Is It Really Fair?

Question

The 'new' struggle for making English the official language across the U.S. with state govts passing an all english requirement and only translating for extreme emergencies in effort to halt the so called reduction in immigrants learning english because we've 'made it too easy to live here without learning english'-is it fair or unfair for the immigrants, if yes to WHICH immigrants don't the people who've been here for years have the advantage of learning english and accepting it- or is it as the university prof. said actually hampering on maintaining the maternal language such as spanish? Will putting more enforcement on english only in the U.S. help the problem in immigration or harm it?

Answer 1

Here's how I see it: if you immigrated to Mexico, you would not find English written everywhere along with Spanish. When they immigrate to America, yes, I think they should learn English and make an effort to become a vital part of American society, without having to lose all of their Mexican identity and heritage.

Answer 2

I don't really see the problem with expecting people to learn the language of the country they live in, however they come to live here. It should be a requirement for citizenship, just because the ability to speak English is necessary for voting, jury duty, military service, and multiple other duties that often come with citizen ship. It isn't racist to demand that a Spanish immigrant learn English, it will more often than not help them get better jobs and allow for them to lead a better life. It is not destroying the maternal language to learn a new one, and I don't really see how this would greatly affect immigration.

Answer 3

Who cares about the effect on the immigration problem. What we want to fix is, every voting citizen needs to know English so they can understand something about the candidates and the issues. No other nation on earth would worry about the language problems of its immigrants - if you want to go somewhere, then accept what it takes to become a participant in your new culture. Sheesh!

Answer 4

you come- you speak english- how hard is it? why should everyone else who lives here be unconvinced to learn a half a dozen languages? it's babel all over again!!!!