A small town outside of Dallas has a new city ordinance banning illegal immigrants the right to rent/lease apartments and have English as the only language spoken. I love the diversity in our country, but I feel I shouldn't have to learn another language just to speak to my neighbor. I also feel that all illegal immigrants shouldn't be able to work in our country until they have completed the process just as legal immigrants have. Do you agree?
2006-11-15 10:19:44 · 24 answers · asked by emigy44 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Immigration
If you're going to be here - you should be able to speak the language - its as simple as that. If you go to France, the French won't learn English for you, you'll have to learn French. Just like you'd have to learn Greek to go Greece and so on. So why shouldn't people coming here have to know the language and speak it? I, for one, am getting sick and tired of going into the stores and seeing Spanish spread out all over the place, picking up products and having to sort my way through Spanish and on and on. I'm all for the Dallas ordinance and wish more cities had the guts to put one through like it.
2006-11-15 12:00:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Basically, if you live here it would be an advantage to speak English. To my knowledge, you (if immigrant) have to say your pledge in English when sworn in as a new citizen of this country. So, it stands to reason that you would need to speak English if you were here and wanted to stay.
I agree with you on the banning apartments to illegals but, City's have to do something, the government (local and federal) are supposed to uphold laws about illegals but they complain that it's overwhelming them.
We should probably make a deal with Mexico. They are not or have they ever tried to stop their own people from immigrating illegally. It's just a way of life for them. May be that, if we pumped major dollars into their existing oil fields, opened some Wal-Marts, and helped with their highways and public transportation they might start to get the capitalist idea... You think!
2006-11-15 18:31:12 · answer #2 · answered by ggraves1724 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I dis-agree on the point of illegal aliens being able to work until they have been approved like the legal immigrants have. If that was the case there would no longer be much of an incentive to enter this country legally. It is in the best interest of America and Americans that we should grant the benefits of this great country to those who make an effort to do things legally.
2006-11-15 18:55:56 · answer #3 · answered by joeandhisguitar 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Everyone that wishes to come to the USA should be able to speak the language. English.
Why do we allow another country's immigrants to dictate what language we need to learn in order to communicate with them. We are not expected to learn Chinese, German, Latin, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew, or any other language when those people come here, why should we do it for the Spanish.
If you want to be here, learn English, and complete the process legally. To not do that only cheapens the efforts of those who have worked to do it legally.
2006-11-15 22:58:00 · answer #4 · answered by Schona 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think that anyone who makes the choice to move to a foreign country should learn the language. To do otherwise is extremely disrespectful, in my opinion.
I agree with you - I like the diversity I see - I work with people from all over the world and it's pretty cool to be able to talk with them about cultural norms. That being said, when I lived in Southern Cali for several years, I could not find a decent job because I didn't habla. Excuse me?!? Last time I checked, Southern California was still part of the United States. I have no problem with learning a foreign language - I think it should be encouraged in our schools - but you should NOT be penalized for studying the "wrong" foreign language. I grew up (and came back to) Alaska - the languages that made sense to study were French or Russian, and Russian wasn't offered in high school. I don't like to think that ANY education is waste of time, but I definitely feel I shouldn't have bothered to study French. I had no idea that Spanish was going to be almost forced on me, which is how I felt living in Cali. Don't get me wrong - most Mexicans I met were honest, hard-working people, but why should we have to cater to them?
I agree with you that illegals shouldn't be able to work until they complete the process. It's not fair to those who DO respect our country and our laws to reward bad behavior.
Where in the Dallas area is this? Just curious - I have family sprinkled all over that area.
2006-11-15 18:30:44 · answer #5 · answered by Jadis 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
When you cannot converse in the local language or in a common language, what you are going to do in a foreign land. Better retreat and enjoy your own. Immigrants are now being hated too much in most of the countries, for obvious reasons though.
2006-11-16 07:46:50 · answer #6 · answered by Freddie 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No they shouldn't be required to speak English to come to the US, but they should be required to do so before exercising any of the privileges of citizenship: vote, drive a car, own real property, etc.
I don't agree with banning non-speakers from renting or leasing apartments. If you want to speak to your neighbors, maybe you should learn their language.
The guy "lost friend" below makes a great point that Americans expect everyone who comes to the USA to speak English AND, at the same time, seeing no hypocrisy or double standard also expect the people in other countries to speak English in their own country. Why is that? Americans are arrogant. Pride comes before the fall.
2006-11-15 18:29:04 · answer #7 · answered by spongeworthy_us 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Like most people in this country, my distant relatives immigrated to America. They wanted to be Americans and learned how to speak English.
Soon after they started their own business and did very well for themselves.
I think all Americans should speak English!
2006-11-15 18:52:27 · answer #8 · answered by Matrix 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Amen! Yes to Legal Immigration. No to illegal Immigration.
2006-11-15 18:32:57 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Hello every one there in that racist country , Here in Costa Rica I have not one, but four american neighbores that don't speak a word in spanish and we all appreciate them and care of them there are many ways to communicate good will and good manners.
think about what can bring us together instead of what could keep us apart.
Today the world is too small so we all should get along
2006-11-15 22:38:23 · answer #10 · answered by lost friend from childhood 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋