US ignorance of outside world a threat

[TheAnvil 0]

That's an interesting read. I also read once that a Soviet fellow stated that one of the best ways to weaken America would be to destroy her educational system from within.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[AdD 1]

Maybe if any of the members of the US administration who planned the attack on Iraq and the subsequent occupation had learned to speak a little Arabic or made any attempt to understand the region the US wouldn't be facing the problems it has there today. Also, as someone who speaks a second language I have found that it has increased my knowledge of english substantially, especially in terms of etymology. Not to mention the other benefits mentioned by ppl on this thread.

Life is ez
On the dz
Every jumper's dream
3 rigs and an airstream

[crapflinger2000 1]

bah!

__________________________________________________
What would Vic Mackey do?

[AdD 1]

The "They hate freedom reply" makes me want to puke every time I hear someone mention it. HORSESHIT .

Life is ez
On the dz
Every jumper's dream
3 rigs and an airstream

[riggerrob 558]

I don't think we mostly speak English out of pride. Rather, why bother? The only people who may need to learn another language are the folks in the southern border states.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Yes, I have worked in two factories in a Southern United State where English was the minority language.

What about the different dialects of French spoken in Maine and Louisiana?

If you ever want to work as an instructor at a major American DZ, you had better learn a few phrases in several foreign languages, I had to.

Where I currently reside - about an hour North of the U.S. border - English is rapidly becoming the minority language. Local TV and radio stations routinely broadcast in English, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, etc. and when my car radio "gets creative" it plays Punjabi music!
Hee! Hee!

[kallend 1,646]

Quote

for the language-discussion: there was a statistic on how many people in the u.s. actually speak english and how many don't use it at all. if i remember right, english-speaking people weren't the majority – anybody help me out with numbers?

I think there are about 30 of us left.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[TheAnvil 0]

Dude, surely you don't believe the US problems over in the MidEast are due to the Iraqi invasion. I'd say several things cause us problems over there. Including, but not limited to:

- Israel. The US has always supported Israel. Prime stressor.
- Iran. US support of the fallen Shah of Iran and his brutal internal police in the '70's - SAVAK I think they were called - pissed off the Farsi speaking section of the region. We're slowly recovering from this.
- Jihads proclaimed against western culture and people by radical Muslim clerics.
- USS Vincennes incident

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!