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Post by jeffolie on Jul 9, 2008 20:27:02 GMT -6
Video - Obama Says Your Kids Need to Learn Spanish 186kpersecond.com/blog/2008/07/09/video-obama-says-your-kids-need-to-learn-spanish/ Barack Obama says "instead of worrying about immigrants having to learn English," we Americans "need to make sure our children can learn Spanish." Obama has consistently opposed making English the official language. In 2007, he was one of 34 senators who voted against the measure. Video - Obama Says Your Kids Need to Learn Spanish
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Post by agito on Jul 10, 2008 20:00:33 GMT -6
heh- yeah i heard this one. the real money quote was "you should be ashamed you haven't learned spanish"
I cringed.
The truth is, we are pretty much the only country in the world where the population knows only one language (or tries to know only one language). When i had friends in brazil, they were genuinely puzzled by americans hostility to anyone that didn't speak english in mixed company. For them, everyone switches languages almost at will. The english speaker making the complaint ended up seeming like the child in the room, now a whole group of people had to change their behavior because of one person's inadequacies.
still, you would think obama would have known better than to say this the way he did.
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Post by rwc on Jul 11, 2008 1:06:07 GMT -6
Obama once again shows what condescending elitist and panderer he is.
BTW ever hear him speak any Bhasa? no you won't. According to his teachers in Indonesia his language skills were dismal. Kind of like Rice was supposedly a expert in Russian but needs a translator when dealing with the Ruskies.
His Spanish language skills seem to be limited to shitty renditions of "yes we can" which he stole from Ceasar Chavez's movement.
About the only foreign language skill the Lanky Bullshitter from Chicago ever demonstrated was performing the Muslim call to prayer - the Adan in Arabic. BFD. That only wins props with Bin Laden or the Saudis.
And if someone were to learn a language today I'd go with Mandarin. China is poised to become the dominant economic world power in the next 20 years and probably be our boss as well.
Spanish would be at the bottom of the list.
Spanish, well if you're working with illegals or if you want to know what your hispanic workers are talking about its a good idea. The smart ones do learn English. I've met Salvadorans and Peruvians who busted their ass to learn English and I've also met Chilangos who couldn't care less about learning the language of their new country.
Speaking of inadequacies the U.S. gov't bends over backwards to allow foreigners to never having to learn English. Want to take your drivers license in Arabic? no problem. Want your tax forms in Chinese? no problem. Want welfare, medi-care and food stamps even though you're illiterate illegal who can't speak a word of English? well the state will provide a interpreter to help you get all sorts of free benefits at taxpayer expense.
Yet you won't hear shit about this from St.Obama.
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Post by blueneck on Jul 11, 2008 5:58:18 GMT -6
We should be encouraging students to learn a second language, no matter what it is. I took several semesters of latin back when they used to teach it in high school - it has helped me with english vocabulary and reading comprehension as well as a basic tool for deciphering other romance languages. We were told if you wanted any kind of legal, medical or scientific career, latin was a must. Since we are in a global economy like it or not a second language only makes you that much more marketable. Most europeans know two or more languages and usually enough about 3 or 4 to get by. Most Canadians know both english and french. Americans are dismally deficient in language skills, so at least in this regard Obama is right that kids should be taught second languages, although I wouldn't necessarily agree that spanish would be the only one, and he sure could have phrased his statement better.
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Post by rwc on Jul 20, 2008 12:39:52 GMT -6
Obama has no business telling anyone to learn any langauge when he, his wife and children are English speakers only.
Its elitist, hypocritical and speaks to a deep seated contempt that Obama has towards Americans in general.
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