Is it ignorant o think that English should be the only language spoken when it comes to dealing with the government???? I have lived in other countries, and although English is the universal language, we had to learn their language, or find someone to translate for us, and that’s because we were on THEIR TURF! I understand the country is a melting pot, the land of opportunity and freedom, but I really don’t feel asking people to learn English is too much to ask for! They might as well, EVERYTHING is in English, from our street signs to the groceries we buy. I just saw on the news, that when they received some of the mailings back petitioning for it to be on the ballod, people had scribbled such hateful messages, one showed “Ignorant Racist” and they had to blur out some of it. I just feel if you’re coming to my country, you should speak my language, they would expect the same from a foreigner in their country!

I was talking to my friend, Victor, who doesn’t agree with the idea, here’s some of our conversation on Instant Messanger:
(it got a little heated, more so than I would’ve thought, but he is of Mexican descent, and is in law school, so I’m sure he’s argued with fence posts just for the heck of it!;) )

hey, random topic, would you be opposed to making your city english-only??? where they don’t offer spanish speaking people for assistance in gov’t offices???
“Victor”: yes.
christinaeba1983: really, why?
“Victor”: there are a lot of mexicans in holland
“Victor”: and english isnt the national language
“Victor”: and i think its ignorant to assume it is
christinaeba1983: so???? they are on our turf, and yes english is our official language of the USA
“Victor”: or to assume that everyone should speak it
“Victor”: who is they?
christinaeba1983: they’re in our country!
“Victor”: and no its not
christinaeba1983: foreigners
“Victor”: the us doesnt have an official language
christinaeba1983: When I went to Egypt and Thailand, do you think they offered english assistance? no, we needed to learn their language
“Victor”: and they? this land is suppose to be the land of the masses. it is built on the back of immigrants and foreigners. to betray that history seems ridiculous
christinaeba1983: it’s not, but to become a US citizen, you have to know english, and if you don’t, then you most likely don’t belong there
“Victor”: says who?
christinaeba1983: common sense!
“Victor”: thats ridiculous christina
christinaeba1983: Well, I posted a blog about it, go over and comment! lol
“Victor”: i dont need to…i can tell you here that what you said/say is very ignorant of a history of people.
christinaeba1983: I don’t think so at all
christinaeba1983: English is the universal language, people leaving their homelands should learn it
“Victor”: lol you sound so republican and stupid
christinaeba1983: no, but if you’re driving, the street signs are in english, groceries and everything are in english, I shouldn’t have to select whether i want to hear things in english or spanish, should be english automatically
christinaeba1983: if i go to YOUR homeland, then I need to speak YOUR language, and same goes for coming to my homeland
“Victor”: but those are practically the same thing
“Victor”: why?
“Victor”: you ar ridiculous. there is no language of america.
“Victor”: just bc its the primary here in MI doesnt mean thats everywhere
“Victor”: what bothers you about spanish so much
“Victor”: its a beautiful language.
“Victor”: and driving signs are specifically made in shapes to deal with that kind of thing. and spanish speaking people arent ignorant of english completely. to think they couldnt comprehend stop speaks a lot about your ignorance as well.
christinaeba1983: I just think if you’re living here, you should communicate in the common language, and make an effort to learn it
“Victor”: and i think if more americans had a better grasp of the english language then i might care if “foreigners” as you called them, spoke english
christinaeba1983: well if they’re not from here, they are a foreigner…DUH!
christinaeba1983: they’re from a foreign place, meaning not familiar to the US!
“Victor”: and to call them foreigners implies that they dont belong here…my grandma has been an american for over 50 years and doesnt speak english…for you to imply you are any more american than her is ridiculous
“Victor”: not all americans speak english
christinaeba1983: well, they should!
christinaeba1983: all public schools teach in english, am i wrong?
“Victor”: yes
“Victor”: you are
“Victor”: go down to the southwest
christinaeba1983: find me one, you won’t
“Victor”: i think if a group of people wants to preserve their culture by using their language and not being assimilated into america.

What do you think? Would you vote for it? Do you feel it would hurt the city to go English-Only??