I started to learn english when I was 3 years-old (God I still remember those songs and those pictures with the name in english at the bottom ).

From 3 to 5 years-old I had half the classes in english, then until I was 17 5 hours a week. In the college only two of more than 60 subjects were in english.

I started to learn german and french by myself some years ago, in the college.

Now it is compulsory for every child to learn english in the school (at least in Madrid's Autonomy) since they are 3 years-old.

Only a small percentage of spaniards speak english well, but a good amount can understand it.

We are no good at speaking foreign languages (sweedish, hollish and in general northern europeans are really good), but we are improving our language skills slowly

Fernando

The EU will not erase the cultures of the Countries makeing up the EU...Look at Canada, a country of 10 Provinices and three special territories, each with it's own very destinctive culture with Eastern Ontario, Quebec, and half of New Brunswick speaking French...this will never change...

Booklady: Which man are you asking about Jerk Chirac or Pat Buchanan? Jerk Chirac still thinks he runs France and the rest of the world. Although you can see from the news reports that the average Frenchman thinks about as much of him as I do.

Pat Buchanan, he still sticks his head out in public every once in awhile. Most commonly on the right wing radio talk shows. He came on like gang buster in the 96 primaries, until he got to Arizona. HA, we showed him a thing or two. Him and G.Gordon Liddy are about the last of the old Nixon/Watergate gang that are still around. Even Rose Mary Woods passed away last year.

I have to fote in june for the constitution and I will fote NO.

Why?. My country has an good constituion. The new one would make things on a lot of points worse. I believe in human rights. But does a country that refuse to obay them chance by the constitution. But it's not only about human rights. It's about privatising health, electricity, public traffic and very important about the army forces.

In the Netherlands is a lot privaticed in the last ten years and that showd a lot of bad stuff. General managers that suddenly earn 810.000 euro on year base. Healt incurances that will get in 2006 super expesive and since the privaticing the montly fee went form 7 euro's to 50 euro's to in 2006 96 euro's and less stuff is insured. Hospitals with huge waiting list. electricity en public traffic unpayable. I have read the whole constition and compared almost every points with the dutch one and I can't agree. Sorry

The constitution says on human rights that people are equal BUT that in jobs still is aloud to make promoting rules for woman and colorod people. So we are equal?????? why an exeption then. If somebody discriminate kick his but I would say. The constitution say nothing about gay rights, law above churge and more important stuff. Very very important points because we talking about huge diffrent countries and opinions and the army forces are getting a super strenght.

France and Germany al didn't kept the rules about national debts so why would the EU keep the constitution rules????

After reading this thread, I'm beginning to wonder why we even bothered to fight WWII to free Europe from the Nazis.

Since the whole concept of the new EU is heading exactly where Hitler wanted, why didn't we just let it happen then?

As for the UN, I've gone on record a long time ago as saying it's a corrupt entity that sits on it's collective arses, watching genocide take place throughout the world, quibbling over symantics in how "stern" a warning should be to the people who are killing people by the thousands each day. Those opposed to any sanctions whatsoever usually win, because by the time anything is done, a race of people has once again been summarily murdered.

If you want the UN in Europe, as another crutch for the inability of your individual nations to do anything more than posture at the devil, be our guest. We don't really need it to protect the sanctity and rights of the US.

As for EU, it's turning into a tyrant that will "demand" allegiance from each of its member states in the end. Of course, as Hitler predicted, the powers that make these decisions will be German, won't they?

Wolf

Wolf, althought I share your concerns on UN corruption and its inability to deal with certain international conflicts, I think that comparing European Union, a paneuropean entity created by the main european powers after WWII and blessed by the US, with the III Reich is going quite afar.

There are lots of things to be critized in the EU, and it is far from working correctly. Seeing it as a counterpower to the US, or as a european equivalent to the UN is a big mistake.

Seeing the EU as the union of France and Germany alone, when it is componsed by 25 countries, some of them the main US allies, is giving these pathetic leaders (Chirac and Schroeder) the reason.

Let EU be what it was intended to: a union of nations which wanted to live in peace and preserve freedom, after centuries of killing each other and two world wars which let here a balance of dozens of millions of deaths.

Fernando

Because he was killing million of people and it was based on dictatorship. I think any perons pro ore against the EU constitution doesn't agree with murder and dictator ship. The Eu is based on the diffrent uppinions of countries so that's why we also can say now agains the presentated constitution.

I agree with you Fernando. The EU greated a lot of good things: Spain and France working together agains ETA. Borders gone end you can work and live where you want and much and much more. For that we didn't needed the constitutrion.

Hmmmmmm. Wolf and Fernando,

I'm with Wolf. Seems to me there was a whole lot of treaties enacted prior to World War II. Seems to me that Britain had a treaty with Chechoslavakia. (sorry for the spelling). Didn't seem to matter much. It seems to me, especially in light of the U.S.-Iraq conflict that Europeans are good at making treaties but lousy as expecting anyone to adhere to them. Does it really make any difference to anyone in Europe whether these treaties are passed or not?

Gazpacho,

Treaties - according to historical significance relating to Europe - Have been enacted to "protect" a nation from others. As long as there was Hitler, and as long as there was a Soviet Union, the European community looked west for help, to the US.

Now that the cold war is over, and the big strong beach bully is gone, and the US isn't a concern for war, the 90# weaklings are posturing on the beach to impress the girls.

No matter how you slice it, their Napoleon complex is beginning to show.