Obama has a split personality?

[Beach Runner]

My mother was a secretary and my father worked in a meat packing plant. I went to public high school where my best friend was the first in her family born on US soil.

I don't think I'm being elitist to think people CAN easily learn English and how to read plus another language.

I can relate. Even though my Daddy made a lot of money due to hard work, God-given brains, and great social skills, I was first-generation college. But there are people who in comparison are more underprivileged.

You are not being elitist. I think that Obama was with his "Merci beaucoup" diss.

I scored very well on the verbal section of the regular SAT before the essay and point adjustments were instituted. Here is my High School yearbook photo to prove it..and I can use non sequitur in a sentence too.

LOLOL.

 

[LuciferSam]

I can relate. Even though my Daddy made a lot of money due to hard work, God-given brains, and great social skills, I was first-generation college. But there are people who in comparison are more underprivileged.

You are not being elitist. I think that Obama was with his "Merci beaucoup" diss.


LOLOL.

I think this anti-elitism movement is getting out of hand. Pretty soon we're all going to be trying to out-trash, out-slum, and out dumb each other. I mean if the elitist title is simply mine for the asking I'll gladly take it and shamelessly flaunt it. It's becoming clear that there are much worse labels.

 

[Beach Runner]

Je ne comprend pas.

 

[elgordoboy]

Je ne comprend pas.

Gesundheit!

 

[TooFarTampa]

The talking heads at CNN yesterday were saying that what Obama was saying violates the concept of E pluribus unum, that is, out of many peoples, races, and ancestries the U.S. has emerged as a single people, nation, and language. The CNN talking heads were actually polling people to advocate English as the official language in the U.S. These are the same people who disparaged every candidate but Obama in the past few months.

In my opinion, it is elitist for Obama to say that our children should learn a second language so that when they go to France, they know more than "Merci, beaucoup." Please. The majority of the people I know have never left the U.S. -- they can't afford it. I know people in my county who have never even been to downtown Atlanta. Most of these people need to learn English first. Then if they miraculously get prestigious college degrees and can afford to travel outside of the U.S., by all means they should teach themselves the language of the country in which they are traveling.

BR is it elitist to be smart? Learning a second language is a smart decision for any American. I do not count myself in that group -- I know a passable amount of Spanish, but I am nowhere near fluent. I was so envious this week when I met a Spanish speaking grandmother who told me she only speaks in Spanish to her 18 month old grandson. What an opportunity for that little boy!

The sad fact is, and Obama knows this because he is so well-traveled, that when Americans travel they are likely to find people to help them who speak English. But when someone from another country comes here, good luck finding someone they can communicate with in their native tongue. So ... they just use the English they've learned in school. Part of this communications gap is due to geography and practicality -- how often do Americans go abroad, and if they did, which language would they pick to learn? But we as a nation should absolutely make more of an effort.

One thing I really like about Obama is his greater understanding of the world. I know a lot of people chime in with, "who cares what the other countries think?" but the fact is, aside from knowing how to play nice with other countries, including when we are disagreeing, we as a nation can't afford anymore to just ignore everyone else and what is going on outside our borders.

 

[Jdarg]

BR is it elitist to be smart? Learning a second language is a smart decision for any American. I do not count myself in that group -- I know a passable amount of Spanish, but I am nowhere near fluent. I was so envious this week when I met a Spanish speaking grandmother who told me she only speaks in Spanish to her 18 month old grandson. What an opportunity for that little boy!

The sad fact is, and Obama knows this because he is so well-traveled, that when Americans travel they are likely to find people to help them who speak English. But when someone from another country comes here, good luck finding someone they can communicate with in their native tongue. So ... they just use the English they've learned in school. Part of this communications gap is due to geography and practicality -- how often do Americans go abroad, and if they did, which language would they pick to learn? But we as a nation should absolutely make more of an effort.

One thing I really like about Obama is his greater understanding of the world. I know a lot of people chime in with, "who cares what the other countries think?" but the fact is, aside from knowing how to play nice with other countries, including when we are disagreeing, we as a nation can't afford anymore to just ignore everyone else and what is going on outside our borders.

I like the fact that he does care what other nations think. Call it elitist, but wanting to foster better global relations and improving our global reputation is much more positive and productive than sitting in our living rooms poo pooing the importance other countries, cultures, and governments.

 

[LuciferSam]

Je ne comprend pas.

No es mi problema

 

[LuciferSam]

BR is it elitist to be smart? Learning a second language is a smart decision for any American. I do not count myself in that group -- I know a passable amount of Spanish, but I am nowhere near fluent. I was so envious this week when I met a Spanish speaking grandmother who told me she only speaks in Spanish to her 18 month old grandson. What an opportunity for that little boy!

The sad fact is, and Obama knows this because he is so well-traveled, that when Americans travel they are likely to find people to help them who speak English. But when someone from another country comes here, good luck finding someone they can communicate with in their native tongue. So ... they just use the English they've learned in school. Part of this communications gap is due to geography and practicality -- how often do Americans go abroad, and if they did, which language would they pick to learn? But we as a nation should absolutely make more of an effort.

One thing I really like about Obama is his greater understanding of the world. I know a lot of people chime in with, "who cares what the other countries think?" but the fact is, aside from knowing how to play nice with other countries, including when we are disagreeing, we as a nation can't afford anymore to just ignore everyone else and what is going on outside our borders.

Exactly. How is it not elitist to dismiss the opinions and culture of other countries? Actually that's more than elitist, it's downright arrogant. I guess it's ok to be that way as long as you do it in the name of Old Glory. I see a man like Obama trying his darndest to raise the standards of this country and he gets shot down by hordes of collective narcissists.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I like the fact that he does care what other nations think. Call it elitist, but wanting to foster better global relations and improving our global reputation is much more positive and productive than sitting in our living rooms poo pooing the importance other countries, cultures, and governments.

Mighty strong words coming from someone who shuns guacamole.

 

[Bob]

I find nothing wrong with having an official language of English, but I've never heard it proposed except when discrimination and racism is also part of the conversation.

To succeed in a business world that is becoming increasingly global, you need to know more than one language. Having money, traveling, and being elitist has nothing to do with it.

We need people who speak foreign languages in the military, health care, and education fields just to name a few and since many low-wage workers speak Spanish as their first language, many contractors, landscapers, food service workers etc. are learning it too.

Raising the bar instead of lowering it to the level of the lazy illiterate idiots in your county is how we will make this country great and solve the big problems.

you are deflecting...Florida spends millions just printing government documents in Spanish. Central and South Florida are already being split by this cultural tug of war. The retail world bows to Spanish speakers by making bilingual packaging or signage. It's hilarious to be in East Tennessee at a Lowes and observe bilingual store signage for the benefit of the Appalachian folk. Bilingualism nearly split Canada in two. We will have our day of reckoning.