Dallas police chief says officers have written dozens of tickets to people for not speaking English

Dallas police chief says officers have written dozens of tickets to people for not speaking English

www.dallasnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I know a lot of people who say that English should be the national language in America, and that every citizen should learn it. I do not believe they are right though. This should come as no suprise. Imagine being pulled over and speaking the language you know best to the officer. And he just stands there and gives you a ticket. I am sure that the dismissal of charges is only a small consolation to those thrity-nine who have been ticketed.

www.dallasnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Sir,
Do you know how fast you were going back there?

Que?

Sir,
You were speeding in a work zone. Don't you know that fines double.

Domo.

Sir,
License and registration please.

Das Vadanya.

Sir,
Step out of the car.

Sallam alaykum.

Sir,
Do you know what a tazer is?

Vas es lost.

Screw it, here's a citation. Get lost.
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Nah.
That's a load of garbage.
If you want to live here you need to learn English.
Every other country on the planet expects a rudimentary degree of assimilation and common sense to include being able to function in society without being 'special'. We should too.

reply to post by fleetlord

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If you go to another country, you are expected to know their main language. In America whether you like it or not, we speak english. If they don't want to conform to that and learn our language get out. I would expect the exact same if I were to travel to a foreign country and be ignorant and not know their language. I know for a fact if I apply for citizenship in Germany, they will REQUIRE me to attend school to learn german, and if I don't in a certain time frame they will revoke my visa and deport my behind.

reply to post by bigshow

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well you arent really expected anymore because every western country took the time to learn yours, so you are fine no mather where you go xD

reply to post by fleetlord

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So basically, Dallas police are too stupid to understand one of the simplest languages in the world, one that they've been right next door to for the last hundred and fifty years - ever since Americans moved into Mexico?

Texas needs to work harder than this to surprise me.

Of course people who live in US and are its citizens have to know (or at least make an effort to learn) the language. But come on! American tourist who hired car in ,say, Brazil would be fined if he cannot speak Portuguese? This is ridiculous. Person should be punished by police for behaving against the laws only. And laws are not set by police.

i agree if you live here and cant speak our language leave or get a ticket for it DERKA DERKA

YouTube Link

[edit on 23-10-2009 by OpTiMuS_PrImE]

[edit on 23-10-2009 by OpTiMuS_PrImE]

[edit on 23-10-2009 by OpTiMuS_PrImE]

Well, first of all, I don't care for law enforcement, second of all, I don't care for adults in the u.s. that can't speak english properly, third of all...no wait, I'm done.

Every ethnic group which moved here in the past learned the language. What's different now? Are people who choose to move here from another country too stupid to learn the language, or simply too lazy? This country was known as a "melting pot" because the various nationalities that chose to adopt the United States as their country learned the language so they could become an integral part of our society.

If I moved to Mexico - which I've considered in the past - or any other country I'd certainly want to learn the native language even if I wasn't required to, if for no other reason than it wouldn't be quite so easy to take me to the cleaners. And I think it would be in one's self-preservation interest to be able to read road signs. To move to another country and expect the citizens there to learn your language is incredibly arrogant. Or, as I said earlier, lazy.

[edit on 23-10-2009 by Cohen the Barbarian]

[edit on 23-10-2009 by Cohen the Barbarian]

reply to post by Cohen the Barbarian

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Notice how you're speaking English, and not say... Cherokee? Notice how Texans speak english and not Spanish? Or how the people in Hawai'i aren't (generally) speaking Hawai'ian?

Yeah. 'Cause you didn't start speaking their language when you moved in. No reason to demand others do what you won't.

No one expects a tourist or new arrival to speak english. All they have to do is show an id or passport and the officer will attempt to communicate with a language book or call for a translator.

This is common in all countries. It is common sense and normal people in most countries can work through the language barrier.

The concept of a citation for not speaking english is an expedient used to deal with people who rely on not speaking english along with not carrying ID to get away with not cooperating with the police...almost always done because they are suspected of a crime.

The fact is that there are people who have been born and raised in the US or lived in the US for 5-10-15 years and can't or won't speak english but expect Americans to speak their language so that they can function here. This is not accepted in any other country and shouldn't be accepted in the US either.

It comes down to common sense.

If you live in a country for an extended period of time, learn the language.

I applaud the Dallas police, if this is even true. It is too bad that we do not have a law to kick you out if you don't learn the language of this nation (English) within a few years of being here.

So how can someone that cannot speak, or read English possibly know the road rules, or read road signs ?

How did they even get a driving license in the first place ?

I agree with the majority so far in here. Learn the damned language, its that simple. If not fine, risk it, then take your ticket like a man and go about your day. Im sure after getting several tickets for the same crime, that would make you atleast try to learn the language. I think this is a grand idea!

So you've been alive how many years now? German, Swahili and Icelandic have been around for many eons. What's that - you don't know German, Swahili or Icelandic? What - are you too stupid to learn some of the simplest languages on Earth that have been available to you since you were born?

Yeah - it's almost as stupid as your argument was.

Ignorance is a terrible thing...

All first generation immigrants who ever step foot in this country, had a language problem, in fact, outside of a little broken English, they did not speak the language.

Second generation immigrants had a chance to learn when they were young and they could absorb it from school, etc.

Third generation descendants are often confused as "Americans" because they speak and go about their lives speaking it perfectly.

The moral of this story is: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONSISTS OF THESE THREE TYPES OF PEOPLE ONLY.

There aint no one else.

you know???

We are all immigrants.

I hope one of those giving tickets to Mexicans for descrimination, realize this little tidbit of information and knock the (bleep) off.

reply to post by dgtempe

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Uh huh. And what about those speaking Spanish who already know English just to try to get out of a ticket? Don't tell me you don't think that happens.

reply to post by sos37

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errrr........ Everyone tries to get out of a ticket.

I'm afraid i'm NOT feelin; ya.

reply to post by sos37

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Aha! gotcha! Its obviously not working for them?????