Gingrich calls Spanish the "language of the ghetto"

[Ban Hammer 14,573]

Reminds me of Ebonics.

and we know how well that worked out

[Niels Bohr 72]

My native tongue is Cambodian, and English is my second language. I remembered growing up knowing hardly any English. My father bought me a notebook for me so I can dribble. I wanted to write English, but I couldn't. And, my father couldn't help either because he too was learning English. So, I got mad and ripped the notebook in half. Ever since then, I told myself that I must study very hard and read English as much as possible. Strangely enough, I am now fluent in English and surpassed my classmates who have parents that can speak English.

[cellarlily 0]

This is clearly an insensitive comment from the biggest d-bag this side of Ann Coulter, but I can't help feeling there's a tiny bit of truth behind it (not the ghetto part, but the "learning the language of the country" part). Can you imagine moving to France and not eventually learning the language? You'd never get by. While most people in the large cities speak English (because of American and British tourists), you definitely get treated like a second-class citizen when you try to speak English in Paris.

I do think learning a second (third, fourth) language is very crucial, especially in a country with more and more Hispanic immigrants; however, I can't stress enough that good ENGLISH needs to be taught first. It's appalling how few Americans (non-Spanish speakers even) can speak, read and write above a 2nd grade English level.

[mawilson 2,133]

My father bought me a notebook for me so I can dribble.

No comment. B)

[Ban Hammer 14,573]

My father bought me a notebook for me so I can dribble.

No comment. B)

i saw that one but refrained from comment.

[Niels Bohr 72]

*doodle...Atleast my language is clear.

[Reynaldo 0]

since nessa is from brazil, i think there should be a choice for portuguese too. why not go pc all the way and cater to everyone?

Just adding a note: Brazilian-Portuguese is Massachusetts' Spanish

[mawilson 2,133]

*doodle...Atleast my language is clear.

dribble = doodle + scribble?

[Donna A 4]

screw the whole spanish thing all together and make them learn english!!!

[Reynaldo 0]

Yeah! Not knowing English is un-American!!!

[Dr_LHA 3]

Personally I think the whole "Why should I press 1 for English" brigade need to open their eyes and see the real problems that exist in the world. If press #1 bothers you, then your life is clearly pretty sweet otherwise, you really have nothing to complain about.

[Reynaldo 0]

Personally I think the whole "Why should I press 1 for English" brigade need to open their eyes and see the real problems that exist in the world. If press #1 bothers you, then your life is clearly pretty sweet otherwise, you really have nothing to complain about.

I think these people have miserable lives and they want other people to pay for their misery...

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

since nessa is from brazil, i think there should be a choice for portuguese too. why not go pc all the way and cater to everyone?

Just adding a note: Brazilian-Portuguese is Massachusetts' Spanish

My Massachusetts high school taught Spanish and Portuguese.

[beameup 0]

Part of my university Bachelor's Degree in Sociology was to tutor Mexican children whose parents worked in the wine grape vineyards. Before taking the class, we were taught the Mexican culture necessary to understand and not to offend the homes we tutored in. One extremely strong tradition that Mexicans believe in is: Outside the home you are in America, but once you enter the home "you are in Mexico". The parents were of course Illegal Aliens who work the vineyards in Napa, Sonoma & Mendocino Counties in California. In this respect, being ILLEGAL, they really had no genuine investment in legal immigration into the United States. Had they been LEGAL immigrants they would have insisted on learning English and be proud to be able to migrate to America.

Therein lies an obvious difference in attitudes between LEGAL and ILLEGAL Mexican aliens living in the Southwest U.S.

By the way, the new Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi relies extensively on Mexicans to pick the grapes in her vinyard in Napa County California (she also owns Restaurants with her husband). She is perhaps the most extreme left Liberal to ever hold that office being more accurately Socialist-Progressive.

[Dr_LHA 3]

The Pelosi vineyard thing was a storm in a teacup brewed up by Conservatives in an attempt to discredit her. The charges were that she employed "non-Union" workers, despite taking money from the Unions for campaign finance. It was nothing to do with hiring illegal aliens.

Read this story here:

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=p...&id=4804677

and don't believe everything you hear on Fox News.

As far as I can tell the link between "non-Union" and "illegal alien" workers has only been made by Conservative blogs and those fuckwits Hannity and Colmes. I can't find one credible news source that has reported this a fact. If you read that story it states that the Pelosi vineyard paid good wages ($9-10 a hour, above minimum wage) and had dental and health benefits. You wouldn't bother with that if you were hiring illegals, there are plenty of Americans to fill jobs with those benefits.

I'm afraid, as much as you might not like Pelosi (I don't like her much either), you have to seperate the facts from the truthiness.

Edited April 2, 2007 by dr_lha