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Obama Embarrassed by single language Americans

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posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 11:45 AM
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reply to post by beforetime
 


I guess you better teach some natural born Americans how to speak English also. Some of them can't be understood either. I see your point. I feel that you can talk any language you want but I agree that all government business should be in English only. As far as businesses I am on the sidelines because each one caters to different groups.



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 11:58 AM
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I find it insulting for him to say he's embarrassed by Americans that don't speak a second language.

www.youtube.com...

I think this clip is justification for me to say I'm embarrassed by him (and for him).

Obama needs to master speaking the English language before he starts making derogatory statements such as being embarrassed by his fellow citizens lack of learning foreign languages.




posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 12:32 PM
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Originally posted by biggie smalls


Originally posted by Alxandro
I think Americans should be embarrassed by headgear worn by the Lefties.


I'm embarrassed by mumu's worn by neocons. The lazy susan spins 360 degrees, remember that.




Or pretending to be pilots:




Or how about the 'connecticut cowboy' costume:




Or the 'baseball player'. Nice pitch...




Or the comedian:




The rock star:




The golfer, who supposedly gave up golf to 'support the troops':




Even Bush likes to play dress up. Understand the context Alxandro. I can pick and choose pictures that portray people in a certain light.

Obama wore garb during Kenya trip





Ok, so which one of the images you provided were actual photo-ops gone bad?


BTW, dubya can speak Spanish.
Does anyone know if Obama can speak any other language besides English?


[edit on 9-7-2008 by Alxandro]



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 12:35 PM
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not only do you overuse the quote feature (against T&C) but you post one liners (also against T&C)

Since im not a moderator though- i guess yer safe


that aside


If the 9/11 attacks had never happened, nobody would ever have made an issue, what so ever, about Obama's garbs. Which have already been proven to have something to do with Africa, and not "arabic"



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 01:28 PM
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I speak minimal Korean, decent Japanese, and quite a bit of English. I have most likely studied linguistics to a greater degree than the average grad school student and I don't view myself as superior to anyone else. That being said, I also don't see how anyone can be offended by Obama's comments. I find that I constantly have to dumb down my English and speak relatively slow to even communicate somewhat effectively with AMERICAN college students. If you value your intellect you should probably get off your high horses folks. Most Americans, including myself, cannot speak English. We speak a bastardization of the language. I mean, I guess you could stay on your high horse. But that would make you a hypocrite.



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 01:47 PM
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Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by DoBravery
- NEWSFLASH to FlyersFan - Obama is making the arguement that people who don't know a second language will be at a disadvantage.

NEWSFLAHS to DoBravery - That's NOT what Obama said. He said he was 'embarrassed' by Americans who travel to Europe and don't speak the langauge. He said nothing about us being at a 'disadvantage'. It was completely that HE was EMBARRASSED.

Sorry, but you are projecting.



Lord help me FlyersFan ...will you ever not distort and remove context in one of these Obama threads? MSM hasn't covered this because it is NOT NEWS.

Exact qoute..



He says "it's embarrasing" not that he is "embarrassed by Americans."

"It" refers to a situation. In this instance the situation that many countries have bested us when it comes to multi-lingualism and it shows in our GNP.

"It's embarrassing" that we have an educational system that is failing to prepare our children to compete in the global economy. We are the greatest and most innovative country on earth and the fact that Europeans, India, Asia has been able to take jobs away from us should be an embarrasment.

Do you expect Obama to utter every word, even during an on the fly Q&A, with the expectation that someone like you will remove it from context, missqoute and altar the sentiment? Geez its exhausting seeing your threads.

"it's embarrasing" to see threads like this on ATS and to realize I am sitting here reading them.



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 01:55 PM
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There are reasons other countries learn English. It's the international language of business $$$!

I guess Obama wants us all to learn Spanish so we don't burden all the illegal aliens who refuse to learn English? I get upset that when I call a company the 1st thing I have to do is press 1 for English.

Doesn't it seem like everyday Obama comes up with another "change of position" or some major gaffe like criticizing the English language? This will eventually catch up with him. Can you imagine some of the ads that will be run against him using his own words?



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 02:03 PM
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reply to post by RRconservative
 


You know RR, you are an intelligent person, so please don't do this to yourself, the dial up 1 for English and 2 for Spanish has been around for a long time.

And as for Spanish, well just look around you and see that very soon you will not be able to avoid a Spanish speaking person in the streets anymore.

While I agree that English is the main language spoken in US by all means it only add more to your expertise to learn another language and Spanish is the next one in line.


Now what was the OP of this thread again
yes Obama wants to shove languages down our mouth.



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 02:05 PM
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Like I said, you can't have enough education and Spanish would be good to learn. French as well. If you're looking at the big picture though Chinese is the language of the future. Lots of business going on there and it's only going to get busier.



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 02:13 PM
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reply to post by RRconservative
 


*sigh*

Actually - every call i've ever had for a business that has this function says

Para oír esto en español, Prensa dos


or something similar (sorry my Spanish is rusty)


and if you DONT push two, the phone conversation continues

because, heaven forbid you lift your finger to dial a 1 otherwise



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 02:13 PM
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This is.. crap.

First of all I am really tired of the 'tow the line' crowd, the Obama supporters who blindly agree with everything he says regardless, personally I am leaning McCain (over not voting) but I certainly don't think everything that comes out of his mouth is gospel.

Seriously you guys should be embarrased for yourselves.

on to the subject...

90% of Americans will never go overseas or south of the border, most of that 90% will never "need" to know spanish or any other language. Many of you proclaim how employable people would be if they spoke more than one language.. more employable where exactly?

If I learned German would I suddenly get an IT job translating for Germans? For the French? Maybe Spanish would get me hired by a firm in Texas or California.. maybe. What would it fo for me in Kansas?

Most people do not have the $$$, time or will to learn a second language and John the farmer certainly doesn't need to learn French.
If you will never be in a situation that calls for conversational adeptness in another language, then your time is better spent somewhere else.

This notion that those who do not know a second language just don't care, are lazy, or are uneducated are just ridiculous.
Do you really think that the French or germans would bother leraning English if their Neighbors didn't already speak it? Honestly folks, if The next state over from me spoke "Vermontish", I'd probably learn "VVermonmitish" and perhaps a little "New Hapshirish".

Get some perspective people and get down off the parrots beak.


Maybe Tony who works in ChinaTown might learn a bit of mandarin, but really? "Embarrased"? He should be proud that English is the business language of the world and will stay that way for a looong time. Half the world is learning english and if that isn't a solid base for the long term prospects of Emglish, I do not know what is...

I feel Obama has an elitist air about him, and I don't say that to tow the idiot republican line either, it's just that he says things like this that just make you believe that he just isn't in touch with the average American.



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 02:14 PM
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reply to post by gormly
 


So you're saying you think Obama is the first person to ever suggest Americans learn a second language?

Now...i think i've heard it all...



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 02:18 PM
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reply to post by Andrew E. Wiggin
 


Not the first person, nor the first Presidential candidate (or President).

President Bush Brings Languages Front and Center


President Bush today launched the National Security Language Initiative (NSLI), a plan to further strengthen national security and prosperity in the 21st century through education, especially in developing foreign language skills. The NSLI will dramatically increase the number of Americans learning critical need foreign languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Hindi, Farsi, and others through new and expanded programs from kindergarten through university and into the workforce. The President will request $114 million in FY07 to fund this effort.

An essential component of U.S. national security in the post-9/11 world is the ability to engage foreign governments and peoples, especially in critical regions, to encourage reform, promote understanding, convey respect for other cultures and provide an opportunity to learn more about our country and its citizens. To do this, we must be able to communicate in other languages, a challenge for which we are unprepared.

Deficits in foreign language learning and teaching negatively affect our national security, diplomacy, law enforcement, intelligence communities and cultural understanding. It prevents us from effectively communicating in foreign media environments, hurts counter-terrorism efforts, and hamstrings our capacity to work with people and governments in post-conflict zones and to promote mutual understanding. Our business competitiveness is hampered in making effective contacts and adding new markets overseas.



Moral of the story: Learn another language (says Bush).

AND, I'm embarrassed we don't speak other languages AND we need to learn them...now (2 years later and no progress has been made, surprise surprise).

[edit on 7/9/2008 by biggie smalls]



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 02:27 PM
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Originally posted by gormly
This is.. crap.

First of all I am really tired of the 'tow the line' crowd, the Obama supporters who blindly agree with everything he says regardless, personally I am leaning McCain (over not voting) but I certainly don't think everything that comes out of his mouth is gospel.

Seriously you guys should be embarrased for yourselves.

on to the subject...

90% of Americans will never go overseas or south of the border, most of that 90% will never "need" to know spanish or any other language. Many of you proclaim how employable people would be if they spoke more than one language.. more employable where exactly?

If I learned German would I suddenly get an IT job translating for Germans? For the French? Maybe Spanish would get me hired by a firm in Texas or California.. maybe. What would it fo for me in Kansas?

Most people do not have the $$$, time or will to learn a second language and John the farmer certainly doesn't need to learn French.
If you will never be in a situation that calls for conversational adeptness in another language, then your time is better spent somewhere else.

This notion that those who do not know a second language just don't care, are lazy, or are uneducated are just ridiculous.
Do you really think that the French or germans would bother leraning English if their Neighbors didn't already speak it? Honestly folks, if The next state over from me spoke "Vermontish", I'd probably learn "VVermonmitish" and perhaps a little "New Hapshirish".

Get some perspective people and get down off the parrots beak.


Maybe Tony who works in ChinaTown might learn a bit of mandarin, but really? "Embarrased"? He should be proud that English is the business language of the world and will stay that way for a looong time. Half the world is learning english and if that isn't a solid base for the long term prospects of Emglish, I do not know what is...

I feel Obama has an elitist air about him, and I don't say that to tow the idiot republican line either, it's just that he says things like this that just make you believe that he just isn't in touch with the average American.



Without going into a great deal of detail this has to do directly with what I do for a living and YES, if you speak a second language YOU ARE MORE EMPLOYABLE. We are a US based company that is constantly looking for bilingual people to hire to communicate fluently with clients in other countries. Many of the bilingual people that we employ never leave the US, but they can get on a phone find out what a client abroad wants and explain the project status etc. The reverse of this is how China, India and the rest have managed to take so much business from the UNited States.



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 02:34 PM
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reply to post by maybereal11
 


A star for you my friend, enlighten them, tell them the real issues behind knowing a second language.


While many people in America understand this and wish they could speak Spanish or other languages, is that littler group out there that believes they do not need anything else but old dear English to live by.

I agree, only if you are happy with where you are at and who surround you.

But the reality and the fact is that in a nation like ours that competition is an issue for everything the ones with more skills get the jobs.

Even farmer Tom that never has left his littler town now have the need to speak Spanish because he hires immigrants.


[edit on 9-7-2008 by marg6043]



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 02:51 PM
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Obama once again disrespects American people with a bold assumption implying they are beneath him because they do not speak a second language. It was "clinging to guns and religion" before this.

Some of our most intelligent Computer Scientists, Engineers, Scientists, Professors only know their native English. It is all they need. Math is the universal language, maybe more people should learn math?

Obama is "embarrassed" by this.

The Chinese are smart in that they are learning English. We don't have to learn Chinese. Is Obama going to tell the Chinese, that they too, should learn how to speak Spanish?

This man arrogance knows no boundries.



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 03:02 PM
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Originally posted by jetxnet
The Chinese are smart in that they are learning English. We don't have to learn Chinese.


You show an amazing lack of fore sight. You are in negotiations with some Chinese. They can converse with themselves and with you. They can make snap decisions just by speaking their own language, RIGHT IN YOUR FACE!!! You are at a serious disadvantage in these negotiations then. What will it cost you? Millions? Billions? Just because one is too arrogant to think that English is all you need?



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 03:04 PM
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reply to post by intrepid
 


Is call plain ignorance, my friend and when that comes around is better to just let go.




posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 03:17 PM
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This comes as no surprise. Obama hates this country and is embarrassed by it. When he flies over the heartland of America - the people that make this country work, not the people on the coasts that bring it down - he shakes his head in embarrassment. Obama wants this nation to be become Europe. They're the enlightened ones. They have higher unemployment, lower standards of living, healthcare in shambles and a stagnant economy. They're clearly the ones we should copy off of. We've only managed to outdo everything they've done for 200 years. It's obviously time we start emulating their failures.

It's pure hypocrisy since he can't speak Spanish, too. What a surprise, another liberal hypocrite.

You know, I took Spanish for three years back in high school. I was actually pretty good at conjugation. I got straight A's in all three of the classes every quarter. In high school, I used to work in retail and sell shoes to make a buck. I live in New Jersey, so there would be a lot of people coming in asking if I spoke Spanish because they knew no English. Honestly, I know enough, even still today, to make it through a shoe sale, but I've always told EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM I don't understand. I always act dumb around it and I've never spoken a word of Spanish to any of them. Why? Because most of them turn around and leave once they find out I don't speak their language. I've had a handful of people who attempted to make English speech and THEN if they said Spanish words I'd understand, I'd go with it, but I'll NEVER help a person in America who will not attempt to speak English. They, simply put, don't deserve my help if they're not willing to make an attempt.

We make it too easy in this country for these lazy swine who won't learn our language. It's ALL OF OUR JOBS to make it as difficult as possible for them to get by without learning our language. It's not mean to deny someone assistance because they don't speak our language. It's patriotic. All you're doing is helping them by forcing them to learn our language. Make it easy for them does nothing but turn them even lazier, and then they'll never truly fit in. Tough love is the only way to go about this.

[edit on 9-7-2008 by ChocoTaco369]



posted on Jul, 9 2008 @ 03:18 PM
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Does being able to swear in four languages count?

English is the language of the United States, get over it...however, Spanish would seem to be rather important as well these days. Whether we like the idea of lots of Spanish speakin' folks here or not, they're here. That thar be the way it be. We need to get over that, too.

For a story that's meaningless, we surely do seem to be spending a lot of time on it...



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