English is now the offical language of Michigan....

[Detroit Stylin]

Well the problems of the past are behind us, Flint now has clean water and every pipe has been replaced with all new equipment, the roads are to standards unsurpassed anywhere in the developed world, they have built a transit system that is the envy of New York City with light rail and subway lines going as far north as Saginaw and as far south as Toledo. Unemployment is down to a historic low of -.00000010%, the City of Detroit is now the most prosperous urban area on the globe.

With all the work our leaders have put in, its amazing that they still spend hours and days working on the things that matter...so let's give these idiots a hand.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...age/110715876/

[Bigdd]

Well the problems of the past are behind us, Flint now has clean water and every pipe has been replaced with all new equipment, the roads are to standards unsurpassed anywhere in the developed world, they have built a transit system that is the envy of New York City with light rail and subway lines going as far north as Saginaw and as far south as Toledo. Unemployment is down to a historic low of -.00000010%, the City of Detroit is now the most prosperous urban area on the globe.

With all the work our leaders have put in, its amazing that they still spend hours and days working on the things that matter...so let's give these idiots a hand.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...age/110715876/

The article merely states that "The House" approved legislation. There is still the Senate and the governor left to go before it becomes law.

And even if it does,.. as the article states,.. it doesn't change anything.

As to Detroit unemployment,.. I don't think it can go much lower. the ones still not employed are mostly unemployable. Many are illiterate, or drug addicted,.. or have a dozen felonies on their record,.. or have a complete lack of interest in working.

Employers are now finding it EXTREMELY hard to find descent workers.

And because of minimum wage laws,.. employer liability, etc,.. a new employee working their first job has to be able to generate at least $20 + an hour to be worth hiring. [[Once you factor in the the other costs of employing someone such as worker's comp, unemployment comp, matching FICA, training, supervision, shrinkage, company profit and health insurance if the company employs 50 or more people).

[gnome]

no doubt we will will soon change the name Michigan to something in English.

Better change our motto too.

[archfan]

no doubt we will will soon change the name Michigan to something in English.

Better change our motto too.

The great state of Large Water.

[Wesley Mouch]

no doubt we will will soon change the name Michigan to something in English.

Better change our motto too.

Some politicians push things for political advantage. Some only push things for political advantage.

Yet whether its a good idea has nothing to do with their motivation.

Having an official language is important. The article said "Public Records", or was it "Documents". Either way, that's what an official language is for.

The left sees xenophobia.

The right sees order.

Both should try to see the other's perspective.

Canada is a great case study for official languages [[at least for now). The federal gov't uses both everywhere. Provinces have differing rules. Quebec has [[or tries every week) to have 'French only' sign laws, and other enforced use of French. Other provinces allow French for legal actions, I think. There were cases years ago where Francophones were disputing traffic violations that weren't in French in the western provinces somewhere. In the west, French is ignored by the provincial gov'ts... mostly. It will be interesting to see how the gov't there handle future indigenous languages, as they the current gov't is obsessed with 'fairness'. If you'd like some fun reading, try this link to show you how even the legal profession is heading towards 'fairness', current ideas on 'innocent until proven guilty' being a tool of historical violence it seem: "Canada has used law to perpetuate violence against Indigenous Peoples". Requiring use of each of dozens of groups native language could be a future mess for Canada,.

It is a valid 'law and order' point to define what languages are for official use -- so we all can understand each other.

[Richard]

There are lots of cities in this country where it does not matter how many degrees you have,how perfect you spell,if you do not speak Spanish you will not be hired.

I do sales via Craigslist,offer up,Facebook etc. and I have to use google translate on 60% of my sales and anymore a large percentage of adds are written in Spanish.

Large sections of Miami,Orlando etc you would be hard pressed to go about your daily life without a translator by your side,even with major brand stores you need to find a bilingual costumer to translate for you if you need to speak to management.

In schools because the majority of children do not speak English,Spanish speaking teachers are hired to teach the class,if your child does not speak Spanish you really need to look at different options.

In order to graduate you must take a Spanish language course.

The local vo-techs do offer free Spanish lessons but nobody offers free English lessons.

Drivers license tests are given in Spanish but all of the road signs are in English.

The standard language in air traffic control worldwide is English as the common language.

It actually is a requirement with immigration to learn the common language which is English,it is easy to say it does not effect me today but it will and anybody that has ever called a coustmer support or tech support can see the difficulties.

It is more of a proactive thing and every state is dealing with it,Kinda pointless to be graduating all of these kids and limiting where they can be employed.

[Bham1982]

There are lots of cities in this country where it does not matter how many degrees you have,how perfect you spell,if you do not speak Spanish you will not be hired.

LOL. Do you really believe such things? Or are you just mindlessly parroting alt-right nonsense?

Miami is the most Hispanic place in the U.S., yet most Miami non-Hispanics have poor or nonexistent Spanish. All official business is conducted in English [[obviously). Children, invariably, speak English, and refuse to speak their parents language, everywhere.

Re. this idiotic legislation, Michigan just keeps getting dumber and more xenophobic. I guess we really want to be Michisippi. Very sad.

[iheartthed]

LOL. Do you really believe such things? Or are you just mindlessly parroting alt-right nonsense?

Miami is the most Hispanic place in the U.S., yet most Miami non-Hispanics have poor or nonexistent Spanish. All official business is conducted in English [[obviously). Children, invariably, speak English, and refuse to speak their parents language, everywhere.

Re. this idiotic legislation, Michigan just keeps getting dumber and more xenophobic. I guess we really want to be Michisippi. Very sad.

I get your point, but technically Puerto Rico is the most Hispanic place in the U.S. Puerto Rico is also proof that the U.S. does not need an official language. We've managed to get by for over a century with one of the largest states/territories in the country largely speaking a different language from the rest of the nation.

[aj3647]

Re. this idiotic legislation, Michigan just keeps getting dumber and more xenophobic. I guess we really want to be Michisippi. Very sad.

November 6 is rapidly approaching. Some of these legislators will be brushing off their resumes 9 months from now.

[Richard]

LOL. Do you really believe such things? Or are you just mindlessly parroting alt-right nonsense?

Miami is the most Hispanic place in the U.S., yet most Miami non-Hispanics have poor or nonexistent Spanish. All official business is conducted in English [[obviously). Children, invariably, speak English, and refuse to speak their parents language, everywhere.

Re. this idiotic legislation, Michigan just keeps getting dumber and more xenophobic. I guess we really want to be Michisippi. Very sad.

Well because I lived there I can say you really are talking out of the south end while telling others what you believe.

Miami became majority Spanish speaking,so the ones that do not speak Spanish leave,they have migrated up the coast,the ones that are bilingual have more opportunities and gain a higher income,the ones that do not learn English for the most part are stuck in low paid service jobs and work cheaper because they are hungry.

You can say it will not effect Detroit or it does not matter,but things happen in life in a matter of seconds that change places forever.

Hurricaine hit PR 250,000 people have all moved from PR a majority located in the Orlando erea and a majority do not speak English.

What happens to a city when you replace the majority of higher paid workers with lower paid workers,what happens to a city when those who have the means to leave enmass,what happens to a city when the African American community is replaced enmass by someone who is willing to work at half the wage because that is all there is.

Look around you now with how cities were effected in the 1960s this is no different,I left Orlando for that same reason,and now Tampa is quickly going the same route,I still have a house in Orlando,I can put 6 sheds in the backyard and rent them for $500 a month or $600 a month if I put A/C in them.

When you supply a massive labor force to a city that has little skills what is the outcome?

Hypothetically what would happen say for instance the Democrats win the White House and decide to open the floodgates of immigration and refugees like they want to ?

Tampa is devided into sections,the Hispanics live in a section,then the subsets Cubans,Venezuelan,Peruvians etc. the whites in another,the middle eastern in another and everybody has their own little clicks that mimics the place that they left,with zero ties that bind everybody together as a community, with the main tie being a common language.

Not shure why you feel the need to berate Mississippi,I have never heard them berateing Detroit,just because they do not meet your high standards,the reality is you constantly berate others and to me you are the poster child for elimination of the visa lottery system because for some no matter how much they are offered it is never enough.

[1953]

I do wish they would have included that Oxford comma amendment, though. I'm so sick of the APA style creating ambiguity in sentence structure.

[dtowncitylover]

It is a valid 'law and order' point to define what languages are for official use -- so we all can understand each other.

Is this a problem in Michigan?

[Danny]

I'm not sure English is a official Language in Michigan.

In Detroit, MI. Ebonics is the official language.

In Dearborn [[Dearbornistan) MI. Arabic is the official language.

In Hamtramck [[Hamtramckstan), MI. Sankscript is the official language

In West Bloomfield, MI. Hebrew is the official language.

In Oak Park, MI. Ebonics and Yiddish Hebrew is the official language.

Even in Port Huron there are folks that speak Canadian English.

In Frankenmuth, MI. German is the official language.

In Holland, Dutch is the official language.

In Soo Ste. Marie, MI. People speak 'upper-ish!!'

And in the Amish country in Sanilac County Pennsylvania, Dutch and High German is the official language.

It seems to me that Michigan does not have an official language!

[iheartthed]

Is this a problem in Michigan?

Seriously. It's funny how this doesn't even register as a concern for places where there actually exists a plurality of people who speak a language other than English.

[professorscott]

The actual effect of the law is precisely nothing; as one of the sponsors pointed out, it just codifies an existing practice. The Federal Government has had this [[as a rule rather than a law) for at least several decades. So as an actual useful regulation, it is a useless pile of xenophobic dung.

What it does, in practical terms, is to tell immigrants, we don't like you and we don't want you here. Immigrants tend to be more self-reliant [[that is to say, less government-dependent) than people born here and more likely to start their own businesses. So Michigan can expect less of that based on the message we are sending.

[Bham1982]

What it does, in practical terms, is to tell immigrants, we don't like you and we don't want you here. Immigrants tend to be more self-reliant [[that is to say, less government-dependent) than people born here and more likely to start their own businesses. So Michigan can expect less of that based on the message we are sending.

Well, yeah. That's clearly the message. Trump's dog-whistle nativism has gone local.

I guess Michigan wants to be even poorer and more backward. Let all the talent, prosperity and dynamism go to NY, DC, LA, SF, and other immigrant-friendly locales.

[Richard]

Well, yeah. That's clearly the message. Trump's dog-whistle nativism has gone local.

I guess Michigan wants to be even poorer and more backward. Let all the talent, prosperity and dynamism go to NY, DC, LA, SF, and other immigrant-friendly locales.

You are thinking with feelings instead of looking at the facts,if you cannot look around you and see the effects of a divided community you are either blind or do not want to see.

With some it is either one way or another,the concept of haveing views on something and not being anti is entirely possible.

[JBMcB]

What it does, in practical terms, is to tell immigrants, we don't like you and we don't want you here. Immigrants tend to be more self-reliant [[that is to say, less government-dependent) than people born here and more likely to start their own businesses. So Michigan can expect less of that based on the message we are sending.

So if there are incredible opportunities in Michigan, which anyone from Detroit will tell you there are, an immigrant is not going to move here to take advantage of them because of a law making something that already is a standard a codified standard? That doesn't make any sense.

[aj3647]

So if there are incredible opportunities in Michigan, which anyone from Detroit will tell you there are, an immigrant is not going to move here to take advantage of them because of a law making something that already is a standard a codified standard? That doesn't make any sense.

The message isn't intended for immigrants [[I doubt they would even notice or care), the message is intended for the "base" [[i.e. white people). It's just red meat for the MAGA rubes, they eat this shit up even though it doesn't actually mean anything. It just sounds good to the "Why do I have to 'Press 1 for English', I'm in 'MURICA!" crowd and it signals to them that "hey, we're on your side."

Or, since so many here are fond of the phrase "virtue signaling" as a pejorative term, it's basically just Right Wing virtue signaling.

[Scottathew]

What it does, in practical terms, is to tell immigrants, we don't like you and we don't want you here. Immigrants tend to be more self-reliant [[that is to say, less government-dependent) than people born here and more likely to start their own businesses. So Michigan can expect less of that based on the message we are sending.

Couldn't agree more. It's just useless legislation to throw a bone to the xenophobes.

[Wesley Mouch]

Is this a problem in Michigan?

No.

Not any more than letting this law pass would be a problem.

Doesn't seem to me it matters to anyone except those who live to argue.

I don't think we need it, but I also don't see the harm -- and I don't feel the need to read intentions into advocates and opponents.

[jcole]

No.

Not any more than letting this law pass would be a problem.

Doesn't seem to me it matters to anyone except those who live to argue.

I don't think we need it, but I also don't see the harm -- and I don't feel the need to read intentions into advocates and opponents.

The harm is that it is basically a racist and anti-immigrant policy. It means that all official documents would be written in only English and any one with ESL will be hard put to understand things when they try to read regulations on, say, getting a drivers license or voters reg card. Most immigrants assimilate within a generation, so this largely punishes new immigrants or older people who never learned to read and write English. In our state this is mainly pointed at those of Middle Eastern or Spanish descent. We don't need it; it's a sop to those who want Murica to be Murican.

[Wesley Mouch]

The harm is that it is basically a racist and anti-immigrant policy. It means that all official documents would be written in only English and any one with ESL will be hard put to understand things when they try to read regulations on, say, getting a drivers license or voters reg card. Most immigrants assimilate within a generation, so this largely punishes new immigrants or older people who never learned to read and write English. In our state this is mainly pointed at those of Middle Eastern or Spanish descent. We don't need it; it's a sop to those who want Murica to be Murican.

I try not to think bad things about people. Calling people racists is divisive. [[Although I'm sure it does apply to some calling for this bill.)

If this bill prevents the state from producing materials to help its citizens in other languages, I then would be against it as well. However as far as I know it doesn't prevent the use of other languages -- but does require its use in official paperwork. Yes, that's a burden to non-English speakers. My parents started life as non-English speakers -- as their parents were non-English speakers. They sent their kids to school to learn English -- and they did. They made it through the gauntlet of English-only documents. They got help from friends, relatives, and the community. That's a fine way to help someone learn and use English. My grandparents eventually were able to communicate in English, although not well. They bought land. They built a home. And in the end the raised kids fluent in English who became Engineers, Architects and professionals.

I just don't see that requiring English use in official communication is bad public policy. I like seeing the community work through issues -- its good for everyone.

Yes, there are racists who advocate for this -- but is that reason to oppose -- when there are good public policy reasons to favor?

[Jimaz]

Allway officialsway ustmay eakspay inway igpay atinlay!

[iheartthed]

Allway officialsway ustmay eakspay inway igpay atinlay!

I speak a different dialect of pig-latin. That was hard for me to understand.