Why are people offended by the question ? . Why do the illegals expect us to speak their language?
466166
Illegal Latino immigrants and their supporters are ignorant as H3LL!!  They are the only nationality in our country here illegally, who protest in our country, fly their country's flags, disrespects our flag, leaders, laws, National Anthem, Citizens, abuse our welfare system, take slave wages for jobs Americans WILL do for a fair wage, cause incomes to plummet, are a drain on our economy, cause hundreds of hospitals to close, glut our ER's for non-emergency illnesses, glut our prisons, and on and on and on. NO! If I knew Spanish I wouldn't speak it now, out of respect for my own language, the language the majority of people here use. English is the unified language even if it isn't the official language. In order to assimilate in this country people need to speak the same language. Other immigrants manage to learn English, why can't they!? They need to go home get civilized then come back the LEGAL way!!
691234
To come here ILLEGALLY and then make demands is utterly presumptuous, especially if no attempt is being made to acclimate into our existing culture.   Would you expect anything OTHER than a backlash to that?  How rude!
1020468
If you can't learn the language of the country your residing in then get out, the government cannot accommodate every language on earth, and that is stupid to expect that, to costly and would slow down the government process, and no it is not discrimination that's why governments like Mexico, France, and  all nations expect people to learn their language. If that's discrimination then every country on earth is guilty.
1051617
Ed, I completely agree with you that it isn't much of an inconvenience at all.  I think that people are using the "inconvenience" argument to cover up for the fact that they are just angry and frustrated about immigration in the U.S.  Often when people say they don't like a language it's actually a reflection that they don't like the people who speak that language.  So, frustration at pressing 1 could actually be a reflection of racism towards Mexican people.
924916
As long as they're legal I don't care.  It's the illegal ones that I have a problem with.  And English "is" our National language.  And no, Native Americans are not our ancestors.  The majority of Americans are of European descent.  That's why we speak English.  No, it has nothing to do with culture diversity.  It has to do with intelligence.  The morons who think it's better to have multiple languages are that, morons.  How many teachers are we going to hire to teach all these languages?  How many interpreters do we have to hire because not everyone is going to know "all" the languages.  I took French in high school.  Why?  Because I wanted to.  Did I "need" to?  No.  Do I speak it now?  No.  You want to live in the United States, learn English. I was in the military and went to Germany.  Guess what?   I learned German.  At least enough to get by.  I didn't force them to learn English.  When in Rome, do as the Romans do.  Nuff said.
1155634
The hate for "illegals" is just the newest accepted form of racism. People justify it by saying they hate them because they are breaking the law by being here, when really all it is is that they feel uncomfortable being around people that seem different. Do you think people would be so upset if Mexicans spoke English and had fair skin? Why aren't people worried about securing the boarder of Canada?
1127405
Part of the issue is ignorance, another part is ego-centrism.  People seem to always assume when they hear two people talking in another language that the speakers must be somehow talking about the non-speakers.\n\nAnother part is that many people here feel put off  and less 'superior' if there are people speaking other languages around them.  I speak three languages other than English.  I am a LEGAL immigrant.  I take every chance to speak any of my languages as a chance to share, develop and practice skills.\n\nIt also gives me an understanding of how people think from other cultures.  If you refuse to learn other languages/deal with non-English speakers, you limit yourself.\n\nEnglish, for the most part will always be 'under attack' and will also always be the common language in the US.  As new groups come here from other countries (not just South America and the Carribean) those languages will be heard as well.  Give the current group of immigrants two generations and let's see how many still can't speak English.
680603
hmmm.....don't see many of the regulars answering this question/statement do you.\n\nanother aspect of this immigration topic we have yet to pick the scab off.\n\nI love it.\n\nOh but I have to add....they are all going to post quickly with "illegal".....though that had nothing to do with the question.....that is going to be your basic answer.\n\nLMAO\n\ngood post!
495779
I think you are a paranoid and racist dweeb. If you cannot understand the language, then do not assume. Also, do not assume legal status by the language spoken. There are too many examples out there that prove YOU wrong for saying that. Get over your stuck up self.
723577
They say we shouldn't even use the word "you". Because it will make a person go on the defensive, even if we're not talking about them personally. But use words like we, or someone.\nOne guy told me if I said "we", that's when he'd get offended, because then\nI'd be including him! Can't please everybody!
703407
You hit the nail on the head. It is amazing, however, to still see some of the imbeciles on here not being able to tell the difference between LEGAL and ILLEGAL!\n\nAnyway, the illegals come here knowing full well that what they're doing is wrong, but they pretend that they're not breaking the law. When we complain, they call us "racist" because we want them to follow the law, just like we're required to do. So if we don't look out for their interests, we're bad... but who's looking out for us? Ever heard an illegal complain because they're affecting our quality of life? Yet, we're supposed to feel bad on their behalf?
793822
I am very sorry for that. It really is terrible how people discriminate against ANY culture just because they are like another. ANYWAY they shouldn't discriminate against the first one in the first place! I live in a city with a high Latino population, and everytime anyone says "Mexican" I feel that I need to correct them. It has gotten me into some sticky situations, but I've also made some friends through it. I am a Spanish student and it disgusts me to see how people can just pretend that because they speak Spanish they must be bad. It makes me SICK. I lived in Spain for a while to practice my Spanish and even though I was American *most* (not all, just most) of the people there could still respect me. And when I speak to the Latinos in my city they can still respect me even though I am not the same race as them. And it's amazing, it's not even just latinos either. It is anyone who speaks Spanish. My host family sent their daughter here and everyone was rude to her simply because she spoke with a Spanish accent.\n\nOne last rant and then I am done.\n\nSo my friend and I did an experiment. Even if we are AMERICAN and we speak in Spanish, will they do the same thing? The answer is yes. We went downtown and spoke in Spanish to each other for the day. If someone spoke to us we answered in English, with our American accents, and we were still treated the same way. So my conclusion is that it isn't just the people themselves that are Latino or Hispanic that are discriminated against, but the whole Spanish language.\n\nThis didn't really answer your question....sorry....
1166518
Some ppl just treasure the English language and find it so annoying that other ppl refuse to speak properly. It's like one of those things that just really gets to them and they can't help it.\n\nFor me, it can be a little confusing to try and understand what they r trying to say. But as long as they're understood i guess it doesn't really matter.
695535
Don't worry about these idiots! They are hypocrites by using the word illegal! I bet half these people use some drugs of some kind or have broken the law!  All they can do is sit here and bicker amongst themselves about how much of a "threat" illegals are ! That's all they can do! Talk is cheap! They should go complain to the government for their insecurities! Illegals don't bother me the least bit, because they have in no way threatened my job or well being! The ones that I know are on no kind of public assistance or using any stolen ss numbers! I have more important things to worry about, like a morgage and my job and family!
1063568
As an American with a Mexican background I find that very offensive. All my realtives came into this country legally. And why are you just picking on the Mexicans? What about all the Asians, Indians, Middle Easterns, Russisns, Europeans, etc....who are here illegally. It's fine to leave them, but pursecute the Mexicans? You need to get a reality check and think about what you say before you say it. And just for your information, this country was created by immigrants.
337361
Both ILLEGAL immigration and FOREIGN INVASION!!  These people were marching in our streets demanding that we give them the same rights as everyone who came here through the LEGAL channels.  Don't you guys see something wrong with this picture??  There is a war going on here at home and people need to wake up to the truth before it gets out of hand.  Yes it is a WAR pro-ILLEGAL immigration supporters have already stated as much.  FOREIGN INVASION?  ABSOLUTELY!!  They have already proven a willingness to disregard our laws and are marching in the streets waving MEXICAN flags.  You can't tell me that's not an invasion of America.  Wake up and smell the roses people.  We can't nor do we have the responsibility to take in and support everyone who wants to immigrate here which is why we have immigration laws already on the books.  I'm sorry that their countries are so hard up but that IS NOT our fault.  Their countries were based on immigration too (Spanish Conquistadors, duh) and they've had A LOT of the SAME opportunities that our forefathers had.  It IS NOT our fault that they didn't use them!  Oh, and I don't have a swastika as I don't see this as a racial issue but a LEGAL issue.  If those of you saying that we're all racist for not wanting CRIMINALS here then you need to get a dictionary and look the meaning of racism up.  I'm not discriminating based on anything other than that they are here ILLEGALLY, REGARDLESS of their reasons and therefore according to the laws already on the books and in effect are supposed to be deported!!  EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY has its own immigration laws.  Why is America made into the bad guys for wanting theirs enforced, when the other countries are enforcing theirs???
662228
If you or I went to another country we would be expected to communicate in that country's language.  I do not think it is racist or offensive to expect people to learn the language of the country they immigrate to.