I'm pretty sure a good percentage of Police officers in AZ are of Hispanic descent.

On that I can agree. We recently had a new roof put on our house. It was done through SEARS contractors. I was assured and given proof that all the proper documentation was in place for the workers and insurance proof. Yada, yada, yada. Five men showed up - only one spoke English. I never saw anyone work as hard as they did. They got the job done in two days, and it's a big ranch house. Worked solid from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. We had to beg them to stop to eat lunch or drink a bottle of water, and they each apologized profusely for having to use the bathroom.

Still, illegal is illegal. Issue time stamped work passes, but how the heck does the U. S. government have the resources to monitor something like that?!~

I guess the answer would be to just deport the ones that are found and let the states do what they can to stop further illegal immigration.

I don't think the Feds really care.

Nope - the suits and skirts in DC want to keep as many votes as they can. And, that's precisely why that states are getting involved. No one should be against immigration. That's what this country was founded on. But illegal immigration is unfair to those who are trying to do it the right way and held in a hold pattern for years on end.

But, as the old saying goes, "Tiz easier to gain forgiveness than it is to obtain approval."

They do care!
http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/17260182...e/ftc-vi26.wmv

As I said, the suits and skirts want to keep votes. POS, indeed!

The one thing I dont understand is white American people who always get their panties in a bunch over the English language. "IF YOU DONT SPEAK ENGLISH YOU SHOULDNT BE IN AMERICA" crap. Like its a fault of somebody if they only speak Spanish. such hogwash.

There should be more pride in being bilingual. I mean, this is America right! A lot of people speak English and a LOT of people speak Spanish! Why are the English speaking folks "better" than Spanish speaking people? I'm embarrassed that I'm not fluent in Spanish. When I meet someone who speaks spanish & broken English, I dont think "oh.. well that guy needs to speak English if he wants to be in my country".. i feel embarrassed that I only know one language when most of the civilized world is bilingual!

If I went to live in France, Italy, or whatever country, I'd make an effort to learn the language. But, that's me!

People in those countries make the effort to learn TWO languages. I just think this country should be the same.

And what two languages would that be? English and....

Other countries learn English as their second language because so many people in their countries speak English.

Since we're a melting pot of all nations, just how many languages and what languages should we have to learn in order to be PC?

I know a wee bit of french. How much good has that done me here in the USA?

:rolleyes: take a wild guess what's by far the 2nd most useful language in America. It ain't French.

And take a wild guess at how non-English speaking Mexicans in this country don't speak Spanish?

I believe this country is enabling people NOT to learn English. I'm saying that out of respect for the country where you live, you should learn the language.

of course that other language would be Spanish. I didnt think I'd have to spell it out. and its not about being PC, its just right. Learning french in school makes no sense. You can actually speak Spanish in this country to a high percentage of people.

there was NEVER a national language in this country until Bush 2 attached it to some bill in the past 5 years. There are TONS of hispanics in this country. I'm not saying people shouldnt know English, I'm saying people should know both.

When white people say things like "I'M in AMERICA and I have to PRESS 1 to hear such and such in English".. just makes them sound so darn ignorant.

EXACTLY!!!!

I'll re-phrase your sentence. "Americans should learn Spanish as their second language because so many people in this country speak Spanish"

Case in point. I have a friend who is an assistant trainer. He speaks Italian and Spanish. But his Spanish did him little good because the workers speak Chicano, and they don't speak Spanish or understand it very well. They made no effort to learn English or Spanish, so my friend had to learn their dialect in order to understand and be understood.

Kind of a double standard, I'd say. We've become a country of enablers and apologizers. I'm not ashamed that I speak English. I find it grating to go into a rest stop on a major U.S. highway, and the person behind the counter doesn't understand one word I'm saying.

But, hey, that's me - totally unapologetic and not embarrassed.

And, I'm saying that that sword cuts both ways.

English is the de facto national language of the United States, with 82% of the population claiming it as a mother tongue, and some 96% claiming to speak it "well" or "very well".

I'm supposed to cater to 4% of the population. - many of whom who do not speak English wouldn't understand Spanish if a gun were held to their head.

People coming to American should learn English the same as Americans going to other countries should learn their language.

Its not about catering to Spanish people. not at all. eventhough thats how white people take it.. and then they go learn French :rolleyes:

There are lots of things we can learn from other countries, learning two languages while growing up is one of those things.

Back in the time (the stone age) that I learned French in high school, it was a popular language to learn. There was French, German, Spanish, and Latin, and they were all considered (at that time) valuable languages to learn. I spoke, read, and wrote fluent French when I graduated. I'm lucky I understand a word or two here and there any more.

And, that's the reason why Americans don't speak a second language - they have little need to do so. Languages are something that have to be spoken on a regular basis in order to remember them.

see that is what I disagree with. At least 60% of my friends (white, black, hispanic or purple) speak spanish. I'm embarrased that I dont. My hispanic friends all speak English perfectly, yet I cant speak their language much at all. I bet if you knew Spanish you would find situations DAILY where that language would come in handy. Thats why I think it is important to know that language above all the others like French, German, Arabic, etc.

I really need to get the Rosetta Stone thing.