Bush Wants Newcomers to Learn English

**cooldw57** · 20 May 06,, 03:35

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060520/...ration_english

WASHINGTON - The White House took both sides in a dispute over English being the national language Friday as a broad immigration bill moved toward a final Senate vote next week with one conservative predicting it will never become law.

Bush's support for the dueling sides doesn't stray from his long-held view on learning English, said White House press secretary Tony Snow.

"What the president has said all along is that he wants to make sure that people who become American citizens have a command of the English language," Snow said. "It's as simple as that."

The Senate on Thursday approved an amendment sponsored by Sen. James Inhofe (news, bio, voting record), R-Okla., that would declare English the national language. But it also approved an alternative proposal sponsored by Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., designating English the nation's "common and unifying language." Before the vote on the alternative, Inhofe warned his colleagues, "You can't have it both ways."

The White House seemed to. "We have supported both of these," Snow said of the two amendments.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, speaking Friday in Houston, added to the confusion.

"The president has never supported making English the national language," Gonzales said, adding, "I don't see the need to have legislation or a law that says English is going to be the national language."

As governor of Texas and a presidential candidate in 2000, Bush supported bilingual education programs. He sprinkles Spanish into his presidential speeches and has released political commercials in Spanish. But he also has said the national anthem should be sung in English.

The president plans to address immigration reform in his weekly radio address Saturday. He has generally favored a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and a guest worker program that would bring more foreigners to the U.S. to fill jobs. Both are central elements of the bill before the Senate.

Sen. Jeff Sessions (news, bio, voting record), R-Ala., an ardent opponent of the bill conceded Friday it is likely to pass next week. "The Senate should be ashamed of itself," he said. But he also predicted to reporters that it won't become law unless House and Senate negotiators rewrite it.

The adoption of Inhofe's amendment drew a heated protest Friday from Latinos.

John Trasvina, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said the amendment could be misinterpreted and lead to a cutback in services for those not proficient in English.

"Latinos don't need a law passed to say we ought to learn English. There are long waiting lists for adult English classes," Trasvina said. "It's false patriotism to pass an amendment to say you ought to learn English and not fulfill your responsibility of providing the opportunities."

New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici (news, bio, voting record), the only Republican to reject the Inhofe proposal, said the country should "move beyond the notion that English, and English only, will ensure the future of the United States."

**Wooglin** · 20 May 06,, 07:00

John Trasvina, president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said the amendment could be misinterpreted and lead to a cutback in services for those not proficient in English.

What is a Mexican American? Is that like a French Polish Englishman? Do they fund Mexicans or Americans?

"It's false patriotism to pass an amendment to say you ought to learn English and not fulfill your responsibility of providing the opportunities."

Wha...???

Anyway, we are one of the last countries on this earth to not have a national language. It's long overdue. How the hell can you have a community without the communication part?

**Gun Grape** · 21 May 06,, 03:02

Originally Posted by Wooglin

What is a Mexican American? Is that like a French Polish Englishman? Do they fund Mexicans or Americans?

I hate when you resort to these kind of post. They are like African-Americans, Irish-Americans and all the other hyphenated groups.

Anyway, we are one of the last countries on this earth to not have a national language. It's long overdue. How the hell can you have a community without the communication part?

Here we go agreeing again

But I do want to thank the governments of most of the foreign countries that I've visited. They were nice enough to have English translations on the highway and most public transportation lines.

Now to address the persons worry, that the Government doesn't have enough programs to teach ESL classes. I agree, but if you want to learn the language and it becomes mandatory to become a citizen, you will find a way.

**~~tw-acs~~** · 21 May 06,, 05:53

The United States need not have a national language.

This whole topic about a national language is against the values that the United States was based on and is quite simply just crap to divert peoples attention from the important issues.

**Wooglin** · 21 May 06,, 09:34

I hate when you resort to these kind of post. They are like African-Americans, Irish-Americans and all the other hyphenated groups.

I've never heard of an Irish-American. Being of Irish decent, I would think that in all my years I would hear someone refer to themselves that way, but I haven't. I've also never heard anyone refer to themselves as russian-american, italian-american, german-american, english-american, bolivian-amercian, japanese-american, indian-american, canadian-american, polish-american, martian-american....etc, etc. "African-American" only exists because it's a PC term, and refers to race rather than nationality, and incidentally, gets improperly tagged onto those not even from America, much to their shagrin.

**Gun Grape** · 21 May 06,, 17:07

Originally Posted by Wooglin

I've never heard of an Irish-American. Being of Irish decent, I would think that in all my years I would hear someone refer to themselves that way, but I haven't. I've also never heard anyone refer to themselves as russian-american, italian-american, german-american, english-american, bolivian-amercian, japanese-american, indian-american, canadian-american, polish-american, martian-american....etc, etc. "African-American" only exists because it's a PC term, and refers to race rather than nationality, and incidentally, gets improperly tagged onto those not even from America, much to their shagrin.

You need to get out more

Google it sometime.

There is "Irish American" Magazine. (Its pretty good)
http://www.irishamerica.com/

A Irish American Heritage Society in the Windy City

http://www.irishamhc.com/

and most large cities have an Irish American Society or Club.

As do just about all the other groups that you mentioned.

The idea that we are all one big happy family that have adopted some sort of "American way" and given up or our history, customs, and traditions is as much a myth as anything. Same with the "Its a PC thing forced on us."

**Bill** · 21 May 06,, 17:54

Nonsense. An Irishman doesn't get all torqued up on TV if you call him white.

Besides, according to the evolution people, we're ALL Africans anyway.

So that makes the term entirely redundant and unneccesary.

And in any case the issue is not whether or not other groups ID themselves with another moniker(ie Italian American, etc, etc), it's about the way the Blacks get all twisted the hell out of shape if you don't call them the approved term of the hour.

It's PC nonsense, pure and simple.

I nominate the term "Jackass-Americans" as the next official moniker of US Blacks AND their leftist enablers.

**~~Nemesis~~** · 21 May 06,, 18:00

I think you should be able to sing the Star-Spangled Banner in whatever language you choose to. It shows off our diversity, honestly. I agree that English should be the official language though.

**brak** · 21 May 06,, 20:34

THIS IS UTTER BS!!!!!I REFUSE TO LEARN ENGLISH!!!!!!!!

i was only kidding...please dont throw me out of the country

**gunnut** · 22 May 06,, 03:08

Originally Posted by Wooglin

...canadian-american,....

That's like redundant...or something....

**gunnut** · 22 May 06,, 03:11

Originally Posted by M21Sniper

Nonsense. An Irishman doesn't get all torqued up on TV if you call him white.

Besides, according to the evolution people, we're ALL Africans anyway.

So that makes the term entirely redundant and unneccesary.

And in any case the issue is not whether or not other groups ID themselves with another moniker(ie Italian American, etc, etc), it's about the way the Blacks get all twisted the hell out of shape if you don't call them the approved term of the hour.

It's PC nonsense, pure and simple.

I nominate the term "Jackass-Americans" as the next official moniker of US Blacks AND their leftist enablers.

Actually a lot of the black population don't like the term "African American." They don't care about African, have never been to Africa, don't want to be African. Unfortunately the "Jackass Americans" are very loud and obnoxious and taint the reputation of the silent majority, whom we hardly hear from because the media can't start a good racial bickering if everyone agrees.

**gunnut** · 22 May 06,, 03:14

I don't care if they learn English or not. I just want official government businesses conducted in English only, especially on the federal level. They don't want to learn English, fine. They can deal with driving tests and voting ballots and other official forms in English.

Unfortunately every single government form exists in other languages, mostly Spanish. I want to see all government forms not in English done away with.

**Wooglin** · 22 May 06,, 06:23

Originally Posted by Gun Grape

You need to get out more

Google it sometime.

There is "Irish American" Magazine. (Its pretty good)
http://www.irishamerica.com/

A Irish American Heritage Society in the Windy City

http://www.irishamhc.com/

and most large cities have an Irish American Society or Club.

As do just about all the other groups that you mentioned.

The idea that we are all one big happy family that have adopted some sort of "American way" and given up or our history, customs, and traditions is as much a myth as anything. Same with the "Its a PC thing forced on us."

Heh. Seriously, I've never heard the term used before. *shrug*

**ProzacNation** · 22 May 06,, 22:50

The term "African American" sounds too pretentious in my opinion.

I don't see what's so bad about requiring fluency in English as a condition when applying for American citixenship, most other countries have this kind of requirement.