Out of the Blue

[Goju]

I was just watching ABC's Good Morning America.

Charles Gibson was interviewing Dick Durbin the Senator from Illinios about the Bush Immigration plan to build a fence on the Mexican border, guest worker program and legalizing long term immigrants.

in the middle of explaining why they also need to make English the Official language, he says "if avian flu comes everyone needs to follow directions and understand what they need to do".

Charis Gibson just ignored the comment and continued the border questions.

WTF?????

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Out of the Blue

LOL.

Everyone must ask themselves the following questions:

1) When was the last time the U.S. government had seminars (Dog and Pony Shows) in most states in the country about a disease that might emerge here?

2) When was the last time the U.S. government told every citizen to have a store of food and water for weeks?

3) When was the last time the U.S. government produced 2 plans to manage, nationally, the emergence of a pandemic?

Hmmmm.............

 

[DB]

Re: Out of the Blue

Looks like the Senator from Illinios had a little slip of the tounge.

 

[Mellie]

Communication is key!

Communication is key!

Durbin's comment makes absolute sense to me... Communication is key... If the US is putting out the word in English and you don't speak English, you're screwed! I'm sure he's thinking birdflu just like us... Probably is prepped, too.

Here's an example of the communication thing...
One of the problems in wildland fire is that some of the Hispanic contract crews do not understand English. So if it's afternoon on a south or southwest facing slope and the fire spots and runs threatening to overrun the crew and folks don't speak English, guess what??? there's a BIG problem. There are requirements now that the crew boss speak English and also can communicate with the crew in Spanish. (The regulation only used to be that the crewboss speak English. That changed when they had one case where the crewboss didn't speak Spanish and couldn't communicate with the crew!)

There are real survival advantages to being able to speak a country's official language.

Communication is key!

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Out of the Blue

In answer to you first question, it was probably the last polio epidemic in the 1950's. I wonder how many people now remember the fear of the possibility of having a child come down with the disease?

LOL.

Everyone must ask themselves the following questions:

1) When was the last time the U.S. government had seminars (Dog and Pony Shows) in most states in the country about a disease that might emerge here?

Hmmmm.............

As for you second question, when did the government require you to store food. Actually, you are supposed to have a 5 day supply of food and water now. It has been part of the governments plan for decades that you can survive on your own without help for that long a period. Problem is, they never share that little fact with anyone.

 

[Mingus]

Re: Communication is key!

Re: Communication is key!

Durbin's comment makes absolute sense to me... Communication is key... If the US is putting out the word in English and you don't speak English, you're screwed! I'm sure he's thinking birdflu just like us... Probably is prepped, too.

Here's an example of the communication thing...
One of the problems in wildland fire is that some of the Hispanic contract crews do not understand English. So if it's afternoon on a south or southwest facing slope and the fire spots and runs threatening to overrun the crew and folks don't speak English, guess what??? there's a BIG problem. There are requirements now that the crew boss speak English and also can communicate with the crew in Spanish. (The regulation only used to be that the crewboss speak English. That changed when they had one case where the crewboss didn't speak Spanish and couldn't communicate with the crew!)

There are real survival advantages to being able to speak a country's official language.

Communication is key!

:banghead:

Sorry, In my Canadian point of view, this question about National language in USA really made me laught loud.

We are officially bilingual here, in Europe they manage dozens on language on a regular basis and I don't think no-one can express doubt about our capacity to manage a crisis as well than USA because of that fact.

There is a world outside of the anglo-one and we understand you better than the reverse.

Don't take it bad, it just make me laught

 

[Goju]

Re: Out of the Blue

Mingus - I don't understand you...
could you please speak english?

LOL

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: Out of the Blue

I see both sides of this argument. Communication is key. But, as this has not been a serious problem until the latter half of the last century, we haven't had to deal with the problem as you in Canada did. And Europe has had millennia to learn to communicate with each other. A flood of new immigrants isn't usually a problem for them. Although i do know there have been some problems with the Dutch and some of the emigrees from Asia. And with the Moroccans and Tunisians in France. Most of our population spoke English. Only those who were new immigrants did not. With the millions now in the country that only speak Spanish, we are having more and more difficulty in communicating.
I have a personal view of this as well. My dd married a man form the Azores. His parents have been here for 30 years and still do not speak English. I cannot communicate with them. At one point this was absolutely essential because of an emergency. I have to tell you I got very angry that after living here for that long they made no effort to learn English. They live in an enclave of other Portuguese people who interpret when the need arises. They are not always immediately available however.
Another problem is, what about all the other languages that are spoken in the US? In the central valley of California there are over 50 different languages spoken. So this ceases to be a case of a country having to be bilingual. What about the Chinese, Hmong, Portuguese, Syrian, Indian, and so on ad infinitum, where do you draw the line? If there are enough native speakers of one language in a place should we be required to learn their language as well? I'll give you an example. There are thousands of Sikhs living around Delhi California, should the teachers all be required to learn the native language of these people? In the next closest town, Turlock, there are thousands of people form Iran. Should accommodation be made for them as well? It is a very complex issue and there is no easy answer.

PS. All of us were required to take a second language in school, my choice was German.

 

[Mingus]

Re: Out of the Blue

My observation was only about the huge commotion a very little percentage of not-anglophone in USA produce in the public scene.
One million on 298million is just 1/298.

Here, this is the central problem since 200years! 1/4 of canadians don't speak english, 1/3 of Montréal don't speak french.
And we sould add the recent immigration problem as well too. Just ask someone from Vancouver or Toronto.


There is bigger problems than that for a country, beleive me. Time will do it's work you are the biggest melting-pot in the world and the dominant culture, no need to be afraid.

Here, a little 7million french-speaking province (just the size of a NY subburbs) we have been able to slowly includes Italians, greek, muslims, and many more waves of immigration. Theyre parent did never speak french but teyres childs do. It just take time...

Friendly,

 

[Mellie]

Re: Out of the Blue

My choices for other languages were spanish and german. Norwegian chose me since my mom's parents were norwegian and we lived in Norge at times during my childhood.

However, one of the scariest events I remember from childhood was rock climbing down a rock face on Sans fjellet i sur Norge and having Oddvar shout a warning at me (he spoke no English). I had only 2 solid points of contact on the rock face, not 3. (This is a no-no in rock climbing - you need 3 solid points of contact.) And I paused with the hand (3rd point of contact) because I sensed the warning although he was talking excitedly a mile a minute.

It's good I did. My hand was about to land on giftig slange (a pit viper like a rattlesnake without rattles... orm).

Same with wildfire that shifts unexpectedly ...and other emergencies...
(Shannon thanks for sharing about emergencies and communication...)
When danger comes and needs immediate life-saving response and adrenalin is flowing, the human mind, under the best of circumstances, does not process information optimally. Having a language barrier to complicate matters puts you at risk and is likely to create a "Darwin moment" for you. I think this is what popped into Senator Dirkin's mind as he associated immigration with non-English speakers with increased risk to them...

Mingus, I do not plan to be in a foreign country when this pandemic hits. Not even Norway, not even a German speaking or Spanish speaking country... certainly not an area where I'd have to understand French. (Unless I could rely on you or Snowy Owl or my son. French is my son's language preference, no traveling to France without him... He chose that language because or our French surname...)

OK this seems to be a community post on an international theme... let me finish it!

Theresa, my brother is organizing a trip to sur Norge for next summer. Under any other circumstances I'd love to go and have a chance to meet you in person! Well, maybe after pandemic. Ha det!

Zkurmus, I've found myself thinking of you the last few days with events in Istanbul. Hope all goes well and that the problems resolve.

DB,

#main {
float:left;
width:67%;
background:#fff;
border-right:2px solid #000;
border-bottom:2px solid #000;
margin-right:15px;
padding-bottom:20px;
}
</pre> KC, I expect you and the other professionals studying with you for barbeque on Sunday.

Later, my friends!!!!
Mellie

 

[Goju]

Re: Out of the Blue

It's interesting how this tread went in the direction of the comments about the "official language" and not that "bird flu" slipped into the story yet was completely glossed over.

It took me completely by surprise. This guy went WAY off topic. What meeting did he just come out of?

 

[Mingus]

Re: Out of the Blue

Funny,
what was the name of that tread ..."Out of the blues"?

Maybe we could finish this babel tower in beauty with a Hunting Story in Finnish.

 

[hawkeye]

Re: Out of the Blue

Well...I think if found the transcripts from the GMA show but I don't have an account
http://www.fednews.com/transcript.htm?id=20060519t3656

 

[DB]

Re: Out of the Blue

It's interesting how this tread went in the direction of the comments about the "official language" and not that "bird flu" slipped into the story yet was completely glossed over.

It took me completely by surprise. This guy went WAY off topic. What meeting did he just come out of?

I agree Goju.

It seems he had bird flu on his mind, otherwise he never would have thrown that comment into a discussion about immigration.