Brandon Smith TALKS BACK!

Today I was sitting in my Spanish class when suddenly the thought occoured to me. Why does the American Government cater to the spanish speaking people who come over? If they want to enjoy American freedoms they should have to learn the accepted American language, English. Part of the screening test for citizenship should be ability to speak English well. We should not have to learn THEIR language, WE aren't coming over to THEIR country, they are coming to OURS! I mean, if I were to move to Germany, I would be expected to learn German so that I would be able to be a productive member of society, right? Well the standard should be the same in America. If you can't speak English you should be refused membership, and as for illegal immigrants, they should be forced out of the country because, as their title suggests, they are ILLEGALLY here! Now, I am in no way against immigration into our country, but I don't want America to have to change its name to Little Mexico anytime soon. "Latinos" and other immigrants should show common courtesy if they wish to immigrate and learn English so that citizens of this county can go on with thier lives without having to learn a language many either can not or do not want to learn. I, myself, have taken one year of French, which I loved, and two years of Spainish, which I have loathed. Languages are not for everyone and should not be forced on citizens by the government and the school systems, but if one desires to become a citizen of a country, they should learn the language of the country so that they may become a productive member of that country. Immigrants should be offered a free or cheap class in English so that they can work and live in America before they are offered citizenship. Perhaps colleges and the government could work together to create such a program. But in the future I want my children to be able to enjoy their American heritage and language instead of being forced to learn the Spainish one that they were not born into.

Brandon