Has anyone ever told you, "Speak english, we're in america!" ?

Question

I'm a very patriotic person. Actually, extremely patriotic. And that is because I love where I come from, PUERTO RICO! I hate it when people say I'm american. I'M NOT!! And Puerto Rico, IS NOT, a state of the U.S. We are simply a free state in alliance.
Something I think is extremely offensive is when I'm speaking to someone in my first language, Spanish, and someone else comes nd tells me, "Speak english we're in america!" I believe that to be racist. If people think I'm talking about them then sorry that you think so. But it isn't any of their business to know what I'm conversating about. And as I always say, "Wanna understand me? Learn spanish just like I learned English." I don't care where I am, wether it's america, japan, china, or france. I'm always going to speak my language in addition to the other ones I know. I'm a person that loves languages and different cultures but I'm very proud of my heritage. This goes to anyone that speaks any other language too. Speak whatever....

Answer 1

I am Puerto Rican but I live in the continental U.S. I am a native English language speaker but I know basic Spanish as well. Yet, I consider myself Puerto Rican/American and am proud of it. Sometimes, when some of my family from Puerto Rico calls me on the phone, they tell me "Speak Spanish, you're Puerto Rican!"

Answer 2

Well, Spanish is one of the official languages of Puerto Rico. Just remember how to speak English in case you ever visit the rest of the United States. People in the mainland United States have no obligation to know Spanish, so you need to know English if you want most people to understand you. Communicating is the whole point of speaking, isn't it?

Answer 3

By international law and by US law, any US citizen or national is an American.

Puerto Ricans have 'socially' come up with a system to split nationality and citizenship- they say " we are American citizens but we are not Americans" and all believe that. However, this is not legality of the situation. It's just a popular opinion.

Also, in Spanish, it is called Estado Libre Asociado but in English it is not called Associated Free State. It's called a Commonwealth (of the US). Meaning a territory which is " not yet a state". So, the way Puerto Ricans see themselves and describe themselves in Spanish is different from the way they are seen from the Mainland and described in English.

You can beat your chest and sing salsa and eat rice and beans to your heart's content, but by international and US law you are as American as anyone from Texas or Nebraska.

Answer 4

I am Puertorrican too, and I do believe America to be the land of immigrants. I wonder if these people dare to say that to European descendants speaking Italian, German, Russian, Gaelic or any other language. Why do they pick on us, Spanish speakers?

Native Americans defend their culture and language, do these people tell a Navajo, Black Feet or Cheyenne descendant not to speak in their native tongue?

This is the land of the free and people here should be free to speak in whatever language they so choose.

Answer 5

Gee hon, do you have a burr under your saddle, lighten up for god sakes.
I'm from Scotland, and, can't speak my native tongue Gaelic.
But I've never heard any complaints, most people like my accent.
It's a sad fact, that most Americans are lousy with geography, and have no Idea about Puerto Rico or it's history.
I guess you are running into some people who are a bit upset, about our immigration problems, and take you for a Mexican or Latin American.
All you have to do is ignore them, it's not worth getting all upset over.

Answer 6

It is funny but when americans are in a spanish speaking country they NEVER speak spanish and are rude to the shop clerks by asking them questions in english like "honey, how much is this pair of sunglasses?" do these morons think that spanish speaking countries are the same as their inmigrant ghettos back in the states? Hello? They are lazy lazy lazy.

Answer 7

no but that's hella racist. tell them 2 F**K off!!! u have the right 2 speak any language u want cuz u live in a country where there's so much diversity and if they don't like it, then screw them. I speak Spanish and I'm Mexican-America. if anybody told me that, i would tell them "whatever! get a life ******."

Answer 8

if your patriotic DON'T go to Toronto when the world cup is going on cause you will see so many immigrants flags that you never seen before.

Answer 9

yes at a mall i had an argument because of that. I think it is a racist comment

Answer 10

dats mean!!! then maybe i could tell the americans to speak in filipino language here in pHilippines!!!! wahahahaha! lmfao!!!!