Should Voting machines/slips be bilingual?

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

If you're a citizen, you should be able to vote, period. Therefore, if we need to do certain things to accomodate certain citizens' right to vote, then so be it. If you have a problem with making spanish speaking people citizens, then address that at the citizenship process, but don't try to address it at the voting stage. Once people are citizens, it should be the aim to making voting as accessable and egalitarian as possible.

[6SpeedTA95]

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

If you're a citizen, you should be able to vote, period. Therefore, if we need to do certain things to accomodate certain citizens' right to vote, then so be it. If you have a problem with making spanish speaking people citizens, then address that at the citizenship process, but don't try to address it at the voting stage. Once people are citizens, it should be the aim to making voting as accessable and egalitarian as possible.

Of course citizens should be allowed to vote, but not citizens shouldn't and you should be able to read the ballot because we speak and have spoken english for centuries in this country.

Exception would be felons...

[Stylerod]

Originally Posted by SICKGUY

yes, they should. whether we like it or not, this country is a melting pot. while english may the the common language, its definately not a first language for millions. if americans have the right to vote, they have the right to understand perfectly what it is they are voting for. maybe they can read in english, but they are going to understand it a whole lot better in their native tongue.

Only citizens can vote (well, they are supposed to be the only ones that vote). How can you be a citizen and not speak English?

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Only citizens can vote (well, they are supposed to be the only ones that vote). How can you be a citizen and not speak English?

have you been to that many italian pizza shops, like in a city?

You're born here, you are a citizen, language comes after birth

[SICKGUY]

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Only citizens can vote (well, they are supposed to be the only ones that vote). How can you be a citizen and not speak English?

you would br suprised. when i went into the military, there were recruits that barely spoke any english. there are parts of the city here where english is not the prominent language. my great grandmother lived in colorado her whole life and never learned to speak english. my point is that while most probably do speak english, it doesnt hurt to have something as important as a ballot to be very clear to those voting.

[SICKGUY]

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

Of course citizens should be allowed to vote, but not citizens shouldn't and you should be able to read the ballot because we speak and have spoken english for centuries in this country.

Exception would be felons...

like i said in an earlier post, maybe those in the east have spoken english for centuries. but out west, this is basically new country. in the grand scheme of civilization, the western united states is in its infancy basically. the city of denver is around 150 years old. this was primarily mexican and indian land prior to all of that. so it means many people (my family included) are still part of that original population. my families native language isnt english. i personally dont speak spanish, but am basically the first generation of my family not to.

[SICKGUY]

Originally Posted by DosEquis

There is enough spanish speaking people in omaha, ne that they now have their own radio station and cable tv station, all in spanish. That tells me there is enough mexicans here to economically justify those kinds of things.... which is kind of almost scary.

shit, they have their own supermarkets and night clubs to go along with their news and radio outlets here. the area i grew up in has really been overtaken by illegals.

also, im not some proponent of illegal immigration here. its a big issue for me as well, maybe even more personal on some levels. but there is not some quick fix to the problem like mass deportations or making them all felons. im realistic, and i can see that it doesnt matter what lame policies we put forth to curb them coming here, they are still gonna get in here one way or another. our approach needs to be a compromise in some way. even if most of you think that sucks, its the truth.

[7960]

Originally Posted by Stylerod

How can you be a citizen and not speak English?

A friend of mine teaches first grade in Texas. She regularly gets kids who don't know how to speak english. Lowell and Lawrence Mass have a HUGE spanish population. I've been in plenty of stores and had to leave because I couldn't find someone who spoken english. It would be extremely easy to live there and never need english. I've never been to LA but I imagine it's the same there....actually it's probably the same in many large cities.

[IminWonderland]

Originally Posted by 7960

A friend of mine teaches first grade in Texas. She regularly gets kids who don't know how to speak english. Lowell and Lawrence Mass have a HUGE spanish population. I've been in plenty of stores and had to leave because I couldn't find someone who spoken english. It would be extremely easy to live there and never need english. I've never been to LA but I imagine it's the same there....actually it's probably the same in many large cities.

It's not the same in LA, it's worse. We now seriously have districts that are known for Spanish Speaking only. We have cities with really large neighborhoods (think East LA, Santa Ana) and people who don't speak Spanish, don't shop in those neighborhoods, or go to those parks, because going there is seriously like visiting Mexico.

We aren't talking one or two people, we are talking MILLIONS.

There are parts of the OC that are exclusive to Vietnamese speakers only. And not only that, the areas that predominated by this cultural barrier, the neighborhoods deteriorate and even the TARGET's, and SHOPPING MALLS crumble into SHIT. I should takes pics of some of them, the comparison of the stores, because it's like two different countries.

[Diesel66]

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Only citizens can vote (well, they are supposed to be the only ones that vote). How can you be a citizen and not speak English?

Because English is very hard to learn. I rather spend the extra money to ensure they get a ballot and forms they can understand then have people vote on what they think the question says.

I lived in little Saigon, and if you didnt speak Vietnamese it was just not worth the time to go to most of the markets.