Should Presidential campaign ads be in Spanish?

[chaos]

There's no reason for Spanish speaking people to learn English because we cater to them.  Separate directions, tv stations, radio.  Rather than force people to at least learn English before hopping the border, our country tells them it's ok to never learn it.  So why would you?  More brilliant "fair" rules by the US.
If you can't speak English somewhat well, you really have no place voting.  As far as the whole "border control" issue...it's utterly pointless at this point.  Our country is basically culturally fucked...ahha, and I don't really care.   You either just shoot someone for being an illegal, on the spot, or let anyone come in.
That would make the point pretty clear.
"Excuse me, do you have a green card?"
"No."
BOOM!!! dead
Thanks for playing.  Our country is run by complete pussies.  Take a look at congress for God sakes...spineless old turds with bad hair pieces..haah

Are you saying it's time for a revolution, crotch?

[youandme]

Actually a better question is should they be in ebonics 

[Croatch]

Are you saying it's time for a revolution, crotch?

No, time to bury your head in the sand.  Getting worked up doesn't change a thing, neither does talking about it...haha  Nothing better than the "change the world" guy.

[chaos]

No, time to bury your head in the sand.  Getting worked up doesn't change a thing, neither does talking about it...haha  Nothing better than the "change the world" guy.

Ignore it and it will go away?


Don't make eye contact..........

[Cap]

No, time to bury your head in the sand.  Getting worked up doesn't change a thing, neither does talking about it...haha  Nothing better than the "change the world" guy.

Let more local agencies arrest based on their status and work with the feds to get these fuckers.  If you do not apply habeas corpus to these fuckers and just deport them then you start to eliminate the problem.  Eliminate all forms in other languages and you solve the problem.  Make it a crime to post signs in any other language on any business and you solve the problem.  Ever heard of Geno's in Philly?  Do things like that and you get more English speakers.  If they don't like it they can leave.

[timfogarty]

Make it a crime to post signs in any other language on any business and you solve the problem. 

yeah, who needs the First Amendment anyway ?

[Tre]

Eliminate all forms in other languages and you solve the problem.  Make it a crime to post signs in any other language on any business and you solve the problem.  Ever heard of Geno's in Philly?  Do things like that and you get more English speakers.  If they don't like it they can leave.

No no no.

We still need to be AMERICA. 

It's an emotional issue for many people, I get that.  But take out the emotion and insert some common sense and in so doing, you might find yourself on common ground with many others who can agree that upon a reasonable viewpoint and course of action.

I know that America has gone through it before with Blacks, but I really don't see a return to the days where the prevailing thought pattern is "Anything group-X demands, they get - and we have to pay for it and in our own country, no less!" among America's middle and lower classes. 

[G o a t b o y]

I know that America has gone through it before with Blacks, but I really don't see a return to the days where the prevailing thought pattern is "Anything group-X demands, they get - and we have to pay for it and in our own country, no less!" among America's middle and lower classes. 

No, but that thought pattern is still very prevalent among educators and media-types, who do their best to brainwash our youth.  They usually succeed too, although thankfully a portion wake up and get deprogrammed by age 30.  Either way, little by little we are heading in the direction of where Europe is now...  if you are a "minority" group, you can demand and get anything.  I'm waiting for the Euros to start building the concentration camps for all the white men over there.

[G o a t b o y]

yeah, who needs the First Amendment anyway ?

It's not a first ammendment issue... regulation of commerce is a legitimate government function.  There are already LOTS of laws and regulations both requiring and prohibiting various signs and information in various types of businesses open to the public.  This is nothing new.

It would only be a first ammendment issue if they tried to regulate signage in private homes or private clubs.

[Riddick]

NO ad should be in ANY other language if you're here in America. PERIOD!

[timfogarty]

It would only be a first ammendment issue if they tried to regulate signage in private homes or private clubs.

Since 1886 (Santa Clara County v Southern Pacific Railroad Company), corporations have all the same rights as individuals.   Outlawing signs in other languages would be a violation of the First Amendment.

[timfogarty]

NO ad should be in ANY other language if you're here in America. PERIOD!

yes, they should all be in Algonquian.

seriously, the French were in Louisiana first.  the Spanish were in the southwest first.  the Dutch were in New York first.

The official name of the town I live in is El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciúncula.  It's charter is written in spanish.

We've always been a multi-lingual nation.

[calmus]

Since 1886 (Santa Clara County v Southern Pacific Railroad Company), corporations have all the same rights as individuals.   Outlawing signs in other languages would be a violation of the First Amendment.

Wrong analysis, hotshot.  The first amendment basically protects "political" speech. The goat is right. Congress reaches business signage (and service) through the Interstate Commerce Clause.  

[G o a t b o y]

yes, they should all be in Algonquian.

seriously, the French were in Louisiana first.  the Spanish were in the southwest first.  the Dutch were in New York first.

The official name of the town I live in is El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciúncula.  It's charter is written in spanish.

We've always been a multi-lingual nation.

It doesn't matter who was where first.  What matters is what language the vast majority speak today.  Having a single, common language is very important to being one nation and one people.  Encouraging or creating a climate where multiple languages flourish encourages the kind of "multiculturalism" crap that breaks down national unity and divides people into camps and pits them against one another.  Instead of the great American melting pot, where everyone leaves what they were at the door and becomes an American, we risk becoming like the Balkans or Iraq, where it's one group against another because these places have embraced multiculturalism over national unity.  I'm not saying English is "better" than any other language, I'm saying we must have ONE language to be one people, and English is the obvious choice since it's already spoken by 95% of the people.

[mass 04]

God forbid people want English spoken in America. If you do you're ignorant or insensitive.
If i moved to Germany, I wouldn't expect them to cater to me because of the language barrier. Why do immigrants in America think otherwise?

[timfogarty]

I'm saying we must have ONE language to be one people, and English is the obvious choice since it's already spoken by 95% of the people.

sounds like you want to use government for social engineering

[calmus]

IMO, feeling enfranchised is more important than having a common language for campaigning, when it comes to feeling American.  

If campaign ads in Spanish make immigrants feel more involved in the process, more power to campaign ads in Spanish.

Education and enfranchisement are two different issues for the purposes of this argument.  

Schools should definitely emphasize English, as it helps with the construction of an American identity.  

But, for Juan Pablo Montoya, who got here at age 36, Spanish campaign ads make sense.

Bottom line is we need to be more inclusive to build a common future, not exclusive.

[twigs87]

I'm not an American nor do I live in America, but I believe for any country, if you don't speak the language, GET THE FUCK OUT... I'm a European living in Canada, I came here when I was close to my teens, took me 3 months to learn the language. I don't understand how people can live in a country for 10, 20 years and not know the language AT ALL... it's somewhat like that here (Toronto) with the Italian and Indian/Paki communities, they're kids bring them over in their 50's and they can't speak one word of english.

well said. I do live in America, and while I understand that this country is a "melting pot" of various ethnicities and cultures, this country was founded by English-speaking people, and that's how it should stay. I'm all for allowing people to move here and work and contribute to society, but only if they make the effort to learn our language and our laws. I wouldn't go to any other country and simply expect them nor request them to accommodate my needs, I would learn their language and try my hardest to become a functioning citizen. I don't understand why everyone in this country, who is here legally and speaks English, should have to spend more money and time and effort to make the lives better for those who may not have come here legally, and even for the ones who have. They shouldn't be entitled to special treatment anywhere, if they want to be here so bad then they need to put some effort forth too.

[Tre]

sounds like you want to use government for social engineering

NO.

Choosing to use a single language on all government documents (and also in banking) is hardly 'social engineering'. 

Running Spanish-language campaigns...I just cannot accept that degree of pandering. 

[G o a t b o y]

sounds like you want to use government for social engineering

I think encouraging national unity is a proper government function.  The reason being that when people divide themselves into "multicultural camps" along ethnic or language lines, sooner or later you end up with at the very least civil strife, if not civil war.  Look at most African "nations" that were cobbled together from multiple tribes, each speaking their own language.  In America, it might not happen for 50 or 100 years, but if we allow things to continue down this road, sooner or later it WILL happen.  If preventing this is "social engineering", then so be it. 

Something you need to keep in mind is this only became a real issue since the recent age of political correctness started requiring us to bend over backwards and "accommodate" everyone.  Prior to that, the attitude was "learn the language or get the fuck out", and it worked pretty well.  In my opinion, the "PC" crowd are the social engineers, whose grand experiment will come back to bite us in the ass in a few decades, if not sooner.

[calmus]

Running Spanish-language campaigns...I just cannot accept that degree of pandering. 

Whatever, dude.  Sometimes you come off like you want to be goatboy for a day. 

[dantelis]

But, for Juan Pablo Montoya, who got here at age 36, illegally, Spanish campaign ads make sense.

Bottom line is we need to be more inclusive to build a common future, not exclusive.

Fixed.

[mass 04]

Fixed.

Leave him alone. He's a race car driver.

[Cap]

yeah, who needs the First Amendment anyway ?

When people who speak English cannot understand the signs in an area, it's a problem.  You might to cauterize that bleeding heart of yours.  Grow some balls and stop apologizing for what happened 250+ years ago in this country.  We are an English speaking nation, whether it is official or not. 

No no no.

We still need to be AMERICA. 

It's an emotional issue for many people, I get that.  But take out the emotion and insert some common sense and in so doing, you might find yourself on common ground with many others who can agree that upon a reasonable viewpoint and course of action.

I know that America has gone through it before with Blacks, but I really don't see a return to the days where the prevailing thought pattern is "Anything group-X demands, they get - and we have to pay for it and in our own country, no less!" among America's middle and lower classes. 

No, the easiest way to solve the problem is to give them an incentive to learn the language.  Taking away forms in other languages throws you in the deep end and teaches you to swim or you sink.  Tough shit.  My great grandparents had to do it and did it, why can't the legals and illegals now do it?  Simple, because they don't have to.  Shit, people in Europe and Asia know more English than the immigrants here.  That's sad.

[calmus]

Fixed.

Doesn't matter how he got here. The question is if the law permits him to vote.