Spanish speaking firefighter exam offered again

[Guest partyrock]

guess what boys and girls the country has no official language. So if the city of newburgh decides tomorrow that they want an all spanish speaking force they can go ahead and do that. I am so friggin tired of seeing guys on my job get disgusted with a family that can't speak english, when they have made no attempt to learn any spanish. These same guys will then will go on and on about their old world parent or grandparent who doesn't speak a lick of english, yet was able to make it in this country and raise his family. Its our job to serve our community. Not the community we come from, but the community we work in.

[EXDC203 38]

AMERICA................ENGLISH OR GET OUT

(I dont mind your native launguage, but if you want to live & work in this country, you should learn ours.)

[Guest]

  Its our job to serve our community.  Not the community we come from, but the community we work in.

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What if the community we serve is the community we come from? Your telling me, it's my duty to learn a foreigner's language that has recently moved into my neighborhood, when I was born and raised here? Are you friggin kidding me! Do the FDNY members that work within the China Town area or those that work in the heavily populated Russian and Ukranian areas of Brooklyn speak these languages? How about requiring FDNY members to learn Arabic, so they will be able to communicate and serve those neighborhoods that are predominately Muslim. Yeah, like that would ever happen. It's time to stop drinking the Kool Aid Lads. Wake the F*CK UP!

[Guest]

guess what boys and girls the country has no official language.  So if the city of newburgh decides tomorrow that they want an all spanish speaking force they can go ahead and do that.  I am so friggin tired of seeing guys on my job get disgusted with a family that can't speak english, when they have made no attempt to learn any spanish.  These same guys will then will go on and on about their old world parent or grandparent who doesn't speak a lick of english, yet was able to make it in this country and raise his family.  Its our job to serve our community.  Not the community we come from, but the community we work in.

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I figured someone would bring this up. While its completely accurate, the issue of creating an "official" language has been bounced around in Congress for quite some time. Today, roughly 97% of the population supports making American English the official language. It's also interesting to note that currently 25 states have American English as the official language - including California, Colorado, and Alaska. None the less, American English has been the long standing (200 years) linguistic tradition of this Country. That has to, should, and i think does stand for something. Our Judicial, Executive and Legislative bodies of government utilize tradition/precedence on a daily basis. Why should this be any different?

Its my personal opinion that no one, who is already is fluent in English (AKA born and raised here), should have to go out and learn another language. On a domestic level, i think its unacceptable - militarily it serves a whole different set of mission parameters. A large part of the issue today, as i see it, have to do with both the resistance to integrate and a general lack of opportunity. Illegals aside, a sizable portion of legal immigrants have yet to master or bother to learn American English. On one level, there is the issue of opportunity - how will he/she/they learn English. Local/state/federal programs are out there but are often not advertised and most often private alternatives are out of the question due to financial reasons. On the other hand, i have sensed some resistance to fully integrate into American society. I'm not sure why this is the case, maybe its a heavy sense of pride for ones country of origin, but it distresses me when i see other country's flags flying on peoples cars, lawns or out of windows.

Granted, you do what you want - but this country is a melting pot, not a periodic table of elements. I guess what im saying is that we are all the product of immigrants who have contributed to American society and given up a previous identity to assume that of "American." Sure my grandparents were/are proud Italians, but they were proud Americans first - they gave that up and made a commitment to this country once they walked out the gates of Ellis Island. It's what makes this country so unique and great.

Either way, the situation becomes more difficult to hash out once you include the illegal population.

As far as serving the community in which your tasked with protecting, you are no doubt 110% correct. However, because i am not fluent in a foreign language that may be prevalent to the area i work does not translate into a poorer service when i happen to be working.

Just my 2 cents.

Edited April 11, 2007 by 66Alpha1

[eckyphats 0]

Bienvenido Estados Unidos! Ahoro hablo ingles!!!

(I think that's right)

Translation: Welcome to the United States! Now speak English!!!

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Amen to that, I refuse to learn another Language for the people that are moving to america

[ace84 100]

City of Middletown FD is also giving a Spanish language civil service test for Firefighter

[helicopper 1,050]

It's also interesting to note that currently 25 states have American English as the official language - including California, Colorado, and Alaska.

As far as serving the community in which your tasked with protecting, you are no doubt 110% correct. However, because i am not fluent in a foreign language that may be prevalent to the area i work does not translate into a poorer service when i happen to be working.

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English is also the INTERNATIONAL language of aviation - worldwide! It was decided a long time ago that it would be too dangerous to have pilots or air traffic controllers up there speaking different languages so they are required by the FAA, EAA, etc. to speak English. (shocking that I would come up with this trivia, isn't it?

Alpha, you're absolutely right that foreign language skills don't mean better care or worse care/service BUT - even someone who is able to geby by with English (instead of their native language) may not be able to effectively convey a medical complaint, signs symptoms etc. so being able to speak a second language is a definite plus. In a crisis, someone is also likely to lapse into their most familar language which may not be English.

Thank you EFD for finally putting to rest the notion that the whole test is given in Spanish... That was getting old!

[IzzyEng4 427]

The problem is guys is that the United States of America does NOT have an official language and never has. Every time it has come to a vote in recent years, it has died before getting to the house.

Also remember, we could be speaking German right now since the Continental Congress voted to speak English, which one by one vote. This was that whole thing about not being like England and the King anymore.

Also when this continent was settled remember the language break up it was all native American dialects first obviously but the European settlers break up of spoken languages in what is now the USA area were roughly:

Spanish - 50%

French - 25%

English - 20%

Dutch - 5%

Remember those two big chunks of land around, one around the Mississippi River which was French and everything else and Florida was owned by the Spanish??????

Now when the good ol' US of A government took over those parts way back when, you think they would have done something back then??? But they didn't, why, because there were too many people who spoke those languages that had to learn English to communicate and the government also believed those people shouldn't lose their identity either. Same thing with the Irish, Italians and Chinese who spoke their native languages yes we all for the most part learned English but in out neighborhoods we spoke our languages in our neighborhoods, those first generations.

Now lets take for example our friend to the great white north, Canada where 35% of the population, if not more, speaks French and the rest speak English. These two languages were made the official speaking communication languages of the country (as well as the native Eskimo languages, if forget their proper names). If our government set that up way back when then we wouldn't have to go through this.

I'm all for being able to speak 2 languages but if this issue has to have a happy ending then the title should be "English shall be that official communication and business language of the United States of America" to hold any weight.

You have to look to the past to understand the future.

(My next history class will be held on Monday Morning 7AM, bring your own breakfast)

[Guest alsfirefighter]

LOL. Still gotta laugh at ignorance.

That's ok...if I still had to get the job...I would put myself on the spanish list for fire and PD. And while most of you would stand in the corner with your thumbs up your a$$es, thinking that by speaking louder, slower or yelling that there would be a immaculate understanding of english...I'd have my patient care begun, the problem figured out and have our profession and service looking professional. You know what our goal should be.

[Guest]

I don't know about the rest of ya, but I know one thing for damn sure and that is, if I was to move myself and my family to a foreign land, which by the way would be done legally, where the majority of the nation's population didn't speak my native tongue, you could bet your a**, I would insist on myself and my family members to learn the native language a.s.a.p. and not wait for a tragedy to happen to realize the importance of such. Also, until we all grasped the basics of such language, where we could at least get by, when speaking it to the natives of the land where I CHOSE TO MOVE TO, I would at least make sure I had the installation and maintenance instructions on any safety devices, such as SMOKE DETECTORS and FIRE EXTIGUISHERS, translated for me, so I could ensure the SAFETY of me and my family! That is of course, if the manufacturers of the products I bought, were not considerate enough to have these instructions already printed in my native language, where I would not need such a translation, such as done in this Country for those that move here and refuse to adapt.

P.S. Ones laughing at ignorance, is anothers crying at liberalism!

Edited April 13, 2007 by LongShanks

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Longshanks...I agree with you and think the same. I can assure you I am nowhere's near the left, lol.

I just believe that there are those whom are looking for the pursuit of hapiness. I can't say that I don't want them to learn the language, in fact I think its beneficial to do so. I just also believe you still, and I applaud fire services leaders whom also, have to do what you must to protect your citizens with what is there. I learned Spanish because I got tired of being frustrated at not being able to treat patients the same way I would if I could get information. And with the amount of resume jockying I see all the time, things I even did to strengthen my resume, learning a second language is just another of them.

Alpha...I'm actually shocked at your stance a bit and we normally agree. You know why I think its a good idea that there is a second language requirement to graduate high school? It is a academic challenge and speaks of great intelligence to do so. Perhaps the way second languages are taught might be a way to get some in our soceity that only speak "english" to actually speak "english." The school system is already often being dummied down as it is.

Resistance to fully integrate into american society? How so. We have a large demographic of "americans" I can think of that have for hundreds of years. Perhaps I pride myself in a little culture. I'm scottish decent, so if I go out wail on some bag pipes and wear a kilt I'm resisting? I have a scottish flag tatoo....does that make me less american? Call it what you want but we're still the melting pot of the world. Does that mean many of the cultural groups out there today are resistive because there are portugese/american clubs, Christopher Columbus Soceity for Italian americans and so on. I have no problem seeing another flag, no different then supporting a sports team, I've seen those same persons flying the american flag on their house.

I don't give a $hit what language you speak, what religion you follow, what flag you fly on your jalopy....I give a $hit about one thing....LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT! You don't have to speak english to love this country. I love being amercian so much I served my country and I'll defend her till the day I die. From foreign and domestic (liberals) enemies. Comprende? Compreenda? Comprenez? Verstehen Sie? Capisca? Begrijp? Understand?

Besides would spanish chic's be so friggin hot without that accent? God Bless Puerto Rico!

[Oswegowind 17]

Another Point in this argument is being mulled over in another thread. 911 can't help choking victim! So as to say...if the supervisor spoke spanish and the caller needed help in spanish and he refused to help isn't that the same thing????? Services need to be available whether in language or in assistance training! Everytime one of us figures out a newer safer way to help others it should be shown to everyone, patient care or firefighting or law enforcement is no secret! The more you know the more you can help!!!!!!!! Open your minds and accept what has happenned here in America, it is too late to stop it, now we must adapt as emergency services workers and overcome all of the challenges that we may face as the times change! And as ALS said earlier, there are not many native americans on this website, so our heirs most likely spoke another language and we just lost it through laziness!!!! Part of my family decent is from Italy, another from Denmark, and some were from Gibraltar Spain...So, I learned Spanish, took a little Italian, and forget about Danish...that is all German to me!

[Guest partyrock]

Izzy, ALS, and Osewgo, thanks for saying something. this thread was starting to get a littel one sided.

I did a some work over seas for a little over a year, and had no time to learn the language or much of anythig about the country before I went over. Within my little community of foreign workers(mostly american) I had little trouble getting around. As soon as I had to step out into the real world it was a flipping nightmare People were generally happy to help me get by. It was so hard I left a well paying gig with a future for my life as a civil servent. Chinese is just not a language I will ever understand.

If I were in these peoples shoes, I would be do whatever it takes to get into this country. Legal or illegal. Few places have as much to offer someone willing to work for it. I spent most of my teen years and college life working in kitchens, on lawns, and on houses with the same people who can't speak english, are mostly illegal, and usually supporting a family somewhere. Yeah alot of skells are just here ridding the system, but many many more are busting their a**, getting ripped off at every turn beause they can't do anything about it.

The system is broken. There is no benefit to doing it the legal way. It takes so long and is so complicated its just not practical for the majority of the people who need it. If you get in or illegaly or over stay your visa it is actually easier to stay than it is to get in in the first place.

[Oswegowind 17]

That is another great point. It is very difficult, the whole citizenship thing. It is costly, appointments are made at their discretion and you either make it or lose your money. Trust me, I know firsthand. My wife is a permanent resident (green card holder!) She is a nurse and sometimes it is hard for us to do our schedules. Then they give you a date and you have to make it...no matter what. Talk about throwing a wrench in things. She is already legal but wants to be a citizen, growing up she wanted to come to America because of the opportunity here, and she did learn English at the behest of her parents. But now she had to miss her swearing in ceremony because she was working, not in the ER but training to be an educator on bioterrorism, hospital staff first receivers. A very important class for her and her hospital! Now we are waiting to see if they will allow her a second chance at the ceremony. Hopefully it is not while we are vacationing in Disney. But there have been many days that we could go, that we were not chosen for but they had ceremonies. Just needs to be more flexible,....people have lives!