I was reading here about an ammendment to make English the official language at all public meetings in Missouri.
I think they’re missing the point. American should adopt more languages, not less. One, of the many, reasons that America is so great is that you can find someone that speaks every language in the world within our borders.
So I say we adopt an ammendment to make us a bilingual country, like Canada or Cameroon. Heck, lets make it trilingual, English, Spanish and French; or Pidgin, Portuguese, whatever.
This whole ammendment thing to limit us to one language is small minded and implicitly ethonophobic. Face it people, we live in a diverse country, in fact, that is the reason we are the greatest country in the world, and to change it to make our country more exclusive would be a mistake.
As for the actual ammendment however, I don’t mind. In fact, as a liberterian I admire the state trying to make one language its official language. If a million chinese immigrants moved to North Dakota and decided to make the state’s official language Cantonese, more power to them.
November 8, 2008 at 5:08 pm
It’s also complicated by the fact that a lot of people don’t have time to learn another language because they’re working all the time. Like Joe the Plumber.
November 9, 2008 at 1:30 am
This would be funny…
“If a million chinese immigrants moved to North Dakota and decided to make the state’s official language Cantonese, more power to them.”
November 9, 2008 at 10:23 pm
“we are the greatest country in the world” – in your opinion.
Once your foreign policy matches up, once you abolish the death penalty, once you stop torturing people in Guantanamo, once your standard of living reaches the level enjoyed in much of the rest of the developed world…etc etc etc.
Then maybe. It’s at best an opinion. It is far from a statement of fact.
November 10, 2008 at 3:09 pm
You are a close second to Canada, well England is pretty good too.
The French in Canada try to have English abolished in Quebec, it is a way to try to force people to do things the way they want them done.
English and Spanish should be the official languages of the USA.
November 10, 2008 at 11:18 pm
ourmanwhere, while you’re pointing out all of the horrible things about the US, why don’t you tell us your pick for the “greatest country?”
Nugget
November 11, 2008 at 4:28 pm
yes i’m interested to know what would be ourmanwhere’s pick.
no country is perfect. but we are damn near close to it.
November 18, 2008 at 5:34 pm
A little controversial… the beauty of exchanging ideas.
I think, we are missing Mr. ourmanwhere’s point, which — in my view — is pointing the fact that we are not a perfect country, like Jo said and therefore we should continue our work for a better country.
All countries, have good things and bad things and in some we excel… in others we suck…
So, to say that this or that country is the greatest country of the world it is a bold statement… is like trying to figure out who is the greatest person of the world (for everybody)… Jesus?, Buda?, Ala?, the Pope?, Einstein?, Ghandi?, Michael Jordan?…
Also, keep in mind that what is important to me or wrong or good or bad, might not be to you… Like Death Penalty, Abortion Rights, Steem Cells Research… who can tell me what is right?… and what is wrong?… Is being polygamist wrong?… or is it okay?.
The beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
Eat, drink and be merry!… and help the environment.