UN condemns language policy
Flanders recently decided that people who want to apply for social housing, have to know, or be willing to learn Dutch.
One of the reasons is that still many immigrants don't speak Dutch, their 10year old children have to translate their legal documents and all that. Agreements on who cleans when, who brings the bin out, can't be communicated in buildings with 60different languages (of which non is Dutch)
1 in 6 families in Flanders at least has a 2nd language next to Dutch, which is also (or only) used at home.
UN says: you can't demand from people that they learn your language (or promise to learn it) in order to get a house from the state.
What do you say?
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Daar is de lente, daar is de zon
bijna, maar ik denk dat ze weldra zal komen.
De fallus impudicus staat al in bloei
En de blaadjes krijgen bomen.
M'n vrouw en m'n kat zijn allebei krols
en de klokken vertrekken naar Rome
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Its a stupid law...as long as they fit in, and contribute to the society..there should be no other chains attached.
as far as migration is concerned...i know many westeners who settled in asia..and cant speak the native language.
I agree with the law. When one decides to live in another country whose mother language is different from his own, learning and mastering that country's language will bring many advantages to him, regardless the law itself. He will be able to understand and to make himself understood, he will find help when he's in need, he will find no difficulties in the bureaucratical procedures, he will easily find a job, he will integrate with people and will understand the culture of the country he lives in. This doesn't mean rejecting his own culture and forgetting everything about it: this means to be open-minded and willing to enrich his own culture with the one of the country he chose to live in.
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\"There is no way to happiness...Happiness is the Way...\"(Buddha)
Its a stupid law...as long as they fit in, and contribute to the society..there should be no other chains attached.
as far as migration is concerned...i know many westeners who settled in asia..and cant speak the native language.
as far as migration is concerned...i know many westeners who settled in asia..and cant speak the native language.
The people that get a house from the state in Belgium usually don't contribute to the economy or anything. They get financial support and everything and in most cases the money is just shipped to their home country.
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Happy 2008 to everyone!
Indeed.
Also... people who don't learn the local language have kids too. Those kids go to school with a major disadvantage.They hardly ever get a higher degree, not because they aren't smart enough or not interested, but they just have more language difficulties. Walk around in any European city, and you'll find many 3rd or 4th generation immigrants, who still have a language deficit.
More... People don't have to know Dutch to come to Belgium, like happens in Netherlands. Fine, it wouldn't work here. But all who come here, can get free Dutch lessons, during the day, the evening, the weekend... They get free housing if needed. (human right: everyone has the right of a roof over his head. Not literally, but it's a right) So if they want a bigger, seperate house or appartement, why would they not do a bit their best to fit in?
__________________________
Daar is de lente, daar is de zon
bijna, maar ik denk dat ze weldra zal komen.
De fallus impudicus staat al in bloei
En de blaadjes krijgen bomen.
M'n vrouw en m'n kat zijn allebei krols
en de klokken vertrekken naar Rome
Its a stupid law...as long as they fit in, and contribute to the society..there should be no other chains attached.
as far as migration is concerned...i know many westeners who settled in asia..and cant speak the native language.
as far as migration is concerned...i know many westeners who settled in asia..and cant speak the native language.
And how exactly will they be contributing to the society if they can't communicate with it?
As for the Westerners, they typically have the money to live in those Asian places and aren't exactly lining up to collect the dole there.
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From the sublime to the ridiculous is but one step--Napolean Bonaparte
I agree with the law. When one decides to live in another country whose mother language is different from his own, learning and mastering that country's language will bring many advantages to him, regardless the law itself. He will be able to understand and to make himself understood, he will find help when he's in need, he will find no difficulties in the bureaucratical procedures, he will easily find a job, he will integrate with people and will understand the culture of the country he lives in. This doesn't mean rejecting his own culture and forgetting everything about it: this means to be open-minded and willing to enrich his own culture with the one of the country he chose to live in.
Oh, well said, WELL SAID!!! The only thing I would add is what someone said above--it needs to be this way because sixty languages in one building will only create division; now imagine that on a larger scale.
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From the sublime to the ridiculous is but one step--Napolean Bonaparte
If they decide to move to Belgium, they should integrate. PERIOD Especially if they want to get property from the state. In most other European countries you need to know the state language. Okay, maybe they don't say so, but they only have services in their own language and if you don't know it, you can't use those services.
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Happy 2008 to everyone!