Originally posted by grey580
Maybe what Obama should be saying is that we all need to speak better english and pick up another language as well. Because it would only help you in the long run.

That's what he IS saying... It's just being spun to try to make him look bad.

I really wish people would look beyond the title of a post before making a judgment on an issue. (I don't mean you, grey, I mean everyone.)

[edit on 13-7-2008 by Benevolent Heretic]

Originally posted by phineasJwhoopie
you asked what if my child doesn't want to learn Spanish? That is fine, but your child will be at a sizable disadvantage. The US is sadly falling behind. And for no better reason than foolish pride. Most kids in the world today know at least two.

The earth doesn't revolve around us in America.

Yes, we are falling behind because greedy businessmen and ambitious politicians are allowing legions of Spanish-speakers sneak into the this country without assimilating. If on the other hand we protected our borders and enforced immigration laws we would not have this problem. Not to the extent that we do now at least. Obama makes a good point about many Americans barely speaking English correctly, but that is no excuse to allow millions of Mexicans and other Central and South Americans to invade this country and saturate it with their culture. They need to learn English or they need to get out. If I have any reason or desire to travel to a foreign country then I will take the time to learn that language for my own benefit. I should NOT need to know a second language just to live right here in the same valley I grew up in.

a couple of years ago i met this kid from Austria. He amazed me when he started speaking perfect Spanish and French. At that time I was relearning Spanish and trying to tackle French at the same time *which was kinda hard*. He was a year younger than me yet he had German, English, French, Spanish, Italian and he was trying to learn Russian.

Sure we're forced to take 3 years of a foreign language in high school, but lets admit it, who actually masters it? Rarely. And that's the whole point of it, sitting in a chair trying to learn french, it's actually getting around to learn it.

Right now I can hold a conversation in Spanish and get by with Italian. I can understand a bit of French and a few words in German and Japanese. To be honest, i'm disappointing in myself for not sticking to my goal of learning as much as I can. Right now I have The Rosetta Stone for French, German, and Russian, hopefully i can at least learn 2/3.
Try to keep in mind that in a couple of years if we don't get out of the little pickle we're in, we might just have to learn Chinese

hi !
I'm french . you know in france it's compulsory to learn Eglish and an another language. (and we can take an another language again)
for exemple I learn English German and Latin .
but I love it ! and if the French (who are know like people who don't speak another language ) can do it, I think american can learn another language