So American should be a language, like in that flyer up there. Oh wait, that's stupid. So why does Mr. Trump l'oeil want us to speak another country's language?
They know they are absolute losers, complete failures in life, and rather than face it, or acquire a useful set of skills, or finish their education, or learn anything about the world, it's so much easier just to furiously blame "the other" for everything. That's what's going on. It's their self-hatred turned outward, similar to the vicious homophobia of so many closeted gay men. That's why it's so utterly brutal.
The MAGA are not anywhere near a majority of people in the USA. Just a loud obnoxious minority Only 23% of the population actually cast a vote for Trump/Vance Of those a good 25% only did so because the alternative was a non-white woman, and only half of the remaining are stalwart MAGA As wrong as it may seem in principle, a tall, articulate photogenic, 50ish white guy saying exactly what Harris said would have crushed Trump Shame that the Dems didn't find him. Sometimes being too principled can lead to a boatload of trouble.
Someone may have said it earlier, but re the guy bitching about all the languages displayed in Brussels—it's because they speak ALL of those languages there, dumbass. Back in the '80s, I had a pen-pal who lived in the Belgian part that "mostly" spoke French but she explained that other parts "mostly" spoke German or Dutch. But most people could speak all of them, at least to some extent. And when the hubs and I were in Bruges, everyone spoke English as well. A canal tour boat guide asked those of us who were his passengers how many languages he would need to speak (by asking in every major language), and he let out a loud "Whew!" when he found out he only had to do English and German.
I honestly don't understand why it was so important to have English declared official so I asked on a local forum that is really pro Trump. From the board mommy, having it declared as official unites as a country and creates a cohesive society blah blah blah. I said I read that too but why do you specifically feel it's so important to have it official when we've officially been speaking it unofficially for as long as I've been alive and longer. It doesn't mean that people are going to stop speaking their own language or get arrested for not speaking English.
No one was able to answer me in their own words, which tell me it's really not the big fucking deal that they're making it out to be.
Some people have a lot invested in being the default.
I was with my sister a while ago at a city rec centre. On the wall was a display with their pamphlet in about twenty different languages. "Look at this! But where's the English one?!" I pointed to big stacks of the English one sitting conveniently right beside the cashiers. She had the good grace to laugh at herself - she's a decent person but spends most of her time in her seniors building with all the old assholes, and it rubs off.
You know what, though? It's never enough for xenophobes and/or racists. One personal experience example: when I was very young, I went to a store with my father. He asked one of the employees for something, but, after a long, painful pause and dirty look, his only response was "Speak English." "He *is* speaking English," I said. My father had a very thick accent. (He still does.) This kind of thing happened more than once. To this day, my eyes well up when I think about how much he was humiliated for how he speaks English. (I'll be 52 this month.) He's a very proud man, and I think it was hurt his pride further that his very young daughter had to defend him.
He used to read the dictionary, too, but he did it on the sly, because he was made to feel ashamed of what he had no control over. I still remember the word he had written on a piece of paper, along with all the usages. I've never brought up to him my finding a dictionary under his side of the bed. One of my favorite things in life is reading the dictionary. And the first time I traveled abroad, I brought a 1965 Webster's dictionary with me.
My Grandfather spoke Portuguese as his first language and likewise had a very thick accent. He would never teach any of us Portuguese and actually discouraged it for fear that we would develop an accent
When my Father enlisted in the army at the start of WWII they realized he had a freakish talent for language. They sent him to Yale for 18 months to learn Japanese. This is what comes from locking up all your Japanese citizens. In the end the Joke was on my Dad, he ended up spending 6 years in Japan during the post war rebuilding effort.
Wait, isn't English the language of England?
So American should be a language, like in that flyer up there. Oh wait, that's stupid. So why does Mr. Trump l'oeil want us to speak another country's language?
Everyone knows that people speak foreign languages so that they can make criticize white Americans behind their backs!
They know they are absolute losers, complete failures in life, and rather than face it, or acquire a useful set of skills, or finish their education, or learn anything about the world, it's so much easier just to furiously blame "the other" for everything. That's what's going on. It's their self-hatred turned outward, similar to the vicious homophobia of so many closeted gay men. That's why it's so utterly brutal.
Also because they are truly awful people.
"Though I did learn a lot of swear words in Italian at a young age"
Me too,, and also some handy gestures!
I tell people that I know enough Italian to have someone's nana slap me across the face.
The MAGA are not anywhere near a majority of people in the USA. Just a loud obnoxious minority Only 23% of the population actually cast a vote for Trump/Vance Of those a good 25% only did so because the alternative was a non-white woman, and only half of the remaining are stalwart MAGA As wrong as it may seem in principle, a tall, articulate photogenic, 50ish white guy saying exactly what Harris said would have crushed Trump Shame that the Dems didn't find him. Sometimes being too principled can lead to a boatload of trouble.
How about an EO Making the Chief Executive more fluent in it ?
How long before he makes "white" the "Official Race" of the United States and "male" the "Official Gender" of the United States?
Don't look now...but...
Some would argue that "American culture" is a contradiction in terms.
Better described as "Pot Luck Stew" All of those ingredients make it tasty!!
I'm all for it. BUT - the basis for the American language will be Troy from Swamp People. Just to level the playing field amongst all of us. :)
Just to note, I'm actually NOT for it.
Our ignorance is showing again. I am so ashamed of this country.
Not the country, just the present administration Only 23% of the population actually voted for this crap.
Someone may have said it earlier, but re the guy bitching about all the languages displayed in Brussels—it's because they speak ALL of those languages there, dumbass. Back in the '80s, I had a pen-pal who lived in the Belgian part that "mostly" spoke French but she explained that other parts "mostly" spoke German or Dutch. But most people could speak all of them, at least to some extent. And when the hubs and I were in Bruges, everyone spoke English as well. A canal tour boat guide asked those of us who were his passengers how many languages he would need to speak (by asking in every major language), and he let out a loud "Whew!" when he found out he only had to do English and German.
I suspect a Belgian would tell him that if he has a problem with seeing 4 languages, stay the hell out of Brussels.
And good on them...
Or, a Belgian could tell him to fuck off in at least four languages!
That's something I would love to see....
They'd be complaining about oxygen in the air if that's all they had. The poor widdle victims never ever stfu.
I honestly don't understand why it was so important to have English declared official so I asked on a local forum that is really pro Trump. From the board mommy, having it declared as official unites as a country and creates a cohesive society blah blah blah. I said I read that too but why do you specifically feel it's so important to have it official when we've officially been speaking it unofficially for as long as I've been alive and longer. It doesn't mean that people are going to stop speaking their own language or get arrested for not speaking English.
No one was able to answer me in their own words, which tell me it's really not the big fucking deal that they're making it out to be.
Some people have a lot invested in being the default.
I was with my sister a while ago at a city rec centre. On the wall was a display with their pamphlet in about twenty different languages. "Look at this! But where's the English one?!" I pointed to big stacks of the English one sitting conveniently right beside the cashiers. She had the good grace to laugh at herself - she's a decent person but spends most of her time in her seniors building with all the old assholes, and it rubs off.
You know what, though? It's never enough for xenophobes and/or racists. One personal experience example: when I was very young, I went to a store with my father. He asked one of the employees for something, but, after a long, painful pause and dirty look, his only response was "Speak English." "He *is* speaking English," I said. My father had a very thick accent. (He still does.) This kind of thing happened more than once. To this day, my eyes well up when I think about how much he was humiliated for how he speaks English. (I'll be 52 this month.) He's a very proud man, and I think it was hurt his pride further that his very young daughter had to defend him.
He used to read the dictionary, too, but he did it on the sly, because he was made to feel ashamed of what he had no control over. I still remember the word he had written on a piece of paper, along with all the usages. I've never brought up to him my finding a dictionary under his side of the bed. One of my favorite things in life is reading the dictionary. And the first time I traveled abroad, I brought a 1965 Webster's dictionary with me.
My Grandfather spoke Portuguese as his first language and likewise had a very thick accent. He would never teach any of us Portuguese and actually discouraged it for fear that we would develop an accent
When my Father enlisted in the army at the start of WWII they realized he had a freakish talent for language. They sent him to Yale for 18 months to learn Japanese. This is what comes from locking up all your Japanese citizens. In the end the Joke was on my Dad, he ended up spending 6 years in Japan during the post war rebuilding effort.