America’s Top10 Most Literate Cities... Hey NFL Fan, we rock

[Dan Lambskin]

I can attest to Anaheim and Santa Ana. I grew up within 10 miles of both of those cities. Both of those cities went from nice average income cities to slums in about 15-20 years. Santa Ana is where Mater Dei is at who is always a great HS football team. The housing value in the whole area was staying even when others were sky rocketing earlier this decade. It smells bad. Front yards are not mowed. 15 people a household. 10 cars (8 broken down) in each driveway. Noone speaks English. Its just bad.

FFG is right. It is law that a US citizen must know and understand the English language. Street signs are in English. 911 Speaks English. This isn't a bowl of Stew its a melting pot. You conform to the standards of the place you are immigrating to. The nationality doesn't matter. If the US continues to allow people to immigrate here and tell us how things are going to be with a hand out at the same time, we are doomed. Mass confusion.

There is a reason why all these are illiterate cities. They don't know English whis is America's standard for literacy.

This belief that America has an "official language" is funny. Not only does America NOT have an official language, this omission is not an accident. The Founding Fathers lived in colonies filled with non-English-speaking immigrants from every corner of Europe, yet they chose NOT to declare an official language. Ever wonder why that is?

Here's a hint - it has to do with the whole "melting pot" concept.

Think about it.

but Knapp...they're talking about us behind our back

[treat24]

I can attest to Anaheim and Santa Ana. I grew up within 10 miles of both of those cities. Both of those cities went from nice average income cities to slums in about 15-20 years. Santa Ana is where Mater Dei is at who is always a great HS football team. The housing value in the whole area was staying even when others were sky rocketing earlier this decade. It smells bad. Front yards are not mowed. 15 people a household. 10 cars (8 broken down) in each driveway. Noone speaks English. Its just bad.

FFG is right. It is law that a US citizen must know and understand the English language. Street signs are in English. 911 Speaks English. This isn't a bowl of Stew its a melting pot. You conform to the standards of the place you are immigrating to. The nationality doesn't matter. If the US continues to allow people to immigrate here and tell us how things are going to be with a hand out at the same time, we are doomed. Mass confusion.

There is a reason why all these are illiterate cities. They don't know English whis is America's standard for literacy.

This belief that America has an "official language" is funny. Not only does America NOT have an official language, this omission is not an accident. The Founding Fathers lived in colonies filled with non-English-speaking immigrants from every corner of Europe, yet they chose NOT to declare an official language. Ever wonder why that is?

Here's a hint - it has to do with the whole "melting pot" concept.

Think about it.

but Knapp...they're talking about us behind our back

I KNEW IT!



(Good thing I speak Spanish and French... )

[Metroid]

French kissing does not count as speaking French treat....even if you are really good at it.

[Madison]

This belief that America has an "official language" is funny. Not only does America NOT have an official language, this omission is not an accident. The Founding Fathers lived in colonies filled with non-English-speaking immigrants from every corner of Europe, yet they chose NOT to declare an official language. Ever wonder why that is?

Here's a hint - it has to do with the whole "melting pot" concept.

Think about it.

Since the federal government has avoided the issue, more and more states, cities, and counties are voting to make English the official language themselves now.

The "melting pot" theory is flawed. We don't allow those who immigrate here to bring their laws with them (such as no drinking age, or drugs becoming legal).

The recent shortage of translators and political documents in foreign languages in New York for this last election should have really sent the message that it's way past time to make English the official language of the country. Having to cater to every language in the world is absurdly costly and silly. Expecting those that live in this country to learn English isn't that much to ask in exchange for the opportunities this country provides them. I know if I moved to another country, I'd learn their language, not expect them to cater to me because I didn't want to learn how to communicate with people in the country I was living in.

[knapplc]

but Knapp...they're talking about us behind our back

You laugh, but I hear that all the time - most recently yesterday morning at about this time I took a call from a woman who complained that two coworkers (interpreters, no less) were in the break room speaking Spanish, and she complained and asked if there was somewhere else she could go where she wouldn't have to listen to that. As if it caused her harm to hear them speaking another language.

I asked her what language she thought she would speak if she met an American friend on the street if she moved to Germany. She didn't think it was the same thing. It is.

I deal with the language barrier every day, and it's frustrating. I really wish everyone in America spoke fluent English so communication was easier (and cheaper - interpreters are expensive!). In a perfect world everyone emigrating here would already know English and we wouldn't have these problems, but this is far from a perfect world, unfortunately.

[knapplc]

Having to cater to every language in the world is absurdly costly and silly. Expecting those that live in this country to learn English isn't that much to ask in exchange for the opportunities this country provides them. I know if I moved to another country, I'd learn their language, not expect them to cater to me because I didn't want to learn how to communicate with people in the country I was living in.

These are really good points, and I don't have an easy answer for them. Like I said, I deal with the language barrier every day and it's a pain in the a##. I wish everyone spoke English, something fierce. It would be so much easier. Simple things take twice/three times as long when you have that added layer of the interpreter going between every question and answer. It's a bear.

There are tons of other countries dealing with these issues right now, too. England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy - they're all dealing with large amounts of emigrants, legal and illegal, who don't speak the language. It's a tough problem, and nobody has come up with an easy solution yet.

[treat24]

French kissing does not count as speaking French treat....even if you are really good at it.

i totally am, ask shannon... or was it ginger... who knows, I was pretty drunk.

Believe it or not... Speaking french... the ladies have always found it kinda hot. Funny thing is that I suck at French and Spanish after barely using them for half a decade. Wife is still fluent. She reads books in french still. Buys French Vogue (which is like 15 or 16 bucks for a friggin' magazine... ridonk...)

[Metroid]

French kissing does not count as speaking French treat....even if you are really good at it.

i totally am, ask shannon... or was it ginger... who knows, I was pretty drunk.

Believe it or not... Speaking french... the ladies have always found it kinda hot. Funny thing is that I suck at French and Spanish after barely using them for half a decade. Wife is still fluent. She reads books in french still. Buys French Vogue (which is like 15 or 16 bucks for a friggin' magazine... ridonk...)

It was both...you drunk slut!

Talking about the French Vogue reminded me of that scene in Death Proof where Rosario wants to buy that issue of Italian Vogue from that podunk corner store in Lebanon Tennessee for like 30 bucks.........anyway it just made me think of that.

[joejlitz]

What? No mention of the great people from the state that contains the E-A-G-L-E-S

That's because of the charitable nature of our citizens. See, we take our most educated people and then send them on humanitarian missions to Minnesota to teach people how to read and write. Thus the huge disparity betwixt St. Paul and Fillydelfia (did I spell that write?)

[RiffRaff]

French kissing does not count as speaking French treat....even if you are really good at it.

oooooooooooohhh, he's good at it I tell ya.