Fired Fireman, For not speaking Spanish

That's right. In Oregon a Fire officer was fired because he couldn't speak Spanish. This angers me BAD! A majority of America speaks English. Shouldn't English be the requirment? If this isn't a violation of civil rights, I don't know what is.

Link

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/nationalne...390/detail.html

nmova Scotian

Same problem here in Canada you cannot get a job in certain sectors unless you are bi-lingual (French/English).

Camac.

The only places in Mexico where you hear English are the tourist areas and that is because of the dollar. In most of the country you are out of luck. We need to adopt their immigration rules. If we did, very few of them would come here illegally.

Slàinte,    

Patch

Yes. I know that well from my cousins. Espically the ones that live in New Brunswick. In Nova Scotia it happens as well but NS remains for what I've seen for the most part English.

If you want to live and work in this country you should learn to speak the language of the land, (not the other way around), but then we seem to do every thing backwards these days, don’t we. Maybe an effort on both sides of this issue should be maid?
Hasta lavista, Nova

I don't know about everyone else but I think it's about time English is made the official language. Dispite Harry Reid saying it's raciest. HMMMMMM! Who's lining his pocket? Most Hispanics I know, and believe me I know alot living is Florida, most if not all agree English needs to be the official language. Que Pasa! to you JC! LOLOL Hope I spelled it right!

I was under the impression that a year or two ago your congress passed a law making English the official language of the U.S. I can't remember the details but it seemed there was some sort of dispute over language in the south- west part of your country or maybe even california.

Camac

I don't think it was brought to a vote but it was brought up. I don't know for sure but it sure sounds like something Califorina would have a problim with. Harry Reid called it raciest.

Nova Scotian;

Who's Harry Reid?

Camac.

He's a very controversial senator from Nevada

Nova Scotian;

did a quick read on Sen. Harry Reid. See why you say controversial. Many countries have offical language acts and I don't think they consider it racist. The problem is when people use such acts to push forward an agenda of "Political Correctness" a phrase, in my opinion, that should be struck from the English Language.

Camac.

Camac:
I havn't agreed with much you've said before but we are definatly on the same page here. Political Correctness does need to go and go fast. That's one big problem and a lot of folks, saddly, think it's a solution.

Wait a minute, wait. I agree that firing the firefighter was lame-brained -- how many of those wonderful guys have we got to throw away like that? BUT -- it is not a bad idea to provide some very basic, relevant language training to firefighters, and not just in Spanish, depending on the local populations, so when they go out on a call, the people they mean to rescue can take some urgent directions they can understand. Everyone, including the firefighters themselves, will be safer that way. No? It's not a question of sensitivity or PC, but safety, as I see it. Or -- do you say to a new immigrant family whose English is dicey -- if you can't understand me, sorry but you'll have to sit up there and burn.

I got it! I got it! HAND SIGNALE! People give me them every day.

WHOA !!!!!!!!! Has anybody read the linked article?????????????

stoirmeil comes closest to the issue at hand.

Official lanquages and mandatory english speaking are radically different things than the article is addressing.
The State of Oregon could only find and hire hispanic firefighters and made the bosses requirements to meet the language at hand. Firefighters ALWAYS put safety first. You want to talk about politically correct, thats what you are pushing with one language requirement. Ried's statement of racism is extreme in my view, but that is another story to this one.
The State of Oregon could have waited and hired only english speaking firefighters as a requiremnet to meet the fire seasons needs , but that is not reality.
The fire boss was unable to met the safety requirements of the fire companies needs, so he was replaced and put in a position more suitable to his abilities. This was viewed as a demotion. Everyone , in every job needs to maintain and upgrade their skill sets to meet the needs and requirements of their job description and to stay on a growth and promotion path. This is no different.

You can now then add the greater overview to this article.

You want to talk about official language or single language or mandatory english requirements ? Immigration, illegal aliens, lost or displaced jobs, minimum wage, citizenship, cross border commerce, NAFTA, political correctness, unfulfilled jobs, etc?