I have two new reasons to like Obama: he stands up against the English-only movement, and then he stands up for his comments against the screaming lunatics.
Here’s the clip.
I get three things out of this video:
1. Obama rejects ‘English-only’ laws
2. Immigrants should learn English
3. Americans, especially the young, should learn foreign languages
Simple enough? Not for the howler monkeys, who turned Obama’s remarks into the outrage du jour.
The Americans for Legal Immigration PAC said in a statement, “Barack Obama has stepped on a political land mine by stating Americans should be forced to learn to speak Spanish.”
Force, schmorce. Listening comprehension is too much for these people. Maybe they need to learn English.
Why would the Right Wing care about this? Simple. Learning a foreign language a) makes you smarter, and b) helps you become more culturally aware. Smart, culturally aware people don’t vote Republican, so they’re just protecting their racket. But doesn’t it make sense that it’s better to be able to do something than to be unable to do something?
So I want to hang this all over them. Let’s see these headlines:
Americans should be ignorant: Republicans
Obama claims ability better than inability
Conservatives say US kids should be uncompetitive
Obama’s response to the flap:
“The Republicans jumped on this. I said, absolutely immigrants need to learn English, but we also need to learn foreign languages,” the likely Democratic nominee said as the 1,000-plus crowd in a school gymnasium cheered. It’s a position he long has held.
“This is an example of some of the problems we get into when somebody attacks you for saying the truth, which is: We should want our children with more knowledge. We should want our children to have more skills. There’s nothing wrong with that. That’s a good thing. I know, because I don’t speak a foreign language. It’s embarrassing,” Obama said chuckling as his audience did the same.
I love how he’s not backtracking against the noise machine, and I hope to see a lot more of this.
12 July 2008 at 8:00 pm
Estoy de vacaciones para una semana. Ojala que sea fantastico y que hace calor. Estoy de acuerdo con tu ideas aca. les vemos.
13 July 2008 at 11:08 pm
Here Here!
14 July 2008 at 12:49 am
I ishway he adn’thay otedvay orfay pandingexay overnmentgay yingspay. He ouldshay be barassedemay boutay atthay.
Jesus, that took forever!
14 July 2008 at 1:19 am
Extnay imetay, ytray isthay.
16 July 2008 at 7:31 pm
Ya ne ponumayu te. Ya ne guvarisch po-piglatinski.
21 July 2008 at 9:37 pm
Io sono ora ritornare dalla nostra vacanza. Ha avuto un sacco di divertimento e pubblicare le immagini più presto. Spero che lei e Miss perfetta stanno facendo grande.
23 October 2008 at 4:40 pm
that is the dumbest thing i have ever heard