State to Drivers: SPEAK ENGLISH!

Patranus

Diamond Member
Apr 15, 2007
9,280
0
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According to state Sen. Jack Murphy, there are 13 languages in which someone can sit and test for their Georgia driver’s license.

For him, that is about a dozen too many. So on Tuesday, the Cumming republican revised and got approved a bill that would make English the official and only language someone can use to get their license.

Murphy, who chairs the public safety committee, said it was naturally a safety issue. Drivers who can’t read road signs pose a danger to everyone, he said.
http://blogs.ajc.com/gold-dome-live...s-speak-english/?cxntfid=blogs_gold_dome_live


Finally some common sense legislation.
 

HamburgerBoy

Lifer
Apr 12, 2004
27,111
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Drivers who can’t read road signs pose a danger to everyone, he said.

ColombiaStopSign.JPG


Holy shit, what does that mean?
 

Hacp

Lifer
Jun 8, 2005
13,923
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There should be two official languages. English and American.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
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Welcome to the US. Want to be a citizen? Fine. Welcome.
Now speak English.
 

Danube

Banned
Dec 10, 2009
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It's bizarre that I see posters about voting in multiple languages. That has fail boat written all over it.
 

theflyingpig

Banned
Mar 9, 2008
5,616
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There is no doubt that the US needs to have an official language, and that language needs to be English. Every single American citizen should be required to speak English, and those who can't, well, they have to deal with the consequences of their own foolishness. Everyone knows this.
 

theflyingpig

Banned
Mar 9, 2008
5,616
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Looks like a typical Monday morning commute in Boston where ironically the vast majority speak English.

Yeah? Now imagine if those same fools all spoke different languages. I'd be ten times worse. All Americans have to be able to speak English. If they want to speak Spanish, or Chinese, or whatever, they should do it amongst their peers, not when attempting to communicate with the public. It's for the good of the country. Everyone knows this.
 

piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
17,168
60
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We use international type roadsigns, so anyone can tell what a stop sign is and what a yield sign is. Having the test in another language should be more expensive to those taking the test. Pass the cost onto those who can not speak and read and write in English. Quite making the public pay the price for other's ignorance.

I dont think this is a matter of safety, or discrimination, but a matter of practicality.

I drive the same way to work every day more or less. I know all the local roads so I do not need any special information to drive a car. It would be safe to assume this for most motorists.
 
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Double Trouble

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
9,270
103
106
There are core things that make the US what it is, and having a common language is one of them. Being able to speak other languages is great, but everyone should be required to know English in this country. This seems like common sense. Speak whatever language you want, but you need to have a core competency in English to live in this society.
 

Red Dawn

Elite Member
Jun 4, 2001
57,529
3
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We use international type roadsigns, so anyone can tell what a stop sign is and what a yield sign is. Having the test in another language should be more expensive to those taking the test. Pass the cost onto those who can not speak and read and write in English. Quite making the public pay the price for other's ignorance.

I dont think this is a matter of safety, or discrimination, but a matter of practicality.

I drive the same way to work every day more or less. I know all the local roads so I do not need any special information to drive a car. It would be safe to assume this for most motorists.
That's a valid point.
 

DesiPower

Lifer
Nov 22, 2008
15,299
740
126
Welcome to the US. Want to be a citizen? Fine. Welcome.
Now speak English.

Yeah? Now imagine if those same fools all spoke different languages. I'd be ten times worse. All Americans have to be able to speak English. If they want to speak Spanish, or Chinese, or whatever, they should do it amongst their peers, not when attempting to communicate with the public. It's for the good of the country. Everyone knows this.

There are core things that make the US what it is, and having a common language is one of them. Being able to speak other languages is great, but everyone should be required to know English in this country. This seems like common sense. Speak whatever language you want, but you need to have a core competency in English to live in this society.

ACLU... ellos me molestan
 
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Hacp

Lifer
Jun 8, 2005
13,923
2
81
We use international type roadsigns, so anyone can tell what a stop sign is and what a yield sign is. Having the test in another language should be more expensive to those taking the test. Pass the cost onto those who can not speak and read and write in English. Quite making the public pay the price for other's ignorance.

I dont think this is a matter of safety, or discrimination, but a matter of practicality.

I drive the same way to work every day more or less. I know all the local roads so I do not need any special information to drive a car. It would be safe to assume this for most motorists.

What if they change a sign, or make a two way street one way?
 

Saga

Banned
Feb 18, 2005
2,718
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If they're going to end up making the 1 language accepted the most popular, it's unfortunately going to be Stupid.
 

HumblePie

Lifer
Oct 30, 2000
14,665
440
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Hey, just to throw this out there I am someone who advocates a single language. However, I believe that should be for entry into the US for citizenship. There are also different reasons for why I believe in that.

However to play devils advocate, Sen. Jack Murphy (R) and may be using this tactic for another motive. This kind of change is not usually advocated by the liberals as alluded to above, but by the conservatives. Mainly because those who don't speak English well are typically poor and from societies/countries that are a bit more progressive or socialist than ours. As such, they typically do not vote for the conservatives. So, by creating an artificial bar through the language barrier, it can block out certain people from voting.

Sure this instance is about driving, although as others have pointed out the signs over the roads are international symbols and no language or even literacy proficiency is needed. Otherwise, tourists visiting from other countries would never be able to drive here and American tourists would never be able to drive in other countries if neither could follow the road signs correctly. So by putting a bar on getting a drivers license, it allows a crack in the door to put a bar somewhere else from a government issued item. Another to note, when people get their drivers license is when they can also register to vote. There are other places where people can register, but the most common is the DMV or the equivalent in your state. By blocking out non English speaking people from getting a license that indirectly stops many from registering to vote.

For me it's a toss up issue. I think the enforcement of English speaking for citizenship or a Visa is a must. Then the natural progression would trickle down and make this a moot point for enforcing English for a drivers license. The problem I have with this decision is that it's assbackwards. It's arbitrary and done for the wrong motives in my opinion.