Why do people say that having English as the offical language is racist?

Question

Isn't the purpose of language communication? how can you communicate with people who speak a different language? think about a medical emergency when no translator is present, or if police have to try to help someone who is speaking a different language but cannot understand what he needs?

Jay Bee has a point, which I have made myself. I wouldn't move to Germany and demand they learn English, I would learn German. I don't see how it is any different.

Joe, the fact is they speak a different language, you seem to be confused by the analogy.Your arguement is more applicable to Candians. I am not saying we should ignore the problem, making English the official language would solve the problem. We should still have programs for immigrants to learn English. Stop being lazy? I already said I would learn the language of a country I moved to. Also, this is more than just a Mexican issue, there are immigrants from other countries too.

Answer 1

same reason Imus got fired for saying what hip-hop artists get paid millions to say on their records.

america's double standard. the former majority is subtly and inderectly forced into feeling guilty for the sins of their forefathers.

Answer 2

It's a complicated matter.

Thing is, if you really think about it, this country is made up of so many cultures with so many languages and dialects, that by making a language an 'official' language, where everyone needed to learn it and could only communicate in it, would devastate the country as a whole.

It would not allow people to run their business as they see fit, providing the customer service they see fit for their targeted market. People, who have not lived here all their lives and don't know much English, might not have the capability, time or money to learn the language to this level.

This country was founded by people whose native language was English, but that was just the East coast. In the west and mid west, you had Native Americans, Aztecs, Spanish and Mexican people who spoke so many other languages and dialects, all in different points in time.

The reason people consider this proposition racist is because it would not allow people who are not native English speakers to act on their first constitutional rights of free speech and basically the freedom to choose what language they speak. As the same for those who want to aid and allow others to communicate in the manner they see fit for their personal life style.

As for your example, there will always be people in this country who don't necessarily speak English because of tourism. So somehow, there will always be someone that can help a person in need, like in hospitals and by the police force.

I think your question is valid. I do believe that people should learn English just because it makes it easier on their lives and of those who work with, around or for and with them. But I think that making it 'official' is like trying to 'weed' out people in a, not racist, but very discriminatory way.

I say, let people be, cease the day! To this day, we have all adjusted one way or another! :)

Answer 3

America has never had an official language, and with good reason. An official language can be used as a tool to con people who don't speak it well. For instance, you can present a Korean immigrant, say, with a contract, he explains to you he has trouble understanding complex english, so you give him a copy in Korean. The Korean copy is a fair contract (that you also sign), the English copy (that he also signs) is wildly different and entirely in your favor. Under current law, both copies must be considered. If English was the official language, only the English copy would matter.

Since America has always had substantial immigration, and has an ideal of equal protection under the law, you can see how it'd be a problem. To protect foriegn visitors and recent immigrants from the unscrupulous, it makes sense to recognize any language.

Even so, it's not a matter of racism - a non-English speaking German, Chekoslovakian, or Swedish immigrant for instance, faces the same language challenges as a non-english-speaking Nigerian, Honduran, or Korean - blond hair or blue eyes notwithstanding.

Answer 4

It's not that they are trying to replace English as the main language, its that they are trying to include Spanish as an important language. If we look at other countries, we see that America is one of the only countries that does this. In Germany, which was mentioned, it shares major languages with it's bordering countries. Spain shares a major language with Portugal. The reason we are concedering this is not to make the illegal alliens feel better, its to make things easier in our country. Just because they are illegal, that doesn't mean that we should ignore the problem. Also, most immigrants in our country from mexico Aren't illegal. Mexico is a boredering country with lots of emmigration and immigration, this is what countries DO. Stop being lazy. Also, most immigrants DO speak some english. actually, I am willing to be that there are more english speaking latinos in America who communicate manditorily in english then there are Spanish speaking whites who communicate manditorily in Spaish everyday. We shouldn't shut out our neighboors just because there are a few illegals.

Answer 5

that is not racist. it really is sensible. in case you come back to this us of a you ought to a minimum of attempt to study the language. the position I stay there are dissimilar immigrant communities. maximum of those immigrants have tried to combine into our society a minimum of so as that it will function in society. yet which could not the case. attempt chatting with a lady that has been in this us of a for a minimum of 12 years about the topics that her son is having in college. Then have that similar females say "i do not communicate English" because the excuse she will't communicate on the phone. Or have contractors on your position that you comprehend have lived in this us of a for a volume years and they communicate little or no English. it will be really unnerving once you're spending thousands on homestead improvements and also you've not any theory if the worker is time-honored with something you assert. in case you come back the following to the U. S., you got here willingly. no man or woman compelled you. do not you imagine it really is impolite for human beings to go back to this land of freedom and lots and under no circumstances attempt to communicate our language?

Answer 6

I broke into your house while you were at work today. You have a really nice place. I've decided that I'm moving in with you--me and my two teenaged boys. They play guitar and have a band so they're going to need a little more room so I've decided that your children will all need to bunk together. Oh, and while I'm at it, you need to pick up some lowfat milk. I threw out the whole milk in your fridge cause we don't drink kind.

Before I go into more of our likes and dislikes, I have to tell you that I found your credit card in a desk drawer and used it. I hurt myself while breaking in and needed some minor medical attention. The boys needed some incindentals like soap, shampoo, shoes, jeans, shirts. Your kids have such nice things and I felt that my kids should have them too.

Now, the menu...

Answer 7

Because the people who say it are liberal a**holes. I believe in a certain amount of liberalism but these nuts carry it too far. English is our language and we should not make any other language as one of our national languages.

Answer 8

because they can't speak it and are too lazy too learn - yet even my toilet paper has a label with 3 different languages on it now...

I have an idea - let's all move to another country illegally and demand that ALL products and signage be changed to OUR language!

or is that racist?

Answer 9

They would rather be the racists and have Spanish as the language.

Answer 10

They're trying to break down the barriers...and they should not be broken down.