This is the U.S.A. - English, please

• 07-09-2008 11:43 AM

  In reply to Bonita of Bwana

  Dog_ma Joined on 06-25-2007 San Diego County, California Posts 1,317 Points 795

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact Bonita of Bwana: My biggest problem is not just what seems to be an inequality of special needs it is that they are dismissing the fact that she HAS special needs.   This is such a huge problem across the country. My sister is a special education lawyer, and she's worked for both sides (school and parents). In defense of the schools, they have limited resources, but it is ABSOLUTELY true that they will try and short change anyone they think they can. So many parents (and grandparents and guardians) have to fight for services that their kids are entitled to. It is maddening, and wrong. I don't know what the fix is, but it definitely involves making education and children a higher national priority. In a poor area, they have 18 spaces for needy kids? That is not enough. *shakes head* I'm sorry Bonita.   "Are you a dog trainer?" "No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night."

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• 07-09-2008 1:55 PM

  In reply to Dog_ma

  sandra_slayton Joined on 09-10-2007 Ingleside, Texas Posts 3,170 Points 0

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact My graddaughter thatwll be 7 in Sept ha speech problems.  She an not pronounce S  or F.  Says "dog pood" "pix my toy", etc.  There are other words she has toruble pronouncing.  Sheis smart as can be, does great with writing things down, reads all the time and can tell you exactly what she read--if you can understand her.  I have trouble sometimes and hubby is around her so little he doesn't under hardly anything sh says.  of course my son, DIL and grandson do. Hubby is so upset he can't understandher. Whn he get noffte radad wegoovr ortheycm ve here andseseshim sh cmesrunnng yeling"paw paw and justs jumps into his ars, startes chattering and he doesn't understnd most of what she says--she also talks very fast. She has gotten no special help in school for this either. on the Texas Treasure Casino gambling boat that goes out of port Aransas, just around the corner form us, I got to be friends with a number of people from Viet Nam and Cambodia. (Texas has horse racing, dog racing lottery, scratch offs, bingo---but does not allow gambling.  The boat sails out 9 miles)  All of them came here as adults and leaned English and many took on English names.  We would sit around talking on our way out  , or way back in (45 minutes each way) to the International Waters and it was fun to listen to them talk abouy what they wre planning for Thankgiving Dinner or what they wre going to do on the 4th of July. They al became American citizens.  They cme with the intention of becoming Americans and they did.  There could be a group of them talking and if any person--white, Mexican, black, approacehed them, they started speaking English and asked that person to join them. It is also amazing how many times that at least one, sometimes both, of the top students at graduation are asian in this area, not only in the smaller towns like ours, Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, Rockport, but also in Corpus. Some of these kids didn't arrive here til they were in school, didn't speak English.  But they learned it and these schools didn't offer special classes for them to lear English.  many have taught there parents to speak English.

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• 07-09-2008 11:30 PM

  In reply to rwbeagles

  sillysally Joined on 09-10-2007 Indiana Posts 3,376 Points 0

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact   rwbeagles: The confederate flag is flown in many places, I drove thru many just this past vacation....as I said..it has other meanings and anyone who researched the subject like I took the time to do can at least find some information to un demonize it a bit. Nazi and Mexico...hmmm...not quite the same thing I am guessing...but hey...to some people maybe they are...and isn't that sad? I would actually be much more bothered by a confederate flag flown at a public place than a Mexican flag.  I do realize that it can have many meanings but in our area (Indiana--former stomping grounds of the klan) every person who I've known that has flown them has done so for less than pure reasons.  There was a big to-do one year when I showed my horse in 4-H because one of the other 4-Hers wanted to decorate her stall with a huge confederate flag and the fair committee would not allow it--although she was able to get away with displaying it in a less prominent area.  Even as she was telling me it was just a southern pride thing she added that the flag was not meant to be a slight against *all* African Americans, just *certain* ones that behaved in ways that she did not agree with.  Not trying to re-demonize it for anyone--it's just in this area many, many people seem to fly it for what are IMHO, the wrong reasons. What I found really amusing is all the confederate flag merchandise that we saw for sale in Gatlinburg, Tennessee when we were on vacation.  Apparently when the Civil War broke out the citizens of that area voted almost unanimously to side with the North....... Personally, I feel that it is peoples' right to fly whatever they want on their property.  I would prefer that they do so while observing traditional rules as to the relative placement of the American flag, but other than that, whatever.  Inside the factory were I work we have the flags of every country we've sold products to---and that is a *lot* of countries.   "Some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn."

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• 07-10-2008 8:03 AM

  In reply to sillysally

  Bonita of Bwana Joined on 09-13-2007 Posts 1,540 Points 4,290

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact sillysally: I do realize that it can have many meanings but in our area (Indiana--former stomping grounds of the klan) every person who I've known that has flown them has done so for less than pure reasons.  There was a big to-do one year when I showed my horse in 4-H because one of the other 4-Hers wanted to decorate her stall with a huge confederate flag and the fair committee would not allow it--although she was able to get away with displaying it in a less prominent area.  Even as she was telling me it was just a southern pride thing she added that the flag was not meant to be a slight against *all* African Americans, just *certain* ones that behaved in ways that she did not agree with.  Not trying to re-demonize it for anyone--it's just in this area many, many people seem to fly it for what are IMHO, the wrong reasons   This is a pet peeve of mine, having a Bi-racial Grandson I made sure I researched some of the things that upset me..... In Alabama the Confederate Flag is flown often and in places that would surprize most folks !  There are two versions of the flag,  The Klan flies the Battle Flag , this is an active statement from ignorant follks who believed the war was about slavery.  ( It was NOT about slavery, it was a war for States Rights) The Flag flown at government buildings and re enactments is normally the National Flag for the Confederacy. I was amazed when we moved to Alabama and one of the recognized State Holidays is Robert E Lee's birthday, post office, dmv, banks ...all closed !  They did not celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday until the Federal Government insisted .  It is now celebrated ( as it should be) with all the bells and whistles, the South does like to party and any excuse for a parade is a good thing! Bonita of Bwana Bonita of Bwana AKC Rhodesian Ridgebacks Champions, Therapy Dogs and Awesome Companions

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• 07-10-2008 10:52 AM

  In reply to Bonita of Bwana

  BCMixs Joined on 01-10-2008 Virginia Posts 1,147 Points 25

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact Bonita of Bwana: I was amazed when we moved to Alabama and one of the recognized State Holidays is Robert E Lee's birthday, post office, dmv, banks ...all closed !  They did not celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday until the Federal Government insisted .  It is now celebrated ( as it should be) with all the bells and whistles, the South does like to party and any excuse for a parade is a good thing! Bonita of Bwana   Virginia merged them all into Lee/Jackson/King Day.     I can't imagine what Mr. King would have thought of THAT one!   "I wonder what goes through his mind when he sees us peeing in his water bowl" Penny Ward Moser Save a life, make a shelter pet part of your family.

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• 07-10-2008 2:16 PM

  In reply to BCMixs

  fuzzy_dogs_mom Joined on 09-10-2007 Davis, CA Posts 6,492 Points 200	Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact BCMixs: Virginia merged them all into Lee/Jackson/King Day.     I can't imagine what Mr. King would have thought of THAT one!   I could go for that if it meant a five day weekend!  Or do they squeeze it all into one day? Joyce
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• 07-10-2008 7:54 PM

  In reply to fuzzy_dogs_mom

  BCMixs Joined on 01-10-2008 Virginia Posts 1,147 Points 25

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact fuzzy_dogs_mom: BCMixs: Virginia merged them all into Lee/Jackson/King Day.     I can't imagine what Mr. King would have thought of THAT one!   I could go for that if it meant a five day weekend!  Or do they squeeze it all into one day? Joyce   No such luck, just all into one day.  A favorite expression around here is "Martin Luther King had a dream, and I have a day off!"     I can tell you what color the people saying that ARE NOT.  "I wonder what goes through his mind when he sees us peeing in his water bowl" Penny Ward Moser Save a life, make a shelter pet part of your family.

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• 07-15-2008 10:17 PM

  In reply to IrishSetterGrl

  starry8740 Joined on 10-26-2007 Nashville, TN Posts 18 Points 20

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact I agree!!!! It gets so annoying because if you go to another non english speaking country you have to learn their language or be clueless in what they are saying. Its really sad I think now you have to learn spanish in school. I know some spanish but I am not fluent in it. I have a friend that lives in peru and she is very good in english I don't think I have ever asked her WHAT?!? Expect when we talked on the phone her accnect was hard to hear. Anyway, I agree that I am sick of everything being in differnt languages and you litterly have to SEARCH for the english section. Another thing that ticks me off is how everything is made in china....Can't america make anything?!? ~* Star my 13 year old eskie/golden mix *~ ((You get what you give in this world))

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• 07-15-2008 10:40 PM

  In reply to starry8740

  chelsea_b Joined on 09-10-2007 Costa Mesa, CA Posts 2,645 Points 235	Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact starry8740: Another thing that ticks me off is how everything is made in china....Can't america make anything?!? Not if you want Walmart prices. Chelsea &
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• 07-16-2008 12:00 AM

  In reply to chelsea_b

  Dog_ma Joined on 06-25-2007 San Diego County, California Posts 1,317 Points 795	Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact chelsea_b: starry8740: Another thing that ticks me off is how everything is made in china....Can't america make anything?!? Not if you want Walmart prices.   LMAO!!! So true, so true.   "Are you a dog trainer?" "No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night."
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• 07-16-2008 12:37 AM

  In reply to starry8740

  espencer Joined on 09-25-2006 St Louis Posts 3,177 Points 300

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact starry8740: Its really sad I think now you have to learn spanish in school.   I think the opposite, i think its great, learning another language will never make you dumber and opens more doors for the future, i learned English and because of that i was the last man standing at my last job after everybody else was laid off, why? because i was able to reach more customers than a regular person that knew only English If while living in Mexico i was thinking "i refuse to learn English because we are in Mexico and if the tourists want something they will have to speak in Spanish" then i would not be were i am now, maybe another person that took his time to learn a second language would be in my place, probably i would be having a crappy job because i limited myself in a market that deals with foreign customers like is Cancun Right now at my job i have to deal again with Spanish and English customers, i can tell that my co workers that only know English think that is a pain in the butt to have to call the translation company to have someone in the line to be able to translate what they want to the customer, i just pick up the phone and call  Learning another language only makes you better, never worse  "There are not bad dogs, only bad owners"

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• 07-16-2008 7:57 AM

  In reply to IrishSetterGrl

  cyclefiend2000 Joined on 09-10-2007 On the road to nowhere Posts 4,131 Points 330

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact IrishSetterGrl: This is kind of a rant but here goes... does anyone else get annoyed by how many things in general have Spanish translations on them? The hair dye I just bought - full instructions in Spanish...an exhibit at a science musuem I went to had tons of stuff subtitled in Spanish...  I'm sorry, but our language is English, and it does offend me when EVERYTHING I see has Spanish translations on it.     doesnt bother me. what does bother me is when i call and get an automated system that requires me to press 1 to continue in english.

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• 07-16-2008 9:11 AM

  In reply to cyclefiend2000

  glenmar Joined on 09-10-2007 Northwestern Michigan Posts 11,375 Points 405

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact Perhaps I'll sound like some sort of bigot and I'm really not, but...... It agravates the heck out of me to stand in line in a grocery store behind someone using food stamps who speaks not a word of English. ANYONE who needs help putting food on the table should be able to get that help, but gosh darn, it seems like a courtesy to the country that's feeding your family to at least be able to say one or two words in it's language.   It agravates me that non-english speaking folks get special help to take the exam for a drivers license.  If you  can't speak or read English, how the heck are you going to SAFELY drive here?  Those universal signs aren't a heck of a lot of help when it comes to stuff like street names or speed limits. IF we are going to make special circumstances for non-english speaking folks to obtain a drivers license, then, by golly, we need to change the street signs to eliminate some of the dangers of not being able to read them. Agreed, our language IS difficult to learn...too, to, two, their, there, etc.  But, there was a time when immigrants to this country did everything they could to assimilate and become part of their new home.  My MIL's family came here from Lithaunia and she remembers being embarrassed that her grandfather spoke such poor English.  That's maybe not such a good thing to totally forget ones own heritage, but, why not embrace both? I colored my hair the other night and the fan kept blowing the instructions to the FRENCH side.  And that really didn't bother me other than not knowing what the heck the next step was.  THAT sort of thing doesn't bother me.  It does kind of bug me when schools think that they need to teach Ebonics or whatever the current fad language is.  A young black student from the ghetto is NOT going to make much headway in college or in the job market speaking Ebonics, so why teach it as a language in school? The United States IS a melting pot, and that should be reflected in the various cultures and languages.  Maybe the bottom line for me is the unwillingness to have to learn another language in order to function in what is, after all, my world too?  I'm an old fart and I don't like change.  Now, my GRANDCHILDREN learning a second language in school?  Wonderful.  They should.  But they should be able to choose that language, not be forced by the government to learn it.   A house without fur is not a home. Glenda

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• 07-24-2008 11:07 PM

  In reply to glenmar

  luvmyswissy Joined on 09-10-2007 Posts 1,503 Points 25

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact It doesn't bother me that my children are learning Spanish in school and I hope they learn other languages as well.  However, the Spanish and other immigrants need to learn English as well. My husband on the other hand actually gets mad a me if I converse with someone in Spanish because they can't speak English totally pisses him off when someone can't speak English.

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• 07-24-2008 11:14 PM

  In reply to luvmyswissy

  snownose Joined on 09-29-2006 Michigan to Southeast Posts 5,178 Points 405

  Re: This is the U.S.A. - English, please Reply Contact Being bilingual is a good thing......I am greatful that I had the chance to pick up another language, and very greatful to my parents for pushing that! I do want for anyone living in this country to learn english......what seems to be the problem here? If I decided to immigrate to another country, I would make sure to speak the language of that country........sheesh......

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