By OnMilwaukee Staff Writers   Published Mar 13, 2005 at 5:34 AM

{image1}Being single can be exciting, but it can also be lonely. So, OMC wants to know from single folks of all ages: Is Milwaukee a fun place to be single? Is it a good place to meet a significant other?

E-mail us at soundoff@staff.onmilwaukee.com and if picked, we'll post your response next Sunday. Only submissions that include your full name and where you live will be considered.

Last week's question: Should Milwaukeeans learn to speak Spanish?

Terrence Dempsey
Milwaukee

Absolutely! And they shouldn't stop there! Having traveled around Europe and South America, it is embarrassing when I encounter people who speak three, four or five languages and I have to tell them I only speak two: English and Spanish. If we are truly a first world country and consider ourselves to be educated, we should embrace languages and want to learn as many as we can.

We as Americans, citizens of the Melting Pot of the World, should not shun the opportunity to be educated in a language other than our own, but instead consider it a privilege to be able to further educate ourselves. NEVER STOP LEARNING!

Kevin Arrowood
Waukesha

Absolutely not. I do not understand why the Latino community has such a hard time assimilating. No other immigrant group has been so adamant about refusing to learn what should be our national language: Americanized English. You know when in Rome do as the Romans do, the same should go for the United States. I'm not asking for anyone to give up their heritage, but rather compliment theirs with ours. It would be selfish of me to move to (insert non-English speaking country here) and expect them to change all of their paperwork and signs to English on my behalf.

Scott Assenheimer
Milwaukee

This kinda sounds like someone said, "I'm Latino, everywhere I look is Latino, I think everbody should take my heritage" and asked a dumb question. Only in America would you expect to come to a country and arrogantly ask everybody else to speak your language, instead of the traditional language of the locals. Well, I'm German. Some of my friends are Sicilian and Italian. I also know some Indians, some Arabic and some Polish people, not to mention my Somali cab-driver friends. I could use those languages on an everyday basis, not Spanish (even though I speak it). If it was me, I'd try to learn the language of the indigenous population instead of trying to force my language on everybody else.

Rose Beyer
Milwaukee

As much as I believe in learning new languages, I think as long as you live in a country you should perfect your skills in the language of that country. Do not forget your heritage but become a dedicated citizen of your chosen abode.

Jennifer Steitzer
Milwaukee

I think it's a great idea for all public schools to teach a second language. It will add to the value of our children. I do not think it should be limited to Spanish, however. All other languages are important.