Knowledge is Power!

The past few weeks have seen a lot of discussion, compassion & animosity regarding the thousands of children crossing our Southern border. Gov. Haslam had a little hissy fit; Gov. Bentley says "We got this". Unaccompanied children are being placed with sponsors all across the 50 states, and most of these children speak the Spanish language.

Now, what side of the immigration issue one comes down on is their own personal business. Me? I say we have to treat these kids as a Christian should, until the point they can be either deported back home or assimilated into our society to become a productive citizen, legally, over time. *Just for fun - I think it normally takes about 5 years to become a US citizen. 

Which is leading me to my point, albeit the long way around. That point is - learning a second language is essential in today's world!

"Let them learn our language, I ain't learning Spanish. This is MY country & English is the official language". Well..  yes & no.   Yes, they need to learn English to be functional in this country. And no, English is not our official language. It is the #1 language spoken in the US, followed by Spanish. *For fun, guess what language is the most common language spoken in Alabama, after English and Spanish?

But, here's my real point. WHY would someone not want to increase their earning power? That's right -- earning power! With our state, our country, and the world changing, it now PAY$ to know another language. Business is global. WE are global.

Obviously, Spanish would be the most useful in this region. We have friends, neighbors and business owners who are Hispanic. If they present to the ER and can't speak English, that ER nurse who is bilingual has an immediate impact on getting that patient the care they need. What about the ESL teachers? I went on a field trip with eldest grandson a couple of years ago, and the translator was amazing. She was able to walk those children through what was happening around them without missing a word. She translated every English word so they were a part of it all. I imagine by now those sweet, well behaved kids have learned English. Kids are so smart!

The social work field would be another where a 2nd language would be beneficial. Can you imagine the fear, if social services had to step into a family situation and remove children then to compound that, they can't understand the language? What about in a courtroom? Have you ever witnessed court translators in action? Executives in the boardrooms across America have a distinct advantage if they have command another language.

And the seldom mentioned sign language. I watch them on the tv and am amazed at the magic their hands impart. I am amazed that this language exists for the non-hearing among us. American Sign Language is a bit more specialized than verbal language, and that also makes it very important.

These skills, these 2nd or even 3rd languages, mean M O N E Y for the job applicant. Maybe I am too old to learn enough functional language to matter much, but my kids and grandkids aren't. Knowing and using another language puts you ahead of the game, earns you better dinero!  So break out the Rosetta Stone, or take some courses! Don't ever let public sentiment or antiquated thinking keep you down!!

Knowledge is POWER!

*Oh yeah, the 3rd most commonly spoken language in Alabama is German.