Obama: Speak more than just English speech causes uproar
expatbrian
Well, at least it caused an uproar in the usual, lying, ignorant, childish, racist, bigoted, greedy, criminal, and anti-constitution republican circles.
God. I love posting after a couple of drinks.
In what I thought was a very good, down to earth speech, Obama suggested that American children should learn a foreign language along with English. OMG! NOT A FOREIGN LANGUAGE! ...AMERICANS?
Yeah, pretty ridiculous idea. Why should Americans, the rulers of the world - the superior race - the most intelligent people on the planet - the chosen people by God, have to learn someone else's - anyone else's language. DAMN THOSE HEATHENS! If they want to talk to us, they damn well better be able to speak our language. Even if we are in their country!
Guess what? Many of them already do speak your language. Because they have such a better public school system than exists in the US, because they understand the advantages of being bi-lingual, because they have a clue about being prepared for international business, their syllabus includes English.
Because Obama suggested that it might be a good idea for American people to be able to say more than Merci Beaucoup, or Si Senor when they are in a foreign country, the right wing biased, drippingly wealthy, racist msm jumped on it and tried to make it sound as if that was a bad thing. And the Americans will go, "OOOOO..." what a bad suggestion! He wants us all to be Mexicans! Or Chinese! Or some such idiotic ignorant bullshit.
Listen up gang. It's a damn good idea for American children to be required to speak a second languadge. You know, like almost all of the other modern countries require. It's a small world and who knows what business is going to look like even 20 years from now? We currently are teaching our children how to do the jobs that exist today. But many of the jobs, indeed about 50%, that will need filling in 20 years don't even exist now.
Not to mention the fact that, if the US stays on its current course, if it continues to sink into economic depression, if it continues to produce failure after failure internationally and to lose respect around the world, if it's weakened knees finally give out and it crumbles, your children would be well served to be able to communicate with foreign people from perhaps the new, more powerful nations.
Well, at least it caused an uproar in the usual, lying, ignorant, childish, racist, bigoted, greedy, criminal, and anti-constitution republican circles.
God. I love posting after a couple of drinks.
In what I thought was a very good, down to earth speech, Obama suggested that American children should learn a foreign language along with English. OMG! NOT A FOREIGN LANGUAGE! ...AMERICANS?
Yeah, pretty ridiculous idea. Why should Americans, the rulers of the world - the superior race - the most intelligent people on the planet - the chosen people by God, have to learn someone else's - anyone else's language. DAMN THOSE HEATHENS! If they want to talk to us, they damn well better be able to speak our language. Even if we are in their country!
Guess what? Many of them already do speak your language. Because they have such a better public school system than exists in the US, because they understand the advantages of being bi-lingual, because they have a clue about being prepared for international business, their syllabus includes English.
Because Obama suggested that it might be a good idea for American people to be able to say more than Merci Beaucoup, or Si Senor when they are in a foreign country, the right wing biased, drippingly wealthy, racist msm jumped on it and tried to make it sound as if that was a bad thing. And the Americans will go, "OOOOO..." what a bad suggestion! He wants us all to be Mexicans! Or Chinese! Or some such idiotic ignorant bullshit.
Listen up gang. It's a damn good idea for American children to be required to speak a second languadge. You know, like almost all of the other modern countries require. It's a small world and who knows what business is going to look like even 20 years from now? We currently are teaching our children how to do the jobs that exist today. But many of the jobs, indeed about 50%, that will need filling in 20 years don't even exist now.
Not to mention the fact that, if the US stays on its current course, if it continues to sink into economic depression, if it continues to produce failure after failure internationally and to lose respect around the world, if it's weakened knees finally give out and it crumbles, your children would be well served to be able to communicate with foreign people from perhaps the new, more powerful nations.
posted by Libby Spencer at 8:10 AM
5 Comments:
It's amazing that most Japanese can come here and converse in English, but only a very tiny fraction of Americans could do the same. And that goes for Spain, Germany and France along with a multitude of other countries. I speak a second language (of my parents). I can't imagine a world without lovely flowing languages and exotic accents. If we all made an effort around the globe to speak each others' language, perhaps we could come closer to peace; but the warmongers would never stand for that!
Allah rahim -- Is it really possible to get through high school without having studied a foreign language? It wasn't in my day, but of course they don't study history or literature or much of anything else any more, judging from what I see and hear.
Habe nun, ach! Philosophie,
Juristerei und Medizin
und leider auch Theologie
durchaus studiert mit heißem Bemühn.
Da steh’ ich nun, ich armer Tor!
und bin so klug als wie zufor....
-Faust-
I remember arriving in Portugal in '98 with my partner. I was all set to tell the cabbie where we needed to go in Portuguese, but before I could get a word out, the cabbie said, "Where to?" Similar experiences in France as well. I guess it was Latin, then French, and now English as the international language of business. Air traffic control too. Too bad, though. While I only know a tiny bit of Portuguese, I'm fluent in French, but even over there wasn't allowed to use it much in Paris. In Marseilles, Cannes, and Nice, I got away with a little more. I think most high schools do require foreign languages, but the problem is, which one? Obama seemed to be suggesting Spanish. It may have been innocenmt, but that is a "loaded" language to suggest to red meat Republicans.
Son of a gun - I was there in 98 too. In small towns you'll have a much harder time finding English speakers, but Portuguese is fun, na verdade?
Spanish however, is probably the most useful language in Florida. I'm thinking of learning a bit more. It's great for pissing off the Republicans too.
Yes, In California and the entire southwest, there are an enormous number of Spanish speaking people. And because much of that area used to belong to Mexico, many street names and city names are Spanish words. I lived in San Jose for 45 years and never knew what it meant.
I had to take 2 years of foreign language in high school in the late 60's and then, as part of my sociology degree in the late 70's another 2 years was required. But that requirement was dropped just before I would have had to take the course.
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