Actually the Spanish language is not being shoved down our throat BigMac... it may seem that way - but there is no way we'll ever be "expected" to read or learn Spanish - nobody can make us do anything, due to contrary belief.
The fact that Spanish has been taught in our public schools and college institutions for years - does not equate "shoving it down our throats."
I will agree that there are many more businesses now that have bilingual signs and employees, but it is only to help those along who cannot speak our language.
I agree that to become a legalized citizen it would be great if everyone could learn English and use it well, unfortunately that's not realistic. There are many other nationalities aside from the Hispanic population that don't speak or interpret our language - but reside and have citizenship here.
It's interesting that you brought up the plaque on the Statue of Liberty Whirlwind... although it's a representation of our Declaration of Independence from England, it commemorates the gift from France - which represents the true liberties we hold dear as a country comprised of all nationalities, and was originally used as a "welcome" for all new incoming immigrants to Ellis and Liberty Islands to see what our nation held in store for them; to come to a new nation which sole purpose was to embrace all cultures in a free society. Yes, there is a lot of irony to this, when there were prejudices in the Irish, Italian, Jewish slums, but it was a plaque to give hope to new immigrants. So although it may seem like a crock, it actually should still represent that our nation is a free nation - one to embrace cultures and peoples of many nations.
I agree - our FF were still racist in many ways, and did not see all men as created equal, but those obsolete documents from 200+ years ago shouldn't really have relavance to the fact that we as Americans should try to be welcoming of the differences we have in our cultures here.
I think the bottom line of this whole post has somehow become distorted and way off-track. The celebration of the Hispanic culture shouldn't have anything to do with whether or not the Hispanic people can speak English or if they expect us as Americans to "cater" to them to speak their language. It is a representation of their pride in their heritage... just as a Jewish, Irish, Greek, Indian person or any other nationality has the right to celebrate their ancestory and origin.
It's too bad that in these messages we have to get off track with prejudice and destructive words.
It has taken me a long time to overcome many of my own prejudices (I'm still not 100% there) but to study another culture can only help enhance and broaden our horizons.

"as for being forced to read spanish, don't most instructions come in many languages? that is a business decision npot a gumamint decision, and business knows which side of the bread has the butter." jpj
You know better, those are not even close to cause and effect. They print other languages to add to their base.

As for the shoving it down throats, what do you call it when it's unwanted? Do you figure the child rearing public for blind as to the language situation? Has there been an outcry to teach our children another language? Lacking that, it's shoving. Such rationalizations as yours would make adoption of dual language a self fulfilling prophecy.

Assimilation to, or denigration of the extant culture. Is SACA Spanish for seperate but equal?

so then teaching algebra is also shoving it down their throat since if you grow up to be a garbage collector you won't need math skills.

there are probably about 1 billion spanish speaking people south of the rio grande, and right here in our sphere of influence. as they gradually become freer and develope their economies those people will be customers who will want to buy american products rather than the crap coming from china.

don't you think it would be wise to prepare our future generations with the language skills and tools to make that a reality?

see it's not about saca or anything so small potatoish as that.

it's about evolving into the future rather than clinging to the past.

all who wish to cling feel free.

those who have vision will not only evolve but they will be in control of their own evolutionary developement.
those markets will evovle and will be our future. those who are wise will prepare themselves to take advantage of what is inevitable.

Additionally, I think learning foreign languages actually helps in learning English better.

Thanks for stating exactly what I was thinking, and saying it so eloquently. Now I don't have to do all that typing!