CMS Superintendent orders English only Pledge at Events

[kpotternc]

I say F**K spanish

Why do we have learn their f**king language. They come here and over run our country and make us AMERICANS change our culture, it's Bull Sh*t.

If you ask me almost all mexicans/ immigrants/ spanish speaking monkeys /what erver the hell you call them are nothing but a bunch of freeloaders who are too damn lazy to learn English.

Moderators I will understand if you kick me off of here because of this post, but I just have to speak my mind.

[nowensone]

I'd look it up, but fairly certain my memory is correct - Puerto Rico was ceded to the US in the Spanish American war around 1898, it wasn't conquered. And every Puerto Rican I've known has spoken perfect English, but more importantly, was a part of our system if not a fully priveleged US citizen.

That is the difference to me - I don't care in the least if our nation becomes bi/multilingual, as long as it is not because of some PC/guilt laden reaction to a fringe group, as opposed to groups who come here to be a true part of this country and integrate, which to me means full participation in society. Getting screwed by the system, paying too much taxes, unjust wars, getting robbed by crooked politicians, all of it. I don't think "latin" immigration is quite a fringe group in this country, but they're not quite like other nationalities to have come here either (as a whole). That said, I agree with some of the posters above who have said that most recent arrivals have simply not been given the proper chance yet, say a generation, which would be their children.

[mallguy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico

Puerto Rico was invaded by a US landing in 1898, and it isn't a state (and its citizens have somewhat different rights and duties of Americans in the 50 states).

[monsoon]

The PR stuff is getting off topic.

[mallguy]

Somewhat off topic but there is a difference between Puerto Rico and Hispanic immigrants: whether by invasion or however, the US took over Puerto Rico by a war with another country; Puerto Rico didn't join the US except due to coercion, and Puerto Ricans didn't really decide on their own to become American. Fine with me if people in Puerto Rico thus don't have too much love for the US or its culture or English language. Non-Puerto Rican Hispanics generally chose to come here (other than the very small number- I think 70,000- who lived in the lands seized from Mexico in the 1840s). They aren't the same and aren't treated the same due to PR's special status, and I expect more flexibility from Hispanic immigrants in terms of assimilating, just as my family was expected to assimilate (and voluntarily did so).

[Delta_USAir]

I'm spanish. I know a few words in Spanish. But, I really do not know hardly any spanish.

Too lazy??? Look at your welfare losers.

And besides, This is not exactly your land. It belongs to the Natives who you FORCED out, but as they say: History repeats itself.

No one is also forcing you to speak spanish.FYI Mtv Tr3s made for Hispanics is all in English { except for some of the music videos}

{BTW, We practically look the same, only tanner.I mean, White people are exactly the best looking people }

I'm sorry but this sounds more like a racist thing.

I say F**K spanish

Why do we have to learn their f**king language. They come here and over run our country and make us AMERICANS change our culture, it's Bull Sh*t.

If you ask me almost all mexicans/ immigrants/ spanish speaking monkeys /what erver the hell you call them are nothing but a bunch of freeloaders who are too damn lazy to learn English.

Moderators I will understand if you kick me off of here because of this post, but I just have to speak my mind.

[swh1972]

Actually, Spain and Portugal had a significanty greater impacts on the demise of Native American populations than the United States did...

[Delta_USAir]

The Point was :

you're not native, and I'm not native.

I'm hispanic, and your English.

I came from Spain and portugal , and you came from England and poland { or where ever}.

Your no American than us "Latin"Americans. I don't see why white colored people { My race is actually white} get the title of Americans while blacks, and Hispanics don't.

Actually, Spain and Portugal had a significanty greater impacts on the demise of Native American populations than the United States did...

[Bradley89]

I'm spanish. I know a few words in Spanish. But, I really do not know hardly any spanish.

Too lazy??? Look at your welfare losers.

And besides, This is not exactly your land. It belongs to the Natives who you FORCED out, but as they say: History repeats itself.

No one is also forcing you to speak spanish.FYI Mtv Tr3s made for Hispanics is all in English { except for some of the music videos}

{BTW, We practically look the same, only tanner.I mean, White people are exactly the best looking people }

I'm sorry but this sounds more like a racist thing.

[dubone]

Saying the pledge of allegience in Spanish is different from not learning English. We have lost our whole concept of free speech.

Beyond Spanish, should we be stuck speaking the exact same English as the founding fathers? If we ban Spanish, should we also ban 'English' words derived from Spanish, like 'dollar'?

[A2]

I'm spanish. I know a few words in Spanish. But, I really do not know hardly any spanish.

[A2]

Ok,ok,ok. Official rules (even if I am not a moderator).

RULE #1

Please do not subject us to any more pics of this nature. This is not match.com. I am totally hypnotized by these kinds of pics and can not think about the topic at hand.

Seriously, I might be up all night with this pic in my mind. I think I am in love (and I am suposed to be engaged). I seriously think that the pledge should now be in whatever language deemed neccesary.

j/k

A2

[nowensone]

Yeah, I know damnit, Delta can post this pic but I can't rant on the history of PR .... but she is smokin' HOT.

In response to ancestry, yes, we're all immigrants, true (save the obvious exception of course), but English has won out, could just as easily have been Spanish if England had not established firm control on the North American continent, or if America was not as successful against Spain or Mexico, but it did not turn out that way. Luck of the draw. In a vacuum I see no problem with saying the pledge in Spanish if English is also a known language, but CMS may end up settling lawsuits later because another group demands this right and gets denied because now the Pledge is an hour long event. And then they'll have to make it English only to avoid these issues.

[lupitachica]

My point about Puerto Rico is that anyone born there is an American citizen (I understand very clearly how they came to be a part of the US - notwithstanding they are currently part of the US). That is 4+ million American citizens who's first language is most often not english who and imo should be able to say the pledge of allegiance in spanish if they so choose. I don't think we can or should parse out which latinos have that option.

[mallguy]

Interesting news in today's NY Times: PBS is founding a Spanish-language public network.

[otherstream]

You'd think the flag-wavers would be tickled pink that anyone wants to say the pledge at all, regardless of language. But no. Apparently, the pledge ("patriotism", etc.) is only about reciting a set of memorized English words rather than about making a statement you actually understand and feel and believe in.

It reminds me of the controversy over requiring politcians, witnesses, etc. to swear on a Christian Bible before being seated. As an atheist, swearing on a Bible has about as much significance for me as swearing on a paperback romance novel. If I'm going to be testifying or representing you, wouldn't you rather have me use something that has some actual meaning to me rather than making an empty symbolic gesture simply because it's "the custom"?

[Charlotte_native]

^well put