Ted Poe comes out against Vietnamese street signs

by: RBH

Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 06:13 PM CDT

  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, why must I press ``1'' on my phone for English? Why are voting ballots in numerous languages? Why are street signs in foreign language like Vietnamese? Why do we educate illegals in their native tongue? Why can't some clerks in stores or fast food restaurants speak English?

  Mr. Speaker, one of the qualities that make a nation a nation is a common language. Our ancestors decided that the American national language would be English. German was the second choice. But, in our day, we don't want to hurt people's feelings that are not from around here, and we make the unwise choice to communicate with them in their language, not the American language.

Comments and the rest of the speech under the fold.

If people come to America, they need, like the people before them, to learn to speak English. Failure to do so makes us not a nation but many nations within a nation.

  The national language is English. Several national languages are divisive and detrimental and destructive of our culture and our civilization. Mr. Speaker, I am tired of pressing ``1'' for English.

  And that's just the way it is.

#1 - German was not the second choice for our national language.

#2 - There is no official language of this country. Not in 1776, 1806, or 2006.

#3 - Vietnamese street signs? I'm gonna need to see that for myself.

#4 - Those companies who offer their services in other languages are just adapting to the current market and trying to succeed. Ted Poe, what problem do you have with capitalism?

#5 - Press 2 for Binderim

A speech transcript is here

But geez.. Vietnamese street signs? O'really?