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January 10, 2008 at 15:20:25

ENGLISH FIRST!!!AND WHAT IS SECOND? THIRD?

by ALONE Page 1 of 6 page(s)

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ENGLISH FIRST!!!AND WHAT IS SECOND? THIRD?

By Kevin A. Stoda

I was listening to BBC reporting on the election in New Hampshire this past week. On one of BBC’s talk radio programs, one American stated that the biggest problem America faces is “Illegal Immigration”.

At a time, when liaise faire- and crony capitalism have tanked the American economy for the umpteenth time in 3 decades, I am astounded at the fixation in the USA on illegal immigration.

On the other hand, I do recognize that in autumn 1981, I had already found myself taking part in one particular debate practice with the debate team at Bethel College (my alma mater).

That particular 1981-1982 school year the National CETA Debate topic was—--you guessed it !!!!:

“RESOLVED, illegal immigration to the United States of America is detrimental to the United States of America.”

In preparing for such a debate, university students have to, of course, normally learn to argue both the pros and cons of both sides of the resolution.

However, I quickly noted in preparing for the practice debate that I could handily argue both sides of this particular CETA Debate resolution from two almost identical perspectives.

This dual approach with a singular argument was initially considered by many of the famous Bethel College forensics & debate teams that 1982 to be a LOSER

Simply put—in 1982 I had determined to argue the Contra- (or Negativ) side of the resolution: “It is indeed fact that illegal immigration is a problem”, but I had continued, “It is the fact that some or most of the concerned immigrations are illegal that caused problems--and lack of transparency--in the American economy.”

Conversely, I had explained from the Contra perspective, “If these immigrants had been legal, most of the negative effects such immigration had on the U.S. economy (and its image) as well as the political or social landscape would have been found to be largely positive.”

Meanwhile, on Pro- (or the Positive) position in debate, I would argue the same case, i.e. “Illegal immigration itself is not the problem, it is the simple fact that someone, namely the U.S. government, has defined or made certain immigrants illegal by law which is the core cause of the negative effects of most all forms of immigration to the United States.

Only the Bethel College debate coach on campus that 1981 had thought that it had been valid for me to use this dual approach on Contra- as well as Pro- debater in that National CETA debate season.

BY DEFINITION ILLEGAL

Interestingly, the very following week (after I had practiced with the Bethel College Debate team), that same BC team went out and participated at a major debate meet in Wichita, Kansas.

This Bethel College Debate team that autumn weekend did fairly well—however, one of the BC teams lost out to another arch rival. The rival who used a nearly identical set of arguments which I had used in the practice debate, namely, “It is the very illegality of immigration which causes the most detriment in USA society and in the self-image of Americans or the USA.”

AMERICANS NEED TO RETHINK IMMIGRATION

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

http://the-teacher.blogspot.com/

"I am from Kansas so I also use the pseudonym 'Kansas' when I write and publish. I keep two blogs--one with blogger and one with GNN. My writings range from reviews to editorials or to travel observations. I also make recommendations related to policy--having both a strong background in teaching foreign languages and degrees in teaching in history and the social sciences. As a midwesterner, I also write on religion and living out ones faith whether it be as a Christian, Muslim or Buddhist perspective."

On my own home page, I also provide information for language learners and travelers http://www.geocities.com/eslkevin/ , http://the-teacher.blogspot.com/ & http://alone.gnn.tv/

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5 comments

JUST A CONCERN CITIZEN AND LOVE MY COUNTRY GREW UP IN A SMALL FISHING TOWN IN NJ,BUT THE DAY I GOT MY DRIVERS LICENSE,SPENT MOST OF MY TIME EXPANSING MY MINE. LEARNED A LOT THE HARD WAY,BUT MOSTLY STREET SMART. AT 65 HAVE PRETTY GOOD IDEA WHO THE SNAKES ARE.
RICHARD SHADEJUST A CONCERN CITIZEN AND LOVE MY COUNTRY GREW UP IN A SMALL FISHING TOWN IN NJ,BUT THE DAY I GOT MY DRIVERS LICENSE,SPENT MOST OF MY TIME EXPANSING MY MINE. LEARNED A LOT THE HARD WAY,BUT MOSTLY STREET SMART. AT 65 HAVE PRETTY GOOD IDEA WHO THE SNAKES ARE.

THIS IS AMERICA SPEAK ENGLISH OR GO HOME

ALL THIS GLOBALIZATION IS BEING FORCED ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, WE HAVE NO SAY IN THIS MADER. WE ARE FAST APPROACHING THE TIME OF THE ULTIMATE INVERSION; THE TIME WHERE THE GOVERNMENT IS FREE TO DO ANYTHING IT PLEASES, WHILE THE CITIZENS MAY ACT ONLY WITH PERMISSION; WHICH IS THE TIME OF THE DARKEST PERIODS OF HISTORY, THE TIME OF RULE BY BRUTE FORCE.

by RICHARD SHADE (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 460 comments) on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 6:56:13 AM

KEVIN STODA has been blessed to have either traveled in or worked in nearly 100 countries on five continents over the past two and a half decades. He sees himself as a peace educator and have been a promoter of good economic and social development--making him an enemy of my homelands humongous spending and its focus on using weapons to try and solve global issues."I am from Kansas so I also use the pseudonym 'Kansas' when I write and publish. I...

to see more of bio, click on member name
ALONEKEVIN STODA has been blessed to have either traveled in or worked in nearly 100 countries on five continents over the past two and a half decades. He sees himself as a peace educator and have been a promoter of good economic and social development--making him an enemy of my homelands humongous spending and its focus on using weapons to try and solve global issues."I am from Kansas so I also use the pseudonym 'Kansas' when I write and publish. I...

to see more of bio, click on member name

You are confused--I am an American

You are confused and unaware that nearly 35 million Americans are forced by war or unemployment in America to work abroad.

I am in Kuwait and suggest you come abroad before you ever again blindly and unfairly suggest someone leave the states.

The economy and underdevelopment are proven by the very fact that any of us have to earn money outside the USA to pay off housing and other bills or loans in the USA.

Thanks for proving that more sanguine awareness is needed in your group of thinkers.

Kevin--a Kansan forced to work in exile while Bush has his party

by ALONE (131 articles, 1 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 296 comments) on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 7:17:06 AM

NOT CONFUSED

I AND AMERICAN AN LIVED AND WORKED HERE AL MY LIFE AND MY HOUSE IS PAYED FOR AND MY BILLS ARE PAID. SOMETIMES PEOPLE WANT BIGGER TOYS AND MORE THAN THEY BUY SO WHEN THEY SEE SOMEONE IS WILLING TO GIVE THEM A BIG PAY CHECK OFFSHORE, THEY JUMP AT IT I GEST THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS, BUT MAY BE THIS WHY WE ARE IN THE MESS WE ARE IN.

by RICHARD SHADE (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 460 comments) on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 8:42:40 AM

A writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name
Mark SashineA writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

On languages

1. I dare to say that the language people here speak is not English at all. Most Americans do not know English grammar and such thing as, say, Past Participle is far beyond their comprehension. Our President does not know English language.

2. Of course, the documentation here has to be in one language and it better be the one capable to absorb the terminology. English is good for official business. It is thus must be considered a LONGTERM requirement for a person to function as a citizen if that person DOES NOT HAVE OTHER MEANS. Such other means can be wealth, or occupation which does not require to use English language for commmunication.

3. At the same time no one has a right to impose people NOT TO SPEAK in the everyday life with each other in any language including sign one or not to STUDY that language and associated culture. NO ONE has a right to deny services to a person who is willing to pay for them on the premise that that person cannot explain his/her wishes. An effort must be made to find out what the person wants. NO ONE has a right to deny help also. In fact, NOTHING can be denied to aa citizesn who cannot communicate while at the same time the English language must be encouraged and promoted.

What it means that we must acknowledge English as a state language but it does not exclude people who for some reason now cannot use it. And again- that is only good if we ourselves respect our English and stop allowing people like GW to abuse it.

by Mark Sashine (51 articles, 19 quicklinks, 244 diaries, 3466 comments) on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 12:30:47 PM

This is well put and R.S. needs to remember that employment

This is well put. However, it ignores the great need for Americans to learn more than one language to be marketable and fairly treated in the world we live in today. Here is an example where 100,000 jobless Americans end up in Kuwait to make mortgages in today's economy.

My dad taught me to be prepared for change and Americans like R.S. ignore the world's mandate the the REAL world of business and real economics--not touchy feely love-it-or leave it Americanism.

That reality is in 2008, "If you want to sell us something and you are the only one who has it, we will speak English, but in a competitive world, you had better learn our culture and language."

by ALONE (131 articles, 1 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 296 comments) on Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 1:08:52 PM