Priceless: 'English-Only' Supporters Hold Conference, Can't Spell 'Conference'
Posted by Lee Fang, Think Progress at 12:00 PM on June 22, 2009.
Speaking under a misspelled banner, right-wingers who want to make English the official language of the U.S. showed no sense of irony.
On Saturday, Pat Buchanan hosted a conference to discuss how Republicans can regain a majority in America. During one discussion, panelists suggested supporting English-only initiatives as a prime way of attracting "working class white Democrats." The discussion ridiculed Judge Sotomayor for the fact that she studied children’s classics to improve her grammar while attending college. The panelists also suggested that, without English as the official language, President Obama would force Americans to speak Spanish.
One salient feature of the event was the banner hanging over the English-only advocates. The word conference was spelled “Conferenece.” View it here:
Posted by Lee Fang, Think Progress at 12:00 PM on June 22, 2009.
Speaking under a misspelled banner, right-wingers who want to make English the official language of the U.S. showed no sense of irony.
On Saturday, Pat Buchanan hosted a conference to discuss how Republicans can regain a majority in America. During one discussion, panelists suggested supporting English-only initiatives as a prime way of attracting "working class white Democrats." The discussion ridiculed Judge Sotomayor for the fact that she studied children’s classics to improve her grammar while attending college. The panelists also suggested that, without English as the official language, President Obama would force Americans to speak Spanish.
One salient feature of the event was the banner hanging over the English-only advocates. The word conference was spelled “Conferenece.” View it here:
I guess I must be a right winger on this issue. English should be the official language of the U.S. First, a common language is the single most important element of a stable society. Second, English is the world-wide language of technology and power. Bill Cosby admonishes the Homeys that if they ever want to get ahead, learn proper grammar. It's true.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with any other language and they can be used by anyone anytime anyplace... but every child should learn how to speak and write English. We have to have a common link between different cultures or the melting pot won't melt. It will stew.
I detest the use of the -ing form in official signs.
ReplyDeleteMr. C----but...the...assholes...mis...splled...it.
ReplyDeleteNow, as a graphic artist, I happen to know that that there sign was probably done on a vinyl cutting machine. And the mistake is the vinyl cutter's mistake. But...but...did not whatever butt head at the conference who order the sign, NOT CHECK IT? And then the fuckers went ahead and put it up. For me, therein lies the point of this post...
Aside---the caption at the bottom of the photo did not escape moi (un-English for me) and my eagleness "...editor of "white nationalist" website..." I wonder what that website is about.
Mr. C....It is the English only part that make us look lame. Most European nations require their children to learn English. Parents hire private tutors to help them learn, here we demand that ONLY english is to be spoken. That is called a mono-linguistic nation. Leads to lesser culture.
ReplyDeleteJames... good point, never noticed before.
jadedj... Very good point, well stated. thnx
I aim to please, master.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell do you expect when you outsource the making of the banner to a non English speaking country? The banner reads like headlines from...http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/
ReplyDeleteShit! You can't turn your back around here without something happening.
ReplyDeleteJJ is correct. Sign maker screwed up the sign. No one caught it because it was delivered to the hotel and hung by the staff, who were probably Mexican, and the people attending the conference only glanced at it as your cognitive systems would have made the correction mentally, and by the time someone caught it and had it taken down, it was too late, a photo had already been taken and ended up on Brother Punch's blog wherein all this stuff started. Still a dumb ass mistake however and couldn't have happened to a better crowd.
Punch... We're on the same page. People who demand English only can blow it out their ass, I advocate English as the official language for doing business. It's a critical stabilizing force. You want a driver's license. You need to read and write English, etc. Multi-language restaurants, clubs, stores, churches... go for it.
Love the banner. I'm of the opinion that legislation to make English the official language is a waste of resources that could be better used making laws that would actually benefit us.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, maybe if they make English the official language, they'll actually teach it in our schools ;-p