Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich equated bilingual education Saturday with “the language of living in a ghetto” and mocked requirements that ballots be printed in multiple languages.
“The government should quit mandating that various documents be printed in any one of 700 languages depending on who randomly shows up” to vote, said Gingrich, who is considering seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2008. He made the comments in a speech to the National Federation of Republican Women.
“The American people believe English should be the official language of the government. … We should replace bilingual education with immersion in English so people learn the common language of the country and they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto,” Gingrich said to cheers from the crowd of more than 100.
“Citizenship requires passing a test on American history in English. If that’s true, then we do not have to create ballots in any language except English,” he said.
In the past, Gingrich has supported making English the nation’s official language. He has also said all American children should learn English and that other languages should be secondary in schools.
In 1995, for example, he said bilingualism poses “long term dangers to the fabric of our nation” and that “allowing bilingualism to continue to grow is very dangerous.”
Bilingual programs teach students reading, arithmetic and other basic skills in their native language so they do not fall behind while mastering English.
On voting, federal law requires districts with large populations of non-English speakers to print ballots in multiple languages.
Source: FoxNews
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April 1st, 2007 at 1:59 pm
It just saddens me that in 2007 He feels this way. We are one nation under GOD. I just find is so funny that NOW, English is the mandated language. Does any one not remember Ellis Island. NOW that the Italians, greeks,russians,chinese are all americans and can have their families obtain citizenship more easy ANY other nationality is a burden. Although these nationalities have helped to build america. IF there are issues in this world IT surely comes from the top office, NOT the GHETTO. There should not be a Ghetto. BUT thanks to the lack of government funding we have NO choice. There are Hard working, well speaking people who live in the Ghetto who just cant get ahead. because gas goes higher, bread cost more and the cost of living is higher. IGNORANCE GINGRICH IGNORANCE. Maybe you should take a class on Common sense.
April 1st, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Gingrich Sounds Off On Bilingual Education…
Cross posted from Liberally Conservative
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich equated bilingual education Saturday with “the language of living in a ghetto” and mocked requirements that ballots be printed in multiple languages.
“The government s…
April 1st, 2007 at 2:21 pm
My father and my mother’s family immigrated to this country through Ellis Island. They learned English and assimilated into the American fabric, yet kept their nationalities culture alive.
So did other Europeans and Easter Europeans as well as others.
What is the problem of promoting what George Washington suggested as an requirement of citizenship?
We don’t need special treatment for Spanish speakers when others of many, manylanguages didn’t receive it. They learned English.
Get with the program, we don’t want our tax dollars spent on your laziness and unwillingness to assimilate into America; learn one language, Period!
As Adam Smith said, referring to Economics, “There are no free lunches.” This can also apply to making excuses to obtain shortcuts to what America has to offer. It’s not just about hard work, it’s about total community. American citizens pay extra for non-English speakers and shouldn’t have to put up with multi-language ATM’s, phone menus, and directions to accomodate people who don’t take time to learn the common language.
Don’t change us, you change and adapt. It’s part of the price of “No free lunch.”
April 2nd, 2007 at 8:40 am
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April 2nd, 2007 at 8:58 am
Here’s your marching orders on illegal aliens…
An American’s Guide to Fighting Illegal Immigration, cross posted from The People’s Patriot I finally completed a “get involved” page for a local anti illegal immigration group here in Connecticut. In so much as the website has taken away from…
April 2nd, 2007 at 1:41 pm
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April 3rd, 2007 at 8:28 am
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April 5th, 2007 at 11:52 am
[...] Newt Gingrich, a possible presidential candidate for the GOP, is either appeasing Hispanic voters or appealing to them after he equated bilingual education with “the language of living in a ghetto” and mocked requirements that ballots be printed in multiple languages. [See previous article] [...]