Hola
One thing I feel strongly about is keeping our culture alive. As Chicanos we are the alloy of several different cultures and enthnicities so there's a lot to choose from. I am trying to support Latino owned businesses and unique perspectives on the world.
I have a way for you to suport my efforts! Check out my shopping cart at Shop.mex-i-can-ink.com and you'll find a load of unique Chicano type items.
Yes, it's too late for Valentine's Day but it's not too early for Mother's Day!
Some Americans say department stores should not have signs in Spanish. I have heard these signs cited as evidence that immigrants don't want to learn English. (Yes, that is a very weak argument that "Those immigrants don't want to learn English, just look at the signs in the discount stores with Spanish!" As if the immigrants are the ones who put up the sign! Yes, it's moronic but fools say what fools say.)
I try to point out to people that stores try to sell to their target population. If I store has a lot of Spanish speaking people in the neighborhood then it makes sense to put up signs in the store that speak to those people.
Many years ago I worked selling radio commercial air time for a Spanish language radio station here in Santa Clara CA. I worked for Radio KNTA 1430 am radio. Radio Canta.
I was in Hayward CA talking to the owner of a supermarket and he joked that in his neighborhood he should advertise in Farsi because he had a majority of Afghanistani people living there. As I looked around I could see the Middle Eastern looking people and women in bright scarves etc. It was hard to disagree with him.
So, if a store wants my business then they should speak my language and ostensibly I speak Spanish. In San Francisco CA, many stores and banks have signs in Chinese; maybe 'cuz there are alot of Chinese folks over there.
Now, governmental offices with Spanish translations etc.
I do think people who are American citizens should be able to speak English. I think few people would disagree with that. But the reality of American immigration policiy crushes this otherwise logical perspective. If America allows refugees from Cambodia or Somalia to enter this country and then gives them welfare and other services then it makes sense to publish pamphlets in their language. Of course these immgriants should and will learn English but that takes time.
(The cruel reality that no one wants to say is that most immigrants admitted as refugees are illiterate in their own language so they cant' read those pamphlets in Cambodian or Somalia language; neither can many Mexican immigrants read Spanish either but let's not go there. Ironically, the immigrants who can actually read their own language are the ones who will benefit most from these foreign language materials. These educated immigrants would have benefited the most if they had stayed in their country too. The illiterate immigrants are the ones who need the most help but it'soften too difficult to help the most needy so the govt helps those whom it can help the most easily. More on this in another post.)
American immigration policy or lack thereof and Mexico on the other side of the painted line, makes the flood of Spanish speakers inevitable. How can you keep them down on the farm when they can just run across the border?
Consider also that along that broder it is common form Mexican citizens to work in the USA or get daily shopping permits that allow them to come and spend money over here. Franchise stores that sell along the border quite rightly post signs in Spanish and use those signs in other cities far from the border. Makes sense to me.