Why Aren't You Speaking English? Controversial

This is an interesting controversy. What do you think?

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“Why Aren’t You Speaking English?”
A Texas senator is receiving praise and criticism.
By KTRH STAFF

During committee testimony this week in Austin, a Texas senator interrupted a Spanish speaker telling him he should "be speaking in English" during a committee hearing.

Antolin Aguirre of the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition was testifying against Senate Bill 9 that would help crack down on illegal immigrants in Texas. Aguirre spoke through an interpreter even though he had been in the U.S. since 1988.

Two minutes into Antolin Aguirre’s testimony, Sen. Chris Harris, a Republican from Arlington, interrupted asking Aguirre’s interrupter, "Did I understand him correctly that he has been here since 1988?" Harris asked. "Why aren’t you speaking in English then?

Read more: http://www.ktrh.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=121300&article=8719378#ixzz1PY7d2n7g

I just posted this on Facebook. I am standing and applauding this man for saying what the majority of Americans are thinking and sick of! LOVE this Texas Senator! He asks a Mexican who has lived in the US since 1988 (23 years), who CAN speak English, why he is speaking Spanish through an interpreter in front of congress, arguing against a bill about illegal immigrants. THIS is what is wrong with illegal immigrants! They come here breaking the law and thus they do not think they have to learn English. ON the contrary they feel that we need to cater to them and print books and labels in their language and that we need to learn Spanish to appease them! NOT IN THIS AMERICA!! We need this to end!!

If we went to any other country, (ILLEGALLY to live and take jobs), we couldn't go to them and tell them that we want them to start to speak our language and print everything in our language because we deserve it!

I work in a workplace full of bilingual people. They make me feel a bit stupid as I can't seem to catch on to Spanish. Perhaps this Texas senator is just stupid like me...

That's insane Tower monkey. Why should he have to learn Spanish?

You live here speak the language.

How can you live in a country for almost 25 years and still not speak the language? I can't understand why someone would want to limit themselves like that.

They should have dismissed him since he either cannot or will not speak english. They should have also checked his immigration status to make sure he was legal also.

OmniScience wrote: How can you live in a country for almost 25 years and still not speak the language? I can't understand why someone would want to limit themselves like that.

My grand parents came her legally in 1901, they never spoke English, I never spoke Italian. My uncles, all 11, served in WW2, Both my grand parents had to get pics taken and registered during the war.they did all and complied. Never complained Language means nothing , they sacrificed as much for this country as the pilgrims.
Narrow minded bigoted BS. You make me question .......never mind. I don't want to hate you racist scum. I would prefer to think you are all just really stupid.

Why should he have to learn Spanish?

Out of respect, I'd imagine ----

Chances are, the individual in question knows English, but not fluently enough to provide complex testimony on a political matter.

So - he chose to speak Spanish, and utilize an interpreter.

You know what someone who speaks two languages is called? (Bi-lingual)

Three or more languages (poly-lingual)

One language (American).

I don't agree with the superiority complex being communicated by Mr. Harris.