Let me start this entry by stating that I guess I am probably 97% fluent in Spanish. I speak it well, I have a pretty good accent, and in fact I’m good enough that late at night I watch the programs on the TV stations from Mexico.
Governor Schwarzenegger of California has caused absolute outrage among the Mexican-American community by stating what
is obvious and the absolute truth. He stated that the sooner that immigrants learn to be fully functional in the English language, the sooner they will stop being poor and an under class. This clearly is not the politically correct thing to say at the moment.I have had staff working for me from all over the world. When I was working in El Paso, Texas USA probably 85% of the workers were originally from Mexico, or their parents were. I ran a factory in South Louisiana where most of the workers were either of African descent or Vietnamese. And for the last 15 years I was General Manager of the European division of a multi-national food company. Well over 98% of the people who worked for me were not American, and probably over half were immigrants. For almost 20 years of my life I have lived abroad.
Some of the nicest people I have ever known were immigrants: From Tunisia, Northern Iraq, Morocco, or Mexico. Some were descended from ex-slaves in the Southern United States. There is no question that these parts of the world are just as capable of making fine, decent people as America is.
But it is also clear that the California Guv is 100% correct. The people who become very well functional in the primary language of a country are the ones who prosper. I agree with the Mayor of El Paso, Texas USA that we should welcome immigrants with open arms. But when we institutionalize systems which discourage them from becoming quickly and fully functional in the English language we are encouraging them to stay in the very lowest class.
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Danny Olivas and Bill Richardson are sure 100% functional in the English language. And they also do speak Spanish, just like me. And no doubt they admire much about the Mexican heritage and culture.
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I was listening to an FM radio station yesterday which broadcasts out of Mexico. They ran an advertisement for the Spanish language TV station in El Paso, Texas USA. This ad claimed that the Spanish language station had more viewers during the evening news than all 3 of the English language stations combined. Probably so. But sad. Really sad. These Mexicans are fine people, and by letting them continue to function in Spanish we are essentially enslaving them.
My aunt was a German. She grew up in Germany, went to medical school, and then after WWII married my uncle. She was a really good person. And a deny-er. Denial, denial. She “didn’t know what the Nazis were doing to the jews.” Yea, right. The Nazi soldiers were clearly doing the politically correct thing when they just FOLLOWED ORDERS. But they were PC.
I applaud Arnold Schwarzenegger for having the strength of character to say what is clearly in the best interests of these immigrants.
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I was listening to an FM radio station yesterday which broadcasts out of Mexico. They ran an advertisement for the Spanish language TV station in El Paso, Texas USA. This ad claimed that the Spanish language station had more viewers during the evening news than all 3 of the English language stations combined. Probably so. But sad. Really sad. These Mexicans are fine people, and by letting them continue to function in Spanish we are essentially enslaving them.
My aunt was a German. She grew up in Germany, went to medical school, and then after WWII married my uncle. She was a really good person. And a deny-er. Denial, denial. She “didn’t know what the Nazis were doing to the jews.” Yea, right. The Nazi soldiers were clearly doing the politically correct thing when they just FOLLOWED ORDERS. But they were PC.
I applaud Arnold Schwarzenegger for having the strength of character to say what is clearly in the best interests of these immigrants.