Bush Opposes Making English National Language

[toasty]

No doubt because he can't speak it properly

http://today.reuters.com/misc/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-05-19T193620Z_01_N19233580_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-IMMIGRATION-GONZALES.xml

Personally, I don't know that I think we need to make English the national language (although it would make thigns a hell of a lot easier). On the other hand, I don't think the government or the private section ought to be forced to coddle people who have opted not to bother to learn the most commonly spoken langauge in the country. Virtually every job you could ever have requires the ability to communicate on some level with people -- if you can't do that effectively, you're on your own, IMO.

I remember when I was in college, I had a TA for a stat class that was Korean. And I don't mean "of Korean descent," I mean the mother fucker was Korean as in "I lived in Korea up until last Friday." I couldn't understand a word out of his mouth -- it was very frustrating, especially since I was paying for this dude to teach me. Maybe English doesn't need to be an official language, but the ability to communicate effectively ought to be a prerequisite to certain jobs.

[KinKyJ]

Re: Bush Opposes Making English National Language

shit that story was gold

Didn't know the us didn't have an official language btw...

[toasty]

Re: Bush Opposes Making English National Language

^^Hey, nice sig

[tiddles]

Re: Bush Opposes Making English National Language

i think we ought to adopt some of the ideas from the purposed french immigrantion changes:
Only the qualified get "skills and talents" residency permit
Foreigners only allowed in to work, not live off benefits
Foreign spouses to wait longer for residence cards
Migrants must agree to learn French
Migrants must sign 'contract' respecting French way of life

[krelm]

Re: Bush Opposes Making English National Language

Personally, I don't know that I think we need to make English the national language (although it would make thigns a hell of a lot easier). On the other hand, I don't think the government or the private section ought to be forced to coddle people who have opted not to bother to learn the most commonly spoken langauge in the country.

Can a business get sued for refusing to hire a non-english speaking worker? For some reason, I don't think so. Personally, I think making a law making English the official language would just be unnecessary. Common sense dictates that you are going to have a tougher time finding work and getting around in the US if you don't speak English. What purpose does it serve to make it a law? As long as places of business have the legal ability to not hire somebody who doesn't speak English proficiently, then any sort of legislation is unnecessary, in that respect.

I remember when I was in college, I had a TA for a stat class that was Korean. And I don't mean "of Korean descent," I mean the mother fucker was Korean as in "I lived in Korea up until last Friday." I couldn't understand a word out of his mouth -- it was very frustrating, especially since I was paying for this dude to teach me.

Heh - I think it was pretty much like that with most of the TAs I had for math or physics subjects as an undergraduate. Just remember that most TAs in the natural sciences in US colleges aren't hired for their teaching or communication abilities. Especially the asian grad students (most of whom have probably never been to the US before they get off the plane and get shoved into a lab for the next 4-6 years). Hell, even the American TAs weren't exactly able to communicate the subject matter so well.

[rbuffetta]

Re: Bush Opposes Making English National Language

"Can a business get sued for refusing to hire a non-english speaking worker?"

Try getting tech support for some software programs. That made me rethink yes.

[Localizer]

Re: Bush Opposes Making English National Language

The nation was founded not on English, but on multitudes of different languages. There's no reason why English needs to be the law. I know in aviation, the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) requires English to be spoken because of Air Traffic issues.

[toasty]

Re: Bush Opposes Making English National Language

Can a business get sued for refusing to hire a non-english speaking worker?

This is not my area of expertise, but I think you are correct that the answer is no. In general, you can hire or fire pretty much anyone you want on any basis you want, provided it isn't on the basis of race. You couldn't decline to hire people simply because they are of, for example, hispanic descent, but not hiring someone because they only speak Spanish and English is spoken around the workplace seems entirely OK to me. As long as you have a race-neutral reason for not hiring someone, you're pretty much in the clear, I think.