Press one for English
Have you ever really thought about it when you hear “Press one for English” as an option on your phone, when you live in the United States!
Well here is a song that makes you think about it!
Possibly Related Posts:
- We can learn from a Donkey
- Random Thoughts for the Day
- Caught on Late Night, Obama Nobel Peace Prize and more
- A Well-Planned Retirement
- HIGH SCHOOL –1959 vs. 2009
I am a hopeless Romantic and Positive person. I started a company called Website Designing Plus, which helps small businesses build an online presence. I write poetry and study history as it pertains to my genealogy. I am yes-23's website designer and lighter side because I love humor.
Loading ...
O.K.!! How about a little bigotry from the left? I won’t deal with the fact that spanish was spoken in what is now America long before the English invaders arrived on our shores. And I won’t talk about the fact that the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed by the U.S. it was never enforced. Or that the first Constitution of the State of California guaranteed equality for both English and Spanish – until enough invafers from the east outnumbered the original Spanish-speaking inhabitants and re-wrote the constitution. No. I want to talk about all them folks who be talking about “merica bein’ a English-speakin’ country. I jes’ cain’t figger out what they be complainin’ ’bout!
Now I fully acknowledge that English is the offical and majority language of America. I have no problem with encouraging Americans to learn to speak proper English. My complaint is with those Americans who would humiliate those with limited English skills and think it proper, even Christian, to deny services to those who don’t speak English. And the reason for my complaint is – most of them have the English skills of a fourth grader. They don’t know the difference between “your” and “you’re”, “our” and “are”, “presents” and “presence” or where the word “only” should be in a sentence. And the list goes on.
A few years ago, high school teachers in Texas took the high school exit exam. The overwheming majority of them failed the test IN THEIR OWN SUBJECT MATTER! I cannot imagine how in the hell a native-born American with a teaching credential could flunk a high school English exam. But, as all of my Tejano friends always tell me, anything is possible in Texas.
So, my suggestion to all of my native-born fellow “Mericans” is the following: Focus on your own English skills, and those of your children, before you complain about the limited skills of another. If you don’t, you appear to many to be as big a hypocrite as Senator John McCain, (or Sen. Ensign, or Newt Gingrich, or Gov. Sanford, etc.) who lambasted President Clinton from the Senate floor about his indiscretions, then went home to the woman with whom he committed adultery.
Duane,
I posted this post to bring up the subject that English in America is not a dominate language anymore and it seems most the automatic phone systems installed now days make English a 2nd language by default by demanding the caller to press one for English. Yes the post was posted to insight reactions and you reacted. I want to thank you for commenting and making some good points, but please do not assume for one minute that I personally was putting any other language down or condone denying services to those that do not speak English, as that was not my belief or intent. I do believe that English should be the dominate language in America, just as I think French should be dominate in France and likewise for all countries. And just because I believe this does not mean I am putting any other language down or denying any services to those who don’t speak English. I think that is just an assumption on your part and wanted to clear that up.
Thanks again for your interesting comment.
England is full of English people. France is full of French people. Germany is full of German people. America is full of “…huddled masses…wretched refuse…homeless, tempest tossed” refugees who came to America for a new life. The non-English speaking were, mostly, destroyed by the English-speaking. The people with ethnocentric attitudes in this country seem to be, in my personal experience, ignorant of their own history, their own roots, their own culture, their own language. Instead of pointing out the fact that English seems to be a secondary language in America, I think Americans would be much happier if they learned two or three additional languages. It would be very helpful in ridding ourselves of our ethnocentricity!
Yes it would be helpful if the people learned more than one language. Like I heard in Germany when I lived over there that the school system made it mandatory that children learned English as well as German. But our school system has never made it mandatory to learn another language and all language classes are electives. But if the school systems did make one mandatory which one should it be?
Yes this song that is posted is a “redneck” couple and they are a bit over the top about their views. I felt the song was “thought provoking” and that is why I posted it. And you posting your comments only prove that I was right about it being thought provoking.
I do think that whether or not as you say “people are ignorant of their own history” that English was selected for the main language of this country just as French is the main language of France, so no matter what else the English language should be treated with respect.
I also have to say to that I also believe that not all Americans are ignorant of their own history as other would like to make it seem, and others only use this tactic to attack some American people and to bolster themselves up.
I myself actually LOVE history and have been researching my family history for many years and have posted it for the world to see at http://enchantedfamily.com and I have such as melting pot history that I come from all over the world, but most of my relatives come from the Royal families of the UK, or maybe I just can find that history easier than I can of some others because their record keeping seems to be more intact. I can trace my family back to the pilgrims. But I can also trace my family back to Spain, Mexico, Germany, France, Egypt, Russia and many other countries.
When you look up the word American in the dictionary is says it means “New World” and in 1796 Our First United States President, George Washington said “The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation.”