AL governor candidate on multilingual driving tests: "This is Alabama. We speak English." - Polidicks

[url]http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2010/04/candidate-want-to-live-in-alabama-learn-english/1[/url] [release][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ohsvJHkbY[/media] Tim James, a Republican candidate for Alabama governor, is getting a lot of attention for a new ad that questions why the state offers driver's license exams in a dozen languages. "This is Alabama. We speak English," James says, looking into the camera. "If you want to live here, learn it. We're only giving that test in English if I'm governor." Mark Ambinder of The Atlantic notes that Alabama could jeopardize federal transportation funding by trying to impose an English-only rule. But Ambinder also observes that hinting at a fight with the federal government in this political climate might not hurt a candidate, either. James, a businessman and son of former two-term Alabama governor Fob James, has said requiring an English-only exam would protect public safety by ensuring that drivers could read traffic signs. Legislation under consideration in Georgia also would require English-only driver's tests.[/release] I don't see how language would be a barrier to reading signs. Most traffic signs have pictures, which you're required to know on the written test in order to get a license.

This man is my hero.

I really wish he would of said "we speak AMERICAN". Would of been a good laugh.

He does have a point, if expressed in a bad way. The English-Speaking drivers here are bad enough, and they can read the fucking signs. Though I have heard local radio stations comparing it to the blind driving.

Good, I hate seeing everything in spanish, I wish they'd do this in California.

And I know you could suggest updating the signs to be multilingual like in states that border Mexico or have a high Latin-American population, but Alabama is horribly in debt. In fact, last I checked, my county is one of the most indebted, if not the most indebted county in the nation. Good job Betty and the County Commission.

This is something I can agree with. I would never go to another country expecting them to accommodate my language and I don't see how anyone can expect that. If you are going to live in the US long enough to get a drivers license you should learn english. Although the way he stated it makes him look like a huge asshole.

Ahaha, an Alabaman claiming to know how to speak English. Classic.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;21623352]Ahaha, an Alabaman claiming to know how to speak English. Classic.[/QUOTE] Emmere en e'll teach you hew to towk.

for some reason i feel like this is more of a tim and eric skit

[QUOTE=Sir_takeslot;21623204]Good, I hate seeing everything in spanish, I wish they'd do this in California.[/QUOTE] Rated agree.

[QUOTE=ketchup;21623170]I really wish he would of said "we speak AMERICAN". Would of been a good laugh.[/QUOTE] Oh well I'm sorry that not everyone lives up to our stereotypes for you.

Hahaha, ignorant american

[QUOTE=DrBreen;21625028]Hahaha, ignorant american[/QUOTE] How is he ignorant? If you come to an English speaking country, you'd better learn English.

You don't have a right to drive, so there is not need or obligation to make multilingual driving tests/signs.

Surely offering it in more languages is just a bonus, I personally live in Japan and while I [I]could[/I] take my test in Japanese, I'd rather in English(which they do now offer in my city). I can speak Japanese just fine and all the signs are in both English and Japanese, but if I'm learning something I damn well want to be sure I comprehend it 100%. A language like English has so many caveats and stupid rules that even some very experienced non-native speakers I'm sure miss a lot, or misunderstand things. Of course I'm mainly talking about driving theory here, which has almost nothing to do with language; obviously, reading signs requires some literacy in the native language, but isn't that only for place names 99% of the time? As the signs usually have some (semi)globally standardized definition, and I don't even think the ability to read would be vital to being a skilled driver... of course, if you plan to actually reach your destination it might help.

It's not good to pass a driver in another language just to have them be on the road and not know what half the signs say. It's an issue of safety for other people on the road. Either they learn English if they want to drive, or they can catch the bus/walk to work.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;21625133]How is he ignorant? If you come to an English speaking country, you'd better learn English.[/QUOTE] If you come to germany, you better speak german too.

[QUOTE=T2L_Goose;21625467]It's not good to pass a driver in another language just to have them be on the road and not know what half the signs say. It's an issue of safety for other people on the road. Either they learn English if they want to drive, or they can catch the bus/walk to work.[/QUOTE] Honestly, I really doubt that would be the best solution. It's safer to have road signs in English AND Spanish; even if immigrants figure out the English language enough to take a road test, it will still take them longer to read English on the road signs, and when you're on the highway at 50 or so miles an hour, you don't exactly have that much time to figure it out. It's clearly safer than requiring everyone to take it in English. He just uses this nonsensical logic to promote discrimination.

[QUOTE=rantingsocks;21625672]Honestly, I really doubt that would be the best solution. It's safer to have road signs in English AND Spanish; even if immigrants figure out the English language enough to take a road test, it will still take them longer to read English on the road signs, and when you're on the highway at 50 or so miles an hour, you don't exactly have that much time to figure it out. It's clearly safer than requiring everyone to take it in English. He just uses this nonsensical logic to promote discrimination.[/QUOTE] Yeah. Furthermore, if we make English a requirement for a driver's license (or, more accurately, if Arizona does) then it makes sense to me that people who can't speak English would just drive without a license. [editline]07:10AM[/editline] And then not be able to read street signs.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;21623352]Ahaha, an Alabaman claiming to know how to speak English. Classic.[/QUOTE] Actually, most people in Alabama are pretty good at speaking. Though believe me when I say that the ones who can't speak, REALLY can't speak.

[QUOTE=rantingsocks;21625672]Honestly, I really doubt that would be the best solution. It's safer to have road signs in English AND Spanish; even if immigrants figure out the English language enough to take a road test, it will still take them longer to read English on the road signs, and when you're on the highway at 50 or so miles an hour, you don't exactly have that much time to figure it out. It's clearly safer than requiring everyone to take it in English. He just uses this nonsensical logic to promote discrimination.[/QUOTE] You realize Alabama made English their Official Language over 20 years ago, so how is saying "This Is Alabama. We Speak English" nonsensical when it is the Official Language

[QUOTE=Broseph_;21626005]You realize Alabama made English their Official Language over 20 years ago, so how is saying "This Is Alabama. We Speak English" nonsensical when it is the Official Language[/QUOTE] Offtopic; You need to learn when to capitalize :colbert:

I agree with him but he should have said it in a different way.

To this day, my grandmother doesn't really speak any English. She came to the US and raised two generations of descendants who love the English language. I'm about 20mi out from New York City, so unlike a lot of you, I like diversity and am comfortable around people who aren't white. Here, we're taught to be proud of the fact that people come to the US from all over the world. Some people would rather speak their native language. Some people might even suck at English. I don't care.

I already posted this in the video section, but I guess it's gone national.

ay papi wat u doin que? thees ees free country, i ain't come from cuba to get this kind treatment, papi. ^That and every billboard in south florida is espaniol.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;21623508]Oh well I'm sorry that not everyone lives up to our stereotypes for you.[/QUOTE] uhh Firstly, I'm from the US. Secondly, the majority of the US are complete idiots, and say that all the time.

:snoop: ohhellnoboya

[QUOTE=Broseph_;21626005]You realize Alabama made English their Official Language over 20 years ago, so how is saying "This Is Alabama. We Speak English" nonsensical when it is the Official Language[/QUOTE] Missing the point. And also, just because English is the "Official Language", doesn't mean that everyone has learned it. In fact, I doubt a lot of Alabamians give a shit.