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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
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.
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.
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.
Originally posted by jetxnet
The Chinese are smart in that they are learning English. We don't have to learn Chinese.