Informal presidential election poll

Since I have asked Dick, er, Richard for a reference, I figured I should provide one (or 3) as well:

http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_lang.html

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

http://www.macmillandictionaryblog.c...age-for-the-us

Don't be too hard on Rich, he is obviously one of those who were born here, and as usual, know less about his native country than those who have had to earn the right to be a citizen ...

Richard, just to help you out in the future, practice this line for when you want to learn spanish:

"Hola (the 'H' is silent, BTW), mi nombre es Richard el idiota."

This will tell your spanish-speaking friends you are a humble, knowledgeable, good-good man!

Dude, I am only a second generation American. My ancestry comes from elsewhere. And for the record, I would greatly appreciate it if people DID NOT refer to me as white. I am American, and only American. DO NOT place a color on me, no matter what color I may happen to be. You'd do well to take on that attitude as well.

As for your reference, directly from the INS website...<---link

Basic Understanding of English Required
To qualify for U.S. citizenship, applicants must demonstrate a basic understanding of English, including an ability to read, write, and speak the language. They must also be able to show that they know the fundamentals of U.S. history and government.

Now I ask you, if it is not the official language, then why is it a requirement? Why were my Grandparents REQUIRED to sit in Ellis Island until they met this REQUIREMENT?

Warning: name calling is not allowed, no matter what language it's in

And BTW, I understand Spanish very well. Just because I won't be forced to speak it, means nothing. So keep your derogatory reference to yourself please.

Just because English isn't the official language, it is still the language used by almost all Americans. If you do not know English, you will have a hard time making it in the United States. There is nothing that states I have to cater to anyone who does not speak the same language as me.

Originally Posted by crotalusadamanteus

Dude, I am only a second generation American. My ancestry comes from elsewhere. And for the record, I would greatly appreciate it if people DID NOT refer to me as white. I am American, and only American. DO NOT place a color on me, no matter what color I may happen to be. You'd do well to take on that attitude as well.

As for your reference, directly from the INS website...<---link

Basic Understanding of English Required
To qualify for U.S. citizenship, applicants must demonstrate a basic understanding of English, including an ability to read, write, and speak the language. They must also be able to show that they know the fundamentals of U.S. history and government.

Now I ask you, if it is not the official language, then why is it a requirement? Why were my Grandparents REQUIRED to sit in Ellis Island until they met this REQUIREMENT?

What is meant by the key word, basic? Like I said, there is no official language for this country, including 'American English', as you espoused earlier. BTW, is this a different version of English than the King's?

There is no official language in the US. Should there be? Probably, but there isn't, so get over it.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langu..._United_States

Nowhere in the constitution does it say we are or should be a capitalist country. If you quote me the 10th amendment, I will spend an entire post laughing at you.

What we are is a Keynesian capitalist country atm, not a socialist. Obama is a Keynesian capitalist, not a socialist. If you think he is, you probably also believe that he is a secret Muslim born in Kenya. Gotta love good ol fox news.

Originally Posted by salottimc

Just because English isn't the official language, it is still the language used by almost all Americans. If you do not know English, you will have a hard time making it in the United States. There is nothing that states I have to cater to anyone who does not speak the same language as me.

Agreed. But to tell someone they cannot come to this country because you can't understand what they are saying is wrong as well, is it not? Do you know how difficult, if not physically impossible, it is for someone who is in their later years in life to learn a new language? Try flipping your statement around, and you'll say there is nothing that states they have to cater to you who do not speak the same language as them. Now, what say you?

Push 1 for English, 2 for Spanish, or 3 for Gibberish.

Well, the entire WORLD uses English as the international Business language, so how would it not benefit ANYONE to learn it? I've been to the interior of Mexico, they spoke English to me, I've been to Germany, they spoke English to me, I've been to Panama, they spoke English to me, I've been to the Czech Republic, they spoke English to me. Granted, some of that English was halted, a little off key, but good enough for me to understand what they were saying. Hell, they speak English in Japan, in China, and they don't even have a letter L in those languages. You can find people speaking English in Russia as well.

So, why is it so hard to acquire a BASIC understanding of the English language in order to become a citizen here, if they can learn it in other countries thousands of miles away from here, on completely different continents? It's not like they're asking people to become English majors.

Keep those excuses coming. this is getting really amusing.