Crush Liberalism

Liberalism: Why think when you can “feel”?

UPDATED: Obama: Americans should learn Spanish, French, and God knows what other language

Update(s) at the bottom, post bumped to the top.

I don’t think many folks would argue that learning to speak a foreign language isn’t a bad idea.  I took French in high school and college, though I may never visit France (or any other French-speaking nation).  Others I knew took Spanish.  No big whoop.

But that elitist prick from IL weighed in with this piece of snobbery:

It’s embarrassing when Europeans come over here, they all speak English, they speak French, they speak German. And then we go over to Europe and all we can say is merci beaucoup.

Well, Mon Dieu!  Or, in English, “WTF??”

I mean, he’s saying that it’s OK for Europeans who speak languages other than English come to our country and speak in their native tongue without learning our language, but if we go to Europe and speak in our native tongue, then it’s “embarrassing”?

Let’s take a further look here, shall we?

Earlier in the same speech, he also said that instead of immigrants (illegal or not) learning our language, we should learn theirs…particularly Spanish.  First Spanish, then French…why stop there?  Maybe we should teach our kids Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi…ad nauseum.  That ought to put them in the graduating class of 2030, eh?

Also, why is it that the Obamaliar expects us to speak the language of immigrants who move here to live, but also expects us to speak the language whenever we temporarily visit another country?  Geez, dude, pick a sentiment and stick with it!  Actually, he has picked a sentiment: abandon English, kowtow to the Euros, and destroy American identity.

But hey, maybe he was just “inartfully” expressing his thoughts, rather than giving us yet additional insight into how bad he really detests this country.

Look, if I moved to a country where my language was not the predominant language, I guarantee you that I would not expect to “Press 1 for English”!  I would learn the predominantly spoken language so that I could function and thrive there.  But I’m kinda funny normal that way.

UPDATE (07/09/2008 – 07:30 PM EST): Hat tip to The Bad for bringing this to my attention.  It seems as though Snobama was lecturing Americans to learn a language (Spanish) that he doesn’t even speak himself!  I wonder if he can speak French beyond that “merci beaucoup”?  I’ve gone ahead and added the “hypocrisy” tag to this post.

Snobama


July 9, 2008 - Posted by crushliberalism | Euros, Obama, hypocrisy, political correctness

17 Comments »

  1. Europeans speak languages other than their native langeuage for a few reasons. Number one os the proximaty of large other language populations.If you were to travel what amounts to the distance across the US (for jollies lets say 2500 miles) in europe you would cross thru areas of at least 4 and maybe 10 different languages. The reason most western europeans speak english is becase IT IS THE LANGUAGE OF BUSINESS. Suprisingly most eastern europeans speak russian. Why? So they could BEG THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES for leniancy when pick up by them. A person having the ability to speak a second or third language is good. A country have 2 or 3 languages does nothing but divide it

    Comment by WMD_Maker | July 9, 2008

  2. Oh ya maybe if the resident spoke english rather then ebonics they would find it easier to get and keep a job.

    Comment by WMD_Maker | July 9, 2008

  3. I agree with the sentiment that Americans should compulsory learn other languages in school. This will strengthen America’s standing and make us more competitive in the world market in future.

    I took Spanish in high school and college, but have never had a chance to use it outside the USA. All of my foreign travels have either been to English speaking countries, France, Germany and Italy. Before my travels, I bought language programs to become basically literate and successful in surviving a couple of weeks in that country.

    The reason I bring this up is I did this out of respect for the country I was visiting. Why should I expect people of other countries, in their home land, speak anything but their native tongue.

    But here I am in America and I often have to use my poor Spanish more and more to convey ideas because many Spanish immigrants refuse to learn English. And If I choose to expect English to be spoken I ‘m deemed a racist.

    By the way, one question, when did European/Spanish descendants from the Caribbean, Mexico, South and Central America stop being European Caucasians and become a minority? If you are an immigrant from or a descendant from any other European country your White. However, this is not true if your descendants came from Spain.

    Comment by Steve | July 9, 2008

  4. 1) I agree that learning other languages is a good thing. However, I’m sick and tired of American (liberal) politicians using Europe as a model for their idea of American Utopia – AS IF the Americans are somehow inferior to the Euros. They forget our country was founded by people who were trying to escape Europe.

    2) I’m also sick and tired of the elitist snob Obamas taking shots at America. First, Omarosa Obama is ashamed of her country, their race baiting “minister” and “spiritual advisor” hates America, and now Hussein is embarrassed by America. Do we really need a guy with such disdain for America being our President? I say HELL NO!

    Comment by Kanaka Girl | July 9, 2008

  5. LOL!

    Yeah, Obamaliar wants us to be more like the French?

    Comment by Henry | July 9, 2008

  6. LGF notes that The Grand-Bringer-Of-Change doesn’t speak Spanish.

    Is there no depth this man can sink to with a free-pass from the press?

    Comment by TheBad | July 9, 2008

  7. Press 1 for McCain in English;
    Press 2 para Obama en Espanol.

    The reason most Euros speak two languages (their own plus English) is because English is the international language. Spanish is not.

    Obama is clearly pandering to those who want to force the US to become a bilingual nation in order to accomodate the hordes of illegal aliens who would flood in under his presidency.

    Comment by Liz H | July 9, 2008

  8. One time back in my younger days, I was in Taipei, Taiwan, My companion (she was a specialist in commercial affection) a lovely Chinese lady were in line to see a movie. Another couple in line were obviously lost and they asked my friend several questions to which she shrugged her shoulders as in “I don’t understand you”. I could tell that they were speaking Japanese (having spent considerable time there too) and asked if they understood English, they both responded “yes”. The conversation then continued with a Chinese woman and a Japanese woman speaking to one another in English. Granted, it was fairly broken but understandable as English and the Japanese couple got the directions to where they wanted to go. Taiwan and Japan are not that far apart but the universal language was English.

    Comment by Lee | July 10, 2008

  9. “(she was a specialist in commercial affection)”

    LOL, good one.

    Comment by Ludwig Van Beethoven | July 10, 2008

  10. Lee
    “(she was a specialist in commercial affection)”

    We dont go for that beating around the bush crap here just say she was a rental

    Comment by WMD_Maker | July 10, 2008

  11. Lee could have said she was just a local “social worker”. We even have lots of those in Memphis.

    Comment by tnjack | July 10, 2008

  12. The media reminds us that obama is “smart” but the more he spouts off, the more I believe he’s as dumb as a brick. Just because he doesn’t know what he’s talking about doesn’t stop him from talking.

    I’ve been in international trade for 30+ years and visited some 28 countries for extended business stays (5-6 weeks per country). My wife is a Scot (try a Scottish brogue sometimes) and my son-in-law is a native German. I speak some Spanish and German.

    French, Russian, and German, for example, are difficult languages to learn and my bet is obama couldn’t spit out 10 coherent words in those languages but again, that wouldn’t stop the arrogant idiot from admonishing Americans for being language illiterate.

    As a nonpartisan voter I try to stay objective, but I can’t help thinking that obama might be shrewd, but STUPID!

    Comment by Terry | July 10, 2008

  13. “obama couldn’t spit out 10 coherent words in those languages”

    Off the teleprompter, he can barely spit out 10 coherent words in English!

    Comment by TheBad | July 10, 2008

  14. LOL TheBad!
    TheBad 10
    Obama -10!

    Comment by Chilerkle | July 13, 2008

  15. [...] in Euros, Obama, shameful at 8:28 pm by crushliberalism Maybe if his German was better than that “embarrassing” “merci beaucoup” French that the linguistically challenged rubes he derided us for a couple of weeks ago, this [...]

    Pingback by Obama holds German speech at Hitler’s pet landmark « Crush Liberalism | July 20, 2008

  16. well, i speak spanish and english and i can read many other (never hold a conversation) and let me say that everywhere in the world people speaks english, but that is not a reason for americans to stop learning other ones, i honestly believe that the complexity involved in someone learning other tongue is such that separates smart people from idiots, i would never hire a person who does not knows at least one more language besides his own. its a mark of intelectual privilege, especialy when it was not learned by force (someone who is force to learn fast to survive vs someone who learns by willing desition) I ashure the person who wrote this that only a french beats an american (generally speaking) in “tongue isolation” a tourist can berely hope to travel to the us wthout knowing some english but an american can travel througout the world without speaking anything but their own.
    Americans do not need to learn other languages, because the world speeks in american, but as i said before learning something never hurts.
    Peace from spain

    Comment by Daniel | September 22, 2008

  17. In the USA, the official national language should be American English. Citizenship, driver’s license, etc should be dependent on an ability to read, write, and speak English without assistance. Otherwise, we are headed for Babel.

    But I think you misunderstood the comment about foreigners speaking English in the USA. I think what he meant was foreign nationals are willing to learn and when in the USA speak English. But USA citizens do not learn or even attempt to speak the language of other countries when visiting. It is a form of arrogance and disrespect to expect everyone in another country to speak your language.

    What I’m concerned about is the millions of people who come to live in the USA and don’t speak English, retain 100% of their former country’s values and customs, and NEVER ASSIMILATE. They do business with other Asians, give them jobs, shop at their stores, and generally discriminate against other nationalities and races. This is particularly true of Asian people. This is not prejudice! I’ve learned this over the last 9 years working with Asian people and living in Silicon Valley.

    The result is large parts of the West Coast are no longer American. They are Chinese, Pakistani, Indian…

    Comment by bill | August 24, 2010


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