Learning English was something to be personally proud of in the past. My neighbors in Sterling Heights came to this country from Italy and spoke no English when they arrived. My neighbor once told me that within 1 year of landing on US soil they learned English, and from then on, they didn't speak anything but English in public. She said that they knew if they were ever to become American, regardless if the INS said they were citizens or not, they needed to learn English.
This isn't the case with Mexicans. They want us to cater to them and speak Spanish to them, and to provide this and that and everything else in Espanol. That is an attitude problem. It smacks of laziness, it goes against the old mantra, "When in Rome" What makes them think they are special or different from the Pols, Chezcs, Russians, French, Germans, Spanish-speakers, Chinese, Italians, or Japanese who came here in the past and learned English?
I have nothing against people who speak English as a second language. I'm not asking Mexicans to perfect their understanding of English. I'm not asking them to give up Spanish. I'm just asking that they make a reasonable attempt to learn English to the point where they can interact in America (An English speaking country) and not limit themselves. I just want them to do what the other immigrants throughout history have done when they came here. It would be a win-win situation.
