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that is correct-- for them to KNOW English - not necessarily speak it... but as some I know said: darn my parents for NOT teaching us Spanish or making us keep the language alive and well - and I'm sure other nationalities force the kids to get both languages under their belt- it's people like the posters here RUIN it for many-
Learning English means understanding, reading, writing and speaking it.
Another thing that has been debunked is that we need illegal aliens to pick crops. Utter nonsense, since only 2% of illegals are picking crops and for those jobs there are unlimited visas for legal, foreign workers as it's only seasonal work and is not a career job for Americans. The growers simply pocket the profits from using cheap, illegal workers while passing their enormous social costs onto to the taxpayer. If they used the visas to get foreign workers they'd have to pay them a fair wage with benefits. They're too greedy to do that. However, since only 2% of illegals are picking crops they hardly impact the price of produce what they do impact is our taxes. The rest of illegal aliens have taken jobs that Americans have always been willing to do for a fair wage.
In this you are very right- they are doing almost every job- and many become illegal when their status changes and no longer covered. This conversation is about language and NOT legal status. Legal intelligent people speak their native languages at home and anywhere they want,,,does not mean they do not know English.
Well. what other race is bothered by the fact that people speak Spanish at home?
How would you know what every race in this country thinks? As I said, I don't care what language ones speaks at home but it's still a clear indication that they don't or won't make English their primary language of usage. If they only speak Spanish or some other foreign language in the home they are doing their kids a disservice and making it harder for them in school.
The posters do not want anything BUT English being spoken in the USA or any of its territories- so
tell me why are only 25 % in Hawaii vs 44%
I again have no idea what you're talking about or what it has to do with my post.
I'm pointing out there is a significant portion the the households in Hawaii where English is not spoken. But, the posters who are so upset about Spanish being spoken in California don't seem equally upset.
So what? America has no official language. You don't like it? Write a complaint letter and mail it to your congressman.
It's not about making English our official language on the federal level (even though it should be) as that still would not make it against the law to speak another language. Many states including Calif. have made English their official language but I hear more Spanish being spoken than English out in public here.
I again have no idea what you're talking about or what it has to do with my post.
I'm pointing out there is a significant portion the the households in Hawaii where English is not spoken. But, the posters who are so upset about Spanish being spoken in California don't seem equally upset.
OH if they lived in Hawaii they be equally upset! 1 is too many for these posters - I'm on your side- foreigners will always come and dwell among us- and they bring everything with them-I think is a BEAUTIFUL THING I love the music -foods- languages -expressions etc
I grew up in a home and a neighborhood where English was not the first language. Both of my siblings and I went to college, have/had good careers. I retired at age 50; my oldest brother at age 52 and my one brother still works because he wants to, not because he has to. We have all traveled the world, including living outside the US for extended periods.
We ARE the American dream. I would not want to deprive other immigrants from this life. Those that would deny the American dream to others are selfish, stupid and often married to their own first cousins.
Great post.
I would note however that there is a MAJOR difference between people that come to the US legally and those that come in illegally and are essentially exploited for their labor at slave wages.
It's a complicated issue and I would also note that for more affluent people like you seem to be around, you actually benefit from the slave labor because you get your food cheaper, landscaping and so forth yet you aren't actually competing with them due to education.
So you may not appreciate the situation from the perspective of people that make 25-30k a year and how their wages have stagnated because you're getting the best of both worlds. Just something to consider.
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As I said, I don't care what language ones speaks at home but it's still a clear indication that they don't or won't make English their primary language of usage. If they only speak Spanish or some other foreign language in the home they are doing their kids a disservice and making it harder for them in school.