Giuliani: Obama's Support Of Bilingualism Reinforces Anti-Americanism

[NYCGirl]

As a New Yorker, I can only say, THANK GOD RUDY'S GONE!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/10/giuliani-obamas-support-o_n_111891.html

I have got to tell you: I've been staring at this clip of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani disparaging Barack Obama's contention that Americans should strive to learn foreign languages for about fifteen minutes now, and I've come to believe that the best argument for bilingualism is that I just can't find the English word that captures how perplexingly stupid this man is. I have to imagine that there's some thirteen syllable German word out there that sounds like one's sinuses being forcibly cleared that does this trick.

Basically, Giuliani believes that learning a foreign tongue is "a terrific thing." I should think so! Americans have to compete in a global marketplace economically, and there's no end of talk about how we're in desperate need of language specialists to serve any number of national security purposes. But Giuliani seems to think that Obama, by encouraging people to learn Spanish, is taking away from English: "English should be the basic language of this country." In the first place, there is no "should be" - English is, in fact, the basic language of this country and that is in no way under any sort of threat. In the second, do you know what's really useful to those who teach Spanish-speaking immigrants English? KNOWING HOW TO SPEAK SPANISH.

Also, Rudy says that Obama's popular in Europe because he reinforces "anti-American feelings." Know what's really reinforced feelings of anti-Americanism? President Bush and his policies! And that guy went to Yale and still speaks our mother tongue like he was Jar Jar Binks. Rudy Giuliani: what a shonde.

FILMCLIP AT LINK

[A-Schwarzenegger]

1. Few people have ever heard that all of the 9-11 hijackers spoke Spanish.

:*

[baldguy]

2. "The business of America is business."

How often have you heard this saying? Obama's point is that multilingualism allows us the opportunity to sell our stuff to other people. Multicultural respect is just a side benefit.

But I guess RW GOP luddites would rather starve than be contaminated with foreign ideas.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. Giuliani is just pissed because he doesn't know how to say 9/11 in Spanish.

[rinsd]

6. ZING!

[blondeatlast]

9. Ouch! Good one! LOL! nt

[SuperTrouper]

10. LOL!

[AspenRose]

13. Senator Biden is that you?

:rofl:

Love it :-)

[high density]

4. I was watching a part of Koppel's show last night on China...

The Chinese kids were learning English at school.

[Oleladylib]

5. and what the hell nationality is the ghouli and can we deport him?

[NYCGirl]

7. He was born in Brooklyn, so no. NT

[Egnever]

8. Holly shit someone picked up the rock!

I had hopes he would stay hiding under it licking his wounds. Oh well good to see you out there running your mouth again rudy. It's nice to know the ass kicking you were handed didn't improve your intelligence one bit.

[ErinBerin84]

11. ah, xenophobia.

great way to court the Hispanic vote.

[vaberella]

12. I'll never know how my State voted for this guy as Mayor. Ugh!!

[NYCGirl]

15. The state didn't vote for him, New York City did. Which is a much bigger mystery,

considering how Democratic NYC is.

[blondeatlast]

14. He's just mad 'cause he said "nuevo/eleventy" and got called on it. nt

[leftynyc]

16. I think I'm remembering correctly when

I say that Rudy speaks fluent Italian.

[blogslut]

17. Great snark about a sleazy, insipid man

I've come to believe that the best argument for bilingualism is that I just can't find the English word that captures how perplexingly stupid this man is. I have to imagine that there's some thirteen syllable German word out there that sounds like one's sinuses being forcibly cleared that does this trick.

[NatBurner]

18. what a useless dork

rudy? please. stfu, k? thxbye