English Subtitles-----Soap Box

Excuse me for a minute while I rant. I have a bone to pick with Hollywood, especially whoever makes the dvd's for rental. It's hard enough to find a decent movie to rent anymore, but then there are added insults thrown into the mix.

I mean, when we put in a dvd to watch, the first thing we do is go to 'set up' and choose the option for 'English for the hearing impaired.' Pilot Dad wears hearing aids and it is much nicer, for both of us, if he isn't having to ask, "What was that? What did they say?"

Now, silly me, but I assumed that since we live in America, and we are renting American movies, filmed, developed, and made, in the good ol' United States of America, and it isn't a "foreign" film where one might expect the subtitles to be in other languages, that English, American English....English for the hearing impaired, would be offered on any dvd that offered subtitles. Am I silly in thinking that?

Because, it has now happened on more than one occasion, we go to 'set up' and look for English for the hearing impaired. But do they offer that option? Oh no! The ONLY option offered for subtitles is in SPANISH!!! That is correct, dear reader. SPANISH! On an American dvd, made in the USA, where English is spoken, where we have a huge population of people who are now hearing impaired (don't you read about the baby boomers are so numerous we are not going to have any money in Social Security to take care of us?---but don't get me started on THAT soap box right now!!) and do not remember their Spanish from high school days, if in fact, they even took Spanish. Maybe they chose French or German. But these same "older" people have no choice but to watch a subtitled movie in a language other than their own NATIVE language...English. You know, the English everyone should be learning when they come to this country. The very same English that foreign countries are requiring their students to learn so they can compete in the world market place. That English is the one I'm talking about.

Instead, we have Spanish printed on CEREAL boxes, people. My goodness, what person doesn't recognize a box of cereal without reading the words??! We were in Mexico in October and went to a Wal-M*rt grocery store. Now, here in the USA, Wal-Mart has all their signs printed in English and Spanish. But, does Wal-M*rt do that in Mexico? NO! Did it stop us from finding a box of Ritz crackers by finding the aisle the crackers were in, and then choosing from the packaging, the ones that looked like Ritz? My goodness!

Is it too much to ask that on our dvd's that we always have the option of subtitles in ENGLISH??!!!! And, if they don't want to offer other options then that is just fine, however, there should ALWAYS be English subtitles offered. Or, NO subtitles at all. That's only fair.

Now, I have dear friends who speak Spanish, who are from Mexico. They desired to learn English when they arrived in our great country. I have nothing against the people...but I do have a lot against the government who has ENABLED the good people of Mexico to choose not to learn English.

Okay. I've gone on long enough. There is MUCH more I could say. But I won't. I will however, take up my pen and write to each major studio producer and let them know of my discontent. And, that I am blogging about my discontent which is read by a vast number of dear, caring people who very possibly could/would choose to boycott their products because they are not offering English subtitles. If you feel so inclined please join me. If not, that is okay too. Hopefully, you will keep your ability to hear and distinguish sounds for many, many years to come. :)