A sad example of why English is so vital
I am writing in regard to the incident that took place during an immigration rally at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles. Police Chief William J. Bratton said that a police order to disperse probably wasn’t effective because it was in English and given from a helicopter (according to The Associated Press).
This is just another reason why it is imperative that immigrants here — whether from Mexico or Armenia — speak English.
No one is saying that people can’t speak another language, but English is the language in which all affairs are conducted here in the United States.
If you want to live here and obtain all the rights and obligations that come with living here, then please learn to speak English. How in the world can you demand citizenship when you don’t care enough to learn the language of the land?
Michele Tall, Denver
I'll bet the illegal aliens would have dispersed had the helicopter been an Apache attack chopper loaded to the max.
Posted by QBT on May 11, 2007 01:01 AMSince they are only here for the money, they don't care about learning the language. I have no doubt that if you offered to pay them to learn the English language they would beat down the doors. It's about the money not being American or learning the language.
Posted by on May 11, 2007 06:58 AM6:58 is correct, during any interview that have been done on TV they admit they are here illegally and are here to make money and go home, they don't want to assilimate in this country. I think that is why so many US Citizens are against Amensty.
Posted by Pam on May 11, 2007 07:47 AMThey are Mexican's NOT American's.
America is just one big dollar sign to them. Learning English is not important to these uneducated and dishonorable people.
Their are loyal to Mexico, and could care less about this country.
Posted by A on May 11, 2007 08:09 AMSo were the press that also got beaten up and shot at with rubber bullets also "Illegal aliens" that couldn't speak English?
The cops rode motorcycles into a group who were performing a ceremony, which included women and children.
They deliberately rammed the group before any helicopter announcements were made.
Then the chopper announcement said to leave the park, but some exits and roads were blocked by police, and no instructions were given as to which direction or where the crowd should exit.
Then the cops chased a group of stone-throwers into the crowd, and started firing at the crowd.
English wasn’t the problem.
Organization and clarity where, and so was basic protocol for crowd management.
That’s why the commander and his sidekick are demoted, and why the “elite team” were pulled.
Bango Skank
Unfortunately, the racist hysteria is not going to be the least bit calmed down by facts. Even when real bullets killed people at Kent State, the fanatic war supporters weren't satisfied. And the current crop of bigots that constantly keep inflaming the whole complex matter of immigration won't be stilled by refuting their propaganda either.
But, you are to be highly commended for making the effort to bring out the facts. Thanks for your posting.
Posted by Old Grouch on May 11, 2007 09:23 AMAny one who watched the pictures on tv, knows that American reporters were also caught up in this. And the guys from Telemundo, who are bi-lingual, tried to reason with the cops. People were speaking to the police in English and being hit and shot at.
NIce O Riley try to spin this. Bet Hannity, rush etal go for the "it`s all their fault" approach.
Posted by Sharon B. on May 11, 2007 09:42 AMThey got what they so richly deserved.
They DARE to ask for amnesty! They are criminal aliens and should be punished.
Do you think The Mexican government would care about American women and children in a crowd bent on destroying the sovereignty of their country. NO THEY WOULDN'T they would more than likely use REAL bullets if it was American's demonstrating!!!
Posted by KMA on May 11, 2007 09:44 AMWhat happened in L.A. will happen again and again in the near future all over the USA. But, it will be happening to citizens who assemble to peacefully to demand a redress of grievances from the Federal government. It will happen because nobody has the guts to stand up to the Feds and say, "enough is enough". Govern this nation according to the Constitution, or get the hell out. Does any politician in the USA have the courage to do this? Maybe one or two. Maybe Ron Paul, Republican candidate for president from the great state of Texas. 2008 will be the watershed year for politics in this nation, and it may be your last chance to fix things.
Posted by Jay on May 11, 2007 09:46 AMLast March (2006), an unexcepted crowd of 50,000 people (by police estimate) came to downtown Denver to support the humanity of immigrants (I was there to participate in it first hand). Not a single arrest was made. Someone constrasted the peace of that event to the mayhem in the streets that occurred after the Bronco's Super Bowl victory. There was an even larger march on May Day (100,000?) last year. Again, I did not hear of any problems with the police. I think both the marchers and the Denver Police showed their character and professionalism. Those who claim English was the problem in LA, are obviously reaching (lower).
Posted by anderson on May 11, 2007 10:42 AMDid someone say race war? Sweet!!!!!!!!
Posted by Eric Cartman on May 11, 2007 11:05 AMAs part of their job, the press knowingly enters potentially hostile situations.
If a reporter doesn't want to eat rubber bullets, then ask for another assignment or change careers.
Posted by QBT on May 11, 2007 01:02 PM[]
Posted by [SCAATY] on May 11, 2007 01:34 PMBy all means,lets bring out the facts.
Terry Anderson ,a radio host in L.A. reported the participants in the "immigration rally" incited the hostilities and were ready and organized for violence. A "V" formation was employed with women and children at the front and men in the back hurling D batteries, cans, bottles,and rocks.I'll try to find the link and post it.
Your not going to get the truth from the illegal propaganda machine. The rioters started the fight with police. There were plenty of witnesses that saw the peaceful rioters start the fight.The police Chief over reacted because he knew he had to placate the law abiding peaceful rioters.Another law illegals think does not apply to them.
It is against the law to assault a police officer.
It is against the law to disobey a police officer's orders.
Just add these to the growing list of laws that illegals think do not apply to them.
No suprise at all to see what's foremost on the minds of talk radio America, as they exhort their legions to talk and act stupidly in public places and take sides on every matter (even those that don't matter), while never, ever, questioning the wisdom or veracity of a barking, angry white man.
They bring to mind that old Tareynton commercial: "we'd rather hit someone than think".
Posted by anderson on May 11, 2007 03:24 PMNow that I think about it I guess you all are correct. I've been narrow minded and I really don't know what I'm talking about. Please forgive my ignorance. I should have realized that people like me are tearing this country apart. I will no longer support the illegal mass invasion at our southern border.
Thank you.
P.S. If someone else attempts to refute this post by saying they are really Anderson please ignore them...they are only pretending to be me.
When you take your children and babies in strillers to mega-huge protests demanding rights in someone elses country...be prepared.. you never know what will happen
and whoses fault is that? You care so much for your children to front them...it's the chance YOU take..So BLAME YOUR SELVES>
Questions:
Has an undocumented immigrant (or anyone who looked he could be one) *ever* come up to you and said "I demand..."?
Do any of the signs carried by marchers in these rallies ever say "I demand..."?
Has any white person on radio or televsion ever said, that someone you didn't know said, "I demand..."?
In courts of law, when hearsay evidence is presented, what weight or value is usually given to it?
Has any white person or radio or TV ever pounded the table and said "I demand..."?
What do parrots do?
Posted by anderson on May 12, 2007 12:01 PMNice diversionary tactic, anderson.
Posted by Bumpskier on May 12, 2007 01:40 PMNice avoidance response, bumpskier. I guess if there's a bump on the slope you don't want to engage, you can always go around it.
Posted by anderson on May 12, 2007 01:47 PManderson..what planet are you from? Are you an 'alien'?
Posted by Strillers on May 12, 2007 02:49 PMRichard Grimes wrote: I thought you English speakers might find this interesting. This should hold you over the weekend. Adios!
I like this sort of thing. Remember--three or more Camerons is called
"gaggle," not a "herd." Do You Think English is Easy??? (I could not ascertain the definition of "Camerons" ~~ RG ~~ perhaps RNG knows about "Camerons.")
Read to the end . . . a new twist to an oldie
Can you read these right the first time?
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to
present the present ..
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row .
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant,
nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins
weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies
while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for
granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly,
boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't
groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the
plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend?
If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what
do you call it?
If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats
vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English
speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what
language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send
cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a
wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a
language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a
form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the
creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all That
is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.
PS. - Why doesn't "Buick" rhyme with "quick"
You lovers of the English language might enjoy this
There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other
two-letter word, and that is"UP."
It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the
list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting,
why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers
UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?
We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish
UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We
Lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the
little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for
tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is
one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.
And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is
stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.
We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! To be knowledgeable about the
proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized
dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about
thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of
the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you
don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP ..
When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP. When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so........... it is time to shut UP.....!
Oh . . one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do atnight? U-P
Religion stops a thinking mind: When you accept creationism you stop thinking.
My job as a deicide: Drain the murderous
swamps of repression gods create. www.ffrf.org/radio http://www.geocities.com/r22037/think.html
Why do we give a crap that coppers fired rubber bullets at people throwing lethal projectiles at them? This country has become the biggest group of pansys know in history.
Posted by Too stupid to type my name 2 on May 13, 2007 10:31 AMPlastic bottles and soda cans.
Not quite what I would call "lethal projectiles"
... and why we "give a crap" is because you and I might want to protest something one day and not be pummeled just trying to voice our views.
Whatever you allow police to do will still be in their hands when a government you don't like comes into power.
Never let them do things that you wouldn't want the next Bill Clinton to have.