"Okay it's time to learn Spanish"
Yes, Mexican immigrants must learn to speak English. I work as an ESL teacher with adults so I know adult immigrants do want to learn English. Unfortunately most of them don't know how to learn English. Just showing up at the class and occassionally writing down a few words is not the way to learn anything. Education and learning are a complicated subject.
But just as most people would agree that immigrants should learn English, we, their children should learn and master Spanish. I absolutely hate hearing a Pocho speak lousy Spanish. The American accent is okay; to this day I can't roll my "rr's" but proper use of Spanish grammar is essential.
This is a many pronged issue.
If we as Chicanos can't speak Spanish then we are diluting and discrediting our contribution to American Society. As a Chicano I like to think I am trying to promote the image of Latinos. I like to think I am trying to improve myself and to take advantage of the education and career chances that exist in this country etc. Yet if I can't speak Spanish then what kind of Mexican am I?
If we say American Society should allow us Latinos a place in high level jobs because we can offer alot then I would say we should offer bilingualism. If a Chicano can't speak Spanish then how different is he from a non-Latino American applicant? I don't want to be just a "Brown American".
(NOTE: a corollary to this discussion discusses buisinesses posting signs in Spanish or government offices printing info in Spanish. That's a different issue and I'll address that separately)
Also, if you as a Chicano can't speak Spanish then you may see a Mexican immigrant get a job you wished you had. Far too many Chicanos can't speak Spanish but they protest the need for affirmative action etc. Ironically when protests to hire Latino people succeed in increasing the hiring of such people, too many Chicanos can't get the job 'cuz they don't speak Spanish well enough to do the job.
In the past I applied to be a city cop for a large Calfias city. I applied as a bi-lingual police cadet. I had to go through a Spanish interview where an elderly Mexican man, a Spanish teacher, quizzed me in Espanol. I passed the test but I was sweating there for a few long minutes. The fellow before me, a light skinned Chicano, a little chubby, a little tapado looking had failed the oral test. The elderly maestro was consoling him but the look of disdain in the maestro's voice, and face was obvious. He must have been thinking, " Ay mijo, por favor aprende su idioma!"
I also applied for the California Higway Patrol which was also looking for Spanish speaking officers. I drove up to San Francisco and was interviewed by two Chicanos who could barely speak Spanish! I passed the test but when I walked out I vowed I would learn la idioma de Cervantes!
Along this line I watched with amusement a news story on TeleMundo television. There was a community event to encourage kids to finish high school etc. The reporter interviewed a female teenager who spoke Spanish and said until she had entered this mentoring program she had alot of bad influence in her life and she was in a "ganga" and now she was more confident in her success in life etc.
I almost fainted when I heard ths because the word "ganga" means a discount sale at a store. The poor kid meant to use the word "bandilla" ( "bandilla-bandito", remember the Frito Bandito?) But hey! At least she was trying to speak Spanish!
But just as most people would agree that immigrants should learn English, we, their children should learn and master Spanish. I absolutely hate hearing a Pocho speak lousy Spanish. The American accent is okay; to this day I can't roll my "rr's" but proper use of Spanish grammar is essential.
This is a many pronged issue.
If we as Chicanos can't speak Spanish then we are diluting and discrediting our contribution to American Society. As a Chicano I like to think I am trying to promote the image of Latinos. I like to think I am trying to improve myself and to take advantage of the education and career chances that exist in this country etc. Yet if I can't speak Spanish then what kind of Mexican am I?
If we say American Society should allow us Latinos a place in high level jobs because we can offer alot then I would say we should offer bilingualism. If a Chicano can't speak Spanish then how different is he from a non-Latino American applicant? I don't want to be just a "Brown American".
(NOTE: a corollary to this discussion discusses buisinesses posting signs in Spanish or government offices printing info in Spanish. That's a different issue and I'll address that separately)
Also, if you as a Chicano can't speak Spanish then you may see a Mexican immigrant get a job you wished you had. Far too many Chicanos can't speak Spanish but they protest the need for affirmative action etc. Ironically when protests to hire Latino people succeed in increasing the hiring of such people, too many Chicanos can't get the job 'cuz they don't speak Spanish well enough to do the job.
In the past I applied to be a city cop for a large Calfias city. I applied as a bi-lingual police cadet. I had to go through a Spanish interview where an elderly Mexican man, a Spanish teacher, quizzed me in Espanol. I passed the test but I was sweating there for a few long minutes. The fellow before me, a light skinned Chicano, a little chubby, a little tapado looking had failed the oral test. The elderly maestro was consoling him but the look of disdain in the maestro's voice, and face was obvious. He must have been thinking, " Ay mijo, por favor aprende su idioma!"
I also applied for the California Higway Patrol which was also looking for Spanish speaking officers. I drove up to San Francisco and was interviewed by two Chicanos who could barely speak Spanish! I passed the test but when I walked out I vowed I would learn la idioma de Cervantes!
Along this line I watched with amusement a news story on TeleMundo television. There was a community event to encourage kids to finish high school etc. The reporter interviewed a female teenager who spoke Spanish and said until she had entered this mentoring program she had alot of bad influence in her life and she was in a "ganga" and now she was more confident in her success in life etc.
I almost fainted when I heard ths because the word "ganga" means a discount sale at a store. The poor kid meant to use the word "bandilla" ( "bandilla-bandito", remember the Frito Bandito?) But hey! At least she was trying to speak Spanish!
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