English as the US official language?

[tylerdurden]

[ QUOTE ]
Should we borrow a page from the Canadian playbook and declare English our official language?

[/ QUOTE ]

No. Let the market decide what language(s) are viable for commerce. Why should some bureaucrat get to tell you how to talk?

EDIT: note that the "market" isn't just restricted to *commercial* markets, but for the sake of discussion, it's unlikely that the state would try to regulate what language you spoke at home. Well, then again, it would be easier for the spooks to spy on your private conversations if everyone spoke english.

[andyfox]

Point "B" from your original post.

[andyfox]

"most immigrants are here illegally"

Anybody have any statistics on this?

[lehighguy]

No, they never learn English because they don't have too. If forced to they would, and then they could join the rest of society instead of being stuck in thier immigrant community.

[BCPVP]

[ QUOTE ]
No. Let the market decide what language(s) are viable for commerce. Why should some bureaucrat get to tell you how to talk?

[/ QUOTE ]
Why would it be illegal for you to talk in another language? I think the point was for the gov't to require those who wish to become citizens to at least speak/read/write english. Who cares if they don't speak english after they become citizens, so long as they can understand/communicate in english?

I would object to the forcing of advertising to be in English (unless they were some kind of safety warnings, etc.)

[Matty]

[ QUOTE ]
No, they never learn English because they don't have too. If forced to they would, and then they could join the rest of society instead of being stuck in thier immigrant community.

[/ QUOTE ]So the government should legislate what is best for them?

This forum is so confusing. Sometimes it's overwhelming for smaller government. Then something random like this comes up, and everyone jumps on the big government wagon, assuming they know enough to do the cost-benefit analysis within seconds in their head.

This is an overwhelmingly popular idea as per the polls, so why doesn't the government implement this? Could it be it's -EV? Could our gut reactions for once not be the best government policy?

[tylerdurden]

[ QUOTE ]
Why would it be illegal for you to talk in another language? I think the point was for the gov't to require those who wish to become citizens to at least speak/read/write english. Who cares if they don't speak english after they become citizens, so long as they can understand/communicate in english?

I would object to the forcing of advertising to be in English (unless they were some kind of safety warnings, etc.)

[/ QUOTE ]

The original post stated:

[ QUOTE ]

B: All signs and advertisements must be in English and be the first and largest lettering.
C: All Government sponsored education must be in English

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That's clearly imposing a certain approved form of speech.

Even in your restricted "official" status where english proficiency must only be demonstrated to get citizenship/residency/whatever status, it's obvious that the next step would be enforcement of the use of english... why have an official language if you're not going to enforce it's usage?

Note the bureaucratic bloat that follows... there must be a committee to decide what is "acceptable" english and what isn't. That's reason enough to oppose it, since one of English's great strengths is its ability to quickly adapt, absorb new words, and chage as "market" conditions require. Cf. French, with it's imposed, ridgid "purity" - and stagnation.

[BCPVP]

You said:
[ QUOTE ]
Why should some bureaucrat get to tell you how to talk?

[/ QUOTE ]
I responded by asking why this bill would "force" someone to talk in English.

[ QUOTE ]
it's obvious that the next step would be enforcement of the use of english... why have an official language if you're not going to enforce it's usage?

[/ QUOTE ]
Enforcement of this law would be not letting those who couldn't speak/write English in.

On a somewhat related note, I thought I read that it was already required that you be able to read and/or speak English, but it wasn't enforced much if at all. I could be wrong, though.

[tylerdurden]

[ QUOTE ]
You said:
[ QUOTE ]
Why should some bureaucrat get to tell you how to talk?

[/ QUOTE ]
I responded by asking why this bill would "force" someone to talk in English.

[/ QUOTE ]

Which bill are you talking about??? The one that the original poster was proposing clearly WOULD force people to speak english, as it would require english in advertisements (this doesn't force EVERYONE to speak english 100% of the time, but it is still government imposing language) and also would require english in government funded schools (again, government imposition of language).

If you want to only require a check at the time citizenship is granted, why? What's the point if it's not required to be used afterwards? Just to make another arbitrary hoop to jump through? Why not require them to be able to demonstrate basic breakdancing abilities, or the ability to create fire with two sticks?

[BCPVP]

[ QUOTE ]
Which bill are you talking about??? The one that the original poster was proposing clearly WOULD force people to speak english, as it would require english in advertisements (this doesn't force EVERYONE to speak english 100% of the time, but it is still government imposing language) and also would require english in government funded schools (again, government imposition of language).

[/ QUOTE ]
My bad. You're right on this, and I've disagreed with the advertising restriction.

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to only require a check at the time citizenship is granted, why? What's the point if it's not required to be used afterwards?

[/ QUOTE ]
Encourage integration and discourage the new immigrant from holing up in their community. This would also most likely ensure that the children of said immigrants also understand english. This would cut down on school budgets requiring ESL type stuff. The english in schools would most likely (in my ideal world) be a byproduct of the parents knowing English, not a requirement for entry.

To reiterate, I wouldn't fully support a bill like the OP's, but I would be open to making the comprehension of English a requirement for citizenship.