Your in America Now: Speak English
by What to do about the problem.
If there’s one thing that get’s me riled up, is somebody telling me I need to learn a foreign language in order to communicate with them in my own country. The USA is my country and English is my language.
From the time of Ellis Island, and before, immigrants have been coming to our shores;this is no problem for me. They came from blood, sweat and tears, from year’s working in the homelands to save up enough money to get here, and they came in thru the Island legally. They worked for meager wages, they started at the bottom and worked their way up, they worked at their jobs, at the new schools, at life.
And they learnt the language, they learnt English. Many of the decedent’s of those first immigrants thru the island no longer know the language of their ‘motherland.’ America is their Motherland now.
In January of 1892, Ellis Island was officially opened for business. The first person thru, was a little Irish girl: Annie Moore, 15 years old. 700 others were waiting on 3 ships in the harbor just on that day to go thru Ellis Island. 450,000 made their way thru that first year. It was officially closed in November of 1954.
Immigrants are still coming in droves to this country, unfortunately more illegal than legal. They now come thru by plane, thru customs and have to fill out papers of intent to become citizens, which takes years.
They work at new jobs, their children go to our schools, they find a new life here in my country, and they even learn the language of their new country. Those are the legal immigrant’s I welcome with open arms into this country. They become productive people.
Illegal immigrants have found a way in also, thru Mexico and a few thru Canada. They come in with a chip on their shoulder, demanding that we learn their language, that we give up our jobs for them. They demand that we teach their children in their language.
Yes, America is a country of people who were themselves immigrants of long ago. There has been 258 years of immigration, most of it by legal means and 388 years if you go back to the very first immigrants who landed here on the Mayflower, in 1620.
Your in the United States of America now. We speak English here, learn it.
Here are some stats on Immigration in today’s time.
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Post CommentDarlene McFarlane
On January 31, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Very well written, Madison. I am in Canada and I don’t know if we have the illegal citizen problems you have there but, we do have a problem with people who don’t speak the language. I believe that if you are willing to move to a new country you should be willing to learn the language but I have known families who have been here 20 years and more who still don’t speak English. The children learn because they are in school. They translate for their
parents and grandparents and this seems to work for them though.
Madison Ogashi
On February 1, 2008 at 2:02 am
Thanks Darlene, this is 1 subject that I have a definate view about. I’ve done current event commentaries on other sites, and seem to do good , but they were not for pay.
EdRoberts
On February 1, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Enjoyed the article. You do seem to have potential, so I will offer a constructive tip:
You have several usage mistakes. Example: “Your” used incorrectly. Your expresses possession, as in: It is your pencil. The correct word is “You’re”; which is the contraction of: you are.
“Year’s” should by years. “decedent’s” should be descendents; a decedent is a dead person; et-cetera.
Daniel
On March 5, 2008 at 10:51 am
well let this be said, our money is spelled in english, traffic signs are spelled in english, the leader of this country addresses us in english WELCOME TO AMERICA
Alex Von Königsberg
On May 7, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Очень интересный очерк. Your title says \”what to do about the problem\”, but nowhere in the article did I find your proposal on how to solve this \’problem\’. Learning English language in America is necessary if you want to advance professionally, and all immigrants – be they legal or illegal – understand that very well. If they choose not to learn English, then they end up being gardeners or janitors. I really fail to see how exactly these people take your jobs.
I myself have learnt English very well; however, I will not fully assimilate and become like your average American stereotype. No way. Furthermore, I will make sure to teach my kids my native tongue only until they go to kindergarten or pre-school where they can learn English on their own. Why? Simply because I believe it is very beneficial for everyone to know at least more than one language.
Peter
On November 12, 2008 at 3:11 pm
“Your in the United States of America now. We speak English here, learn it.”
I agree with your argument, but you look like an idiot. How can you tell people to speak English when you, yourself, just made a grammatical error?
You’re =/= Your.
Fix it before others who read this laughs at you.
sm
On March 15, 2011 at 12:02 pm
it’s laugh not laughs stupid…quit correcting people when you can’t spell either.