Do high schools teach Chinese these days?

[Deja Q]

Are we going to create a group of linguistic translators?

China is an oppressive communist country; the very antithesis of freedom. Why does America's interests openly support China, as they have for 25+ years?

Forgive me, but I am pro-America and pro-Amrican way of life. This is one of the things I agree with my Republican counterparts about, and they are hardly happy with the offshoring to India either.

Forgive me, but I was raised believing communism was wrong. Russia was evil. China no better. It's not the people it's the style of government.

And yet we choose to support them. And the people who want isolationism also don't see how using foreign countries' peoples' and supplies for our personal gain is only going to worsen things. (homeland security would surely involve being SELF-CONTAINED. You know self-reliance, another Republican mantra...)

I know I can't do anything about your world. But I sure as hell will gripe about its lunacy while the freedom to do so remains.

Edit: Spelling

[hobbit709]

1. About 30 years ago

Robert A Heinlein had this advice for any young American who wanted to get into space-Learn Mandarin or Japanese.

[Peregrine]

2. I think you may be confused

Republicans are the biggest supporters of our open policies to China and to offshoring jobs to both India and China (among others).

All of these policies are driven by their rabid pro-business desire for more campaign contributions.

[Ezlivin]

3. Don't need to: Kids are picking up the language by reading labels

Everything the child needs is made in China. Just by reading labels the kid will be bilingual.

[mainer]

4. You know, you're a little behind the times.

It's not "Red china" anymore. It's turning into "capitalist" China. Communism, as we think of communism, is now dead there. China has embraced the idea that people are free to be entrepreneurs.

And the Chinese are beating the US at its own game.