"quote"
Originally posted by: Leon
We've got the same problem here in Canada.
His name is Jean Cretin..and he's our Prime Minister!! aaauuuug!!
"quote"
Originally posted by: Uncle Dave
Mike,
I'm sure you're just venting here, but in the United States - there is NO official language. English is only one of many that is used, and had it not been for ONE VOTE (long ago) we would have all been speaking German!
Hard to believe, but it's true. English is not our official language. It may not even be the most used soon. Seems like everytime I go out I hear more and more accents and other tongues spoken. Who knows WHERE it'll lead. Give us your tired, your poor....Land of the free and all......
First Leon: Leon, I hear you! Chretien has been a big let down to our Canadian friends to the North IMHO. Former Finance Minister Paul Martin is positioning himself to replace Chretien but I'm not sure how most Canadians feel about Paul Martin either. He is still a Liberal but at least he believes that Saddam Hussein is 'evil'. So at least he's not all bad.
PS: Sorry if you are a Liberal Leon. No offense intended. Some Liberals are good politicians too!
I consider myself a Conservative but there is of course good people and politicians whether Liberal or Conservative. Liberal and Conservative is just a label, what counts is a person's character not his political affiliation. But I agree with you Leon on your assesment of Jean Chretien!!!
Uncle Dave, (How about I call you Dave for short)
. Okay; Dave, I see your point in that there is no offical Language in the United States. But still 'most' people speak English here although like you said it is losing ground to other dialects. Before that happens I for one would like to see English "become" the official language of the US. Our Country originally was made up of people (our forefathers) who spoke English. There was some French influence and the French language was spoken to a degree - even today in Louisiana there are certain sections that speak predominately French, ie., (Cajun). But most of our predilection was and is to the English language. So because of this fact and also that 'most' people still speak English (even though many speak it as a "second" language); that I feel English is the most logical choice of an official language.
Also, if this keeps up in the United States where everybody speaks his 'native' tongue and disavows the English language I believe the result will eventually be chaos. You will need more interpreters than you can shake a stick at for one. People will be divided into there own separate language 'groups' or Ethnicity which would further alienate not only each group with the other but the Nation as a whole. And a Nation 'divided' against itself cannot stand. Btw, I think Ethnic diversity is great. Every people from every Nation and every color under the Rainbow is fine with me. But to prevent division not only on the social scale but also because of the language barriers it would create and the resultant alienation from one another because of it - there SHOULD be an "official" language IMO. And English is the language of our Roots and at the present the most spoken of the bunch so it is therefore the most logical choice for an official Language IMO.
Best regards,
Mike