like she might have some French blood in her, too...

reply to post by billybobh3


You were saying?

Originally posted by 3vilscript

Night Star
If we went to their country and refused to speak their language, they would be pretty upset. Many of the spanish speaking community are not here beacause they respect America. They are here for jobs which takes away from legal citizens, they are here for the freebies, they are here to sell drugs and bring their violence, and molest children while getting leaching off the system. While many cannot afford their own medical, their tax dollars are going to fund illegals and the illegals medical care.Many just want to take over. That is tha reality.

From the first moment I read your posts and opinions I knew the type of person you were. I decided to not judge you because I know that we are flawed, myself included, and even now I will not blame or judge you for your train of thought. I will say a few things however. If you went to Mexico for example, and I can only speak for Mexico because that's where I'm from; you would find that people are either generally accepting or don't care about you at all because they have their own problems to deal with. "Every head is a world" my grandma always says, and you are not the center of mine or of anyone else.

To the point of "they dont respect America" and "they are here for jobs, freebies, drugs, violen, etc." How would you feel if I said that all white Americans wear cowboy hats, listen to country, and marry their cousins?

My dad told me that he'll never forget the day he saw a man in Mexico picking the "best looking pieces of mud" so his kids could eat. The ones that are here taking "your jobs" are here to avoid that situation. There are bad people in all races and Mexicans are not the exception. But to say that they come here to sell drugs and not say why is disingenuous. "SOME" of them sell drugs because "SOME" Americans are buying them. "Bring their violence" again not all. "Molest our children" again not all and there are many Americans that do it as well.

Your perspective on reality is incorrect. I don't know if its resentment, ignorance, or even malice, but none of these gives you the reason to throw logic out the window. You can protest and be angry without being incorrect.

I apologize for coming across as a crazy angry American. First of all, you do not know the kind of person I am. I have Mexicans who are friends and never singled them out. I have been to baby showers, weddings and other important functions and holidays with hispanics. They all know How I feel about the illegal aspects.

Most of the illegals that I know have come right out and said that they could get things easily from the sytem, free medical care, food stamps etc. They lie and say that they are not married. So they have two good incomes that welfare was unaware of. Most, not all, were always calling America stupid and complaining about one thing or another. I found that so ingrateful and insulting. I encouraged them to get their citizenship and to do things legally. Some have.

When I brought up things like violence etc., because we have been so forgiving of illegal immigrants, people are not screened before coming here. We have no problems with good people who come here and abide by our laws, but unfortunately, there are way too many bad people coming through. People whos own countries don't want them. Some deaths that were due to illegals were from people who were deorted more than once. These people did not have to die. Some children as young as 4 years of age. I have personally seen beautiful parks and neighborhoods with graffiti and trash that we have never had before with the increase in illegals. Not all are responsible I know that.

I realize that there are good and kind poor people coming here. I even stated in another thread how there were some illegals that I would rather see here than some of the bad legal citizens we have. The problem here in America is that we have millions of jobless people, tent cities popping up everywhere because homeless shelters are filled to capacity. My point is that American citizens are falling through the cracks and all we hear about is the plight of other poor people. It saddens me deeply that anyone illegal or not has to face poverty, but America is looked upon as being saviors of the world and we are broke.

Many years ago, when my husband and I were first married, making minum wage and facing layoffs during certain seasons when things were slow, we could not afford medical coverage. My husband ended up in the hospital and we ended up with thousands of dollars in medical bills. We never asked for food stamps, cheap housing etc. All we asked for was help for our enourmous medical bills. We were turned away because we made like 3.00 over the limit. It took us YEARS to pay that money back. We had to work overtime, sometimes 7 days a week. So when I see how easy it is for illegals to get free help, I am resentful. That is but one reason why Americans are upset. There are double standards and it isn't right. I do not see a flaw in my reasoning.

We have hungry poor people who have lived and worked hard their entire lives and have been reduced to living on the streets, in the woods, wherever they can to find shelter. Winters must be unbearable for these people.

Originally posted by wayno
How about looking at things from a different perspective?

If Mexico, and Cuba and the whole of Central and South America had high employment, do you think that they would bother to go to the USA illegally?

No, they would not.

What investment has the USA made in improving the economy of those places? Oh no, "Buy American". Don't dare try and help your neighbouring countries to do well.

But, when it comes to war, oh then, well, especially if our oil interests are at stake, well then lets spend a hundred Katrillion dollars to blow the #### out of them.

Thats the typical American outlook; at least the typical American government policy.

Now you bitch because so many people from those poor countries are doing desperate things to get to America. I am sure that 99.99% of them would have rather remained in their own country if that was a possibility without starvation.

Think about it.

In my area of Canada we have a fairly reasonable work program where people from those countries come to work legally. They come here, work, some open restaurants with great food, and then most return home to their families at the end of the season. It works.

Oh, and they get health care too!

Wayne, we have millions of unemployed legal citizens. Taking in illegals only makes the problem worse. For every illegal who is working, that is one more legal citizen left behind.

You asked: "What investment has the USA made in improving the economy of those places? Oh no, "Buy American". Don't dare try and help your neighbouring countries to do well."

The US has spent a fortune helping other countries. We say buy American, because it is so rare to find anything made in America anymore. We have lost way too many jobs here from having things made in other countries. Doesn't anyone realize that we are suffering here in the great USA? Companies do not care about human lives, they care about money and power and greed.

Perhaps at one time we were the land of opportunity and it didn't matter who came here for jobs. It is not like that anymore. Our children are coming out of colleges having a hard time finding employment with all the downsizing and companies trying to save a buck. We have children who can't even find a fast fod restaurant job. We have more and more elderly who cannot afford to be retired. There is no sympathy for the poor struggling American. There is no compassion for them. Instead we are seen as the rich bad guys.

[edit on 25-8-2009 by Night Star]

reply to post by Night Star


You have nailed the 'Evil' side of unchecked capitalism on the head. Unchecked, it only leads to greed. In the last hundred years we have gone from a capitalist democracy to a corporatacracy. Corporations now run everything, and it's getting worse by the day. Bailouts, anyone???

Back onto the subject at hand, it's not just the illegal immigrants who refuse to learn the language, but the legal ones as well. I can guarantee that the woman mentioned in the OP was a legal immigrant! Now here's a question for you: Is there a marked difference between those who come here through the visa process and those who set sail on a rowboat? As I only have dealings with Cuban and Haitian migrants for the most part, I have no personal knowledge of other immigrants. I can say that Haitians, for the most part, do take the time to learn the language. In fact, I cannot think of ever encountering a Haitian that did not know at least basic English. Cubans, on the other hand...