DAYTON, Ohio, July 11, 2008
Obama Knocks Critics Of Language Comments
Democrat Dismisses Conservative Critics Of His Comments About Americans' Lack Of Foreign Language Skills
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Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during a town hall-style meeting in Dayton, Ohio, Friday, July 11, 2008. (AP)
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"The Republicans jumped on this. I said, absolutely immigrants need to learn English, but we also need to learn foreign languages," the likely Democratic nominee said as the 1,000-plus crowd in a school gymnasium cheered. It's a position he long has held.
"This is an example of some of the problems we get into when somebody attacks you for saying the truth, which is: We should want our children with more knowledge. We should want our children to have more skills. There's nothing wrong with that. That's a good thing. I know, because I don't speak a foreign language. It's embarrassing," Obama said chuckling as his audience did the same.
At issue was a remark the Illinois senator made Tuesday in Powder Springs, Ga., that drew laughter from the crowd - but disdain from conservatives and groups advocating English as the official U.S. language. His remark has caused buzz on the Internet and talk radio.
The Americans for Legal Immigration PAC said in a statement, "Barack Obama has stepped on a political land mine by stating Americans should be forced to learn to speak Spanish." But that's not what Obama said.
Obama was answering a question on education when he said he doesn't understand people who say "we need English only."
"I agree that immigrants should learn English," Obama said. "But instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English - they'll learn English - you need to make sure your child can speak Spanish. You should be thinking about how can your child become bilingual. We should have every child speaking more than one language."
He argued that the country should be emphasizing foreign language study in classrooms.
"You know, 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!"' Obama said, laughing.
The Obama campaign on Friday also shot back at John McCain and Republican Party assertions that Obama voted to raise income taxes even on individuals who earn $32,000. In a radio ad airing in northern Virginia and in Dayton, Ohio, the Obama campaign accuses McCain of "just makin' stuff up."
At issue is Obama's vote on a non-binding budget resolution in March that called for President Bush's tax cuts to expire. Such a step would have allowed tax rates to return to pre-2001 levels, meaning that an individual with taxable income of about $32,000 would have faced a tax increase. Taxable income is what's left after taxpayers account for deductions.
Democrats have routinely called for an end to Bush's tax cuts, but many, including Obama, have proposed to replace them with tax cuts aimed at lower- and middle-income taxpayers.
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Posted by taddles3 at 11:06 AM : Jul 14, 2008
Strange, isn''t it? How you people lie! My granddaughter is taking Spanish in MIDDLE SCHOOL! Don''t try to even tell me that it''s not available!
Again, Obama is an INSULT to an intelligent person which you are obviously NOT if you don''t even know what is or isn''t being offered in the public schools today! You just keep on letting Barak Marxist Hussein Obama keep telling you about YOUR America and how he hates it!!!
Gullible fools!
"This is an example of some of the problems we get into when somebody attacks you for saying the truth, which is: We should want our children with more knowledge. We should want our children to have more skills. There''''s nothing wrong with that. That''''s a good thing. I know, because I don''''t speak a foreign language. It''''s embarrassing,"
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Posted by parrot123 at 11:07 AM : Jul 14, 2008
Then be embarrassed if you want to! Agree with this buffoon who would ridicule you! It''s exactly how he and Rev. Wrong and their ilk keep black Americans down and defeated!
IT''S AN INSULT! But I guess you don''t have the capacity to see that!
Just squat down there and kiss Obama''s boots and let him insult you! It''s what you do best!
What a load of KRAP!!! Language is offered in high school and in college. It is good to be familiar with foreign languages, but this is America! We speak ENGLISH here!
There is absolutely nothing Americans need to be embarrassed about except falling for the BS spewed by one Barak Marxist Hussein Obama''''s buffoonery!
Posted by RowdyWicca at 10:52 AM : Jul 14, 2008
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Here''s hoping that you can READ .......
"This is an example of some of the problems we get into when somebody attacks you for saying the truth, which is: We should want our children with more knowledge. We should want our children to have more skills. There''s nothing wrong with that. That''s a good thing. I know, because I don''t speak a foreign language. It''s embarrassing,"
Posted by RowdyWicca at 10:52 AM : Jul 14, 2008"
Moron, they speak English in Canada too and they also speak French. Nearly every industrialized country in the world has programs to push second languages, particularly English as a second language. We don''t, we''ve been cutting funding for foreign languages in schools to the point where the programs have been cut to non existence. You are the perfect example of the narrow minded pin head who thinks everyone else should just learn English. Good thing your such an advocate for a good education for your children...oh wait, you''re not...dolt.
What a load of KRAP!!! Language is offered in high school and in college. It is good to be familiar with foreign languages, but this is America! We speak ENGLISH here!
There is absolutely nothing Americans need to be embarrassed about except falling for the BS spewed by one Barak Marxist Hussein Obama''s buffoonery!
Posted by SamTheTVCat at 06:02 PM : Jul 13, 2008"
The rest of the world didn''t stress English as a second language because of US "culture", that''s silly. They did it because English was more and more being used as an international language. We, in our arrogance, went right along with that and cut our language classes in schools and did nothing to try to educate our children in foreign language. Yes it is embarrassing that the most powerful country on the planet is populated by people who generally can''t speak a second language.
How about dropping your indignation for being called what you are and try changing the system. Perhaps you could raise a fuss about the fact that your schools don''t teach language skills anymore rather than fussing about being called embarrassing.
Posted by johnmcsame at 09:53 PM : Jul 13,2008
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Posted by Barbara2423
No, I''m upset because I think it''s sloppy for leaders to toss out insults before analyzing a situation to ascertain the reason for the disparity and then crafting a plan to address it, thereby depriving the public of a explanation of the rationale which guides their plans - I didn''t appreciate being called ''embarrassing'' and I don''t like lazy thought which leads to mediocrity.
Are you the same person who said that after 3 years of language studies in high school you could still only read and weren''t functionally literate such that you could write or carry on a conversation? Well than that''s nice, but if we''re going to set the goal of becoming bilingual such that it advances the prosperity of the country why not establish a viable plan? IF prosperity was in fact the goal Barack had in mind.
Although I do you think that''s true that him saying Spanish does likely strike a nerve. There''s an element of economic disparity which isn''t present between say the French and the Spanish such that more Mexicans seem to be wanting in to the US rather than Americans wanting in to Mexico. So like this debate seems to be a proxy for how welcoming we may feel we ought/need to be in terms of both morality and economics on both the personal and national level (?)
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