LG>Perhaps not now. Not sure. If certain requirements for civic awareness 
LG>at least a rudimentary knowlege of the language has been dropped as a 
LG>requirement for citizenship, then that is a loss to this country. A per
LG>who refuses to make the effort to learn the language of a country he or
LG>she wishes to claim as his own (along with all the benefits that extend
LG>from that claim) has no grounds for making a claim.
MA> 
MA> We operate from two different perspectives.  In your own, if I
MA> may be excused for taking the latitude of describing it, you feel that
MA> English is the language of the United States.  
Like it or not, Mike, English *is* the language of the United States.
Japanese is the language of Japan, Persian is the language of Iran,
English is the language of the United States.
MA> From that feeling I
MA> sense an implied attachment between the nation and the English
MA> language.   From my own perspective, I make no such attachment.
That's fine. Don't speak it. No one's forcing you. Or anyone else.
I don't run around speaking in algebraic equations, either. But I was
required to learn them. Without them, my life would not have been of
nearly the quality that it has. Nor would my contributions to my country.
MA> English has been, to widely fluncuating degrees, the most
MA> prevelant language of the United States since it's inception, but I
MA> consider that no more than coincidental and of little real revelance.
Coincidental only in that it was the language spoken by the people who
conceived of this great experiment, who laid out the plans for this great
experiment, who founded this great experiment, and who died to implement
this great experiment.
LG>Never met the first Indian who was incapable of speaking English. Perha
LG>they do exist somewhere, but I have yet to meet them. Lived in several
LG>areas where Indians did when I was growing up, too.
MA> 
MA> Had our forefathers adhered to the ideas you propose, we would
MA> all be speaking Cherokee today.  
Nope. They were, like it or not, the conquering people. Else we would have 
been living under tribal rule, and all of the freedoms we both love would 
be strictly theoretical.
MA> I do know there are Alaskan natives
MA> that still speak only their native language, 
All of the Innuit friends that I grew up with spoke very passable English.
As I said, there may be some somewhere who don't, but I have never met them.
Didn't live far enough north to know too many Eskimos or Aelutes, but I 
guess that is a possibility.
MA> and I would not be at all
MA> surprised if some southwestern indian tribes still had only native
MA> language speakers.  The latter I cannot attest to.
Nor can I. That is the reason I gave the caveat "that I know of".
LG>No one, to the best of my knowlege, has attempted to force any individu
LG>to speak English in his daily life. I still don't see the problem with
LG>requiring them to *know* the language before allowing them to demand 
LG>benefits, protections, and perks that are taken from the people who 
LG>populate their "adoptive" country. 
MA> 
MA> I do, it's called the First Amendment.  
I see. Would that be the same "First Amendment" that guarantees me that I
would never be forced to learn history...math...geography...government...
English...or any of the other required subjects that I was forced, under
color of law, to learn? 
Face it, Mike. The First Amendment was about protecting the freedom of
political speech. Not about assuring that America became a modern tower
of Babel. Either a red herring or a massive misinterpretation on your part.
MA> I simply do not see the
MA> signifigance attached to forcing an individual to learn a language. 
Then explain to me why teachers in Scott County, Mississippi are given the
choice of learning Spanish, or losing their jobs.
MA> There are values that being an American relates to, but not a
MA> language. Our own citizens, from Puerto Rica to Alaska, do not all
MA> speak English. If we ourselves are not entirely fluent why should we
MA> require it of others?
Before we go any further with this sidebar, perhaps you'd care to clarify 
the terms "we" and "fluent".
LG>Then again, we have dropped the necessity of even gaining citizenship
LG>before those benefits are wrested from the pockets of those rightfully
LG>here and given to those of illegal status.
MA> 
MA> I will join you in putting an end to social welfare and public
MA> assistance programs, for all, at the expense of taxpayers.
Well, we're getting to *some* common ground. But I'll go you one better.
I'd be willing to deport all our welfare scuffs as well.
Direct to you from the keyboard of Larry Gault...
      
... "Bother" said Pooh, it's your husband and he has a .45!
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