Turn off the TV, says Arnie - if they're speaking Spanish

[min0 lee]

I agree with the big guy, every other ethnic group made an effort to learn english.

SAN FRANCISCO - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's remarks that immigrants should avoid Spanish-language media if they want to learn English quickly left some Hispanic journalists shaking their heads.
"You've got to turn off the Spanish television set" and stay away from Spanish-language television, books and newspapers, the Republican governor said Wednesday night at the annual convention of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. "You're just forced to speak English, and that just makes you learn the language faster."

Schwarzenegger, who immigrated to the U.S. from Austria, was responding to a question about how Hispanic students can improve academic performance. The audience included many journalists who work for Spanish-language media outlets.
"I know this sounds odd and this is the politically incorrect thing to say and I'm going to get myself in trouble," he said. "But I know that when I came to this country, I very rarely spoke German to anyone."
Some members of the audience said they were surprised by Schwarzenegger's comments.

"I'm sitting shaking my head not believing that someone would be so naive and out of it that he would say something like that," Alex Nogales, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, said Thursday.
Nogales said immigrants need Spanish-language media to stay informed and "function in this society."
Pilar Marrero, the political editor for the Spanish-language newspaper La Opinion, chuckled at the governor's comments, saying many Hispanics did not have time to learn English.

"They're too busy working," she said.
Rafael Olmeda, president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, said most NAHJ members would agree with the governor's statements.
"Most people I've spoken to walked away believing that he was trying to say that we must learn English to succeed in American society," Olmeda said.

The governor's office said the statements were no different from what he has said before.
In a 2006 editorial published in the San Jose Mercury News, Schwarzenegger said English-language immersion was the best way to learn the language.

In October, the governor was criticized by Democrats when he said some Mexican immigrants "try to stay Mexican" when they come to the United States and urged them to learn English and U.S. history and "make an effort to become part of America.

Schwarzenegger has garnered more Hispanic support than most Republican governors in the past two elections, despite some seemingly anti-immigration blunders - such as praising the Minutemen border militia group on a talk radio show.
On Wednesday, Schwarzenegger also lauded President George W. Bush's push for immigration reform, saying the country has its first opportunity for change in decades. But he said the Senate's current immigration reform proposal, which failed last week, still needs more fine tuning so it can be enforced.

 

[MCx2]

Arnie rules.

 

[DOMS]

The man is a god among men.

 

[maniclion]

They don't have time to learn English is what these people are saying.... and what Arnold is saying is that since they don't have time they need to expose themselves to the English language as much as possible....

Those Hispanic journalists need to stop reading newspapers and pick up some Critical Thinking for Idiots books or Objective Perception for Dummies...

 

[min0 lee]

LiveLeak.com - Shwarznegger;You Must Learn To Speak English.

 

[maniclion]

LiveLeak.com - Shwarznegger;You Must Learn To Speak English.

Just like the guy at the end said "get the story and get your story straight.." id est don't read into something what you want to hear, just write what you heard. Arnold isn't saying lose your Hispanic heritage, just that if you immerse yourself in the culture you are trying to become a part of it will happen much easier than if you fight against it thinking you will lose your ability to speak Spanish or make a burrito...

 

[NordicNacho]

So whats Bush's excuse?

 

[Vieope]

If they learn the language really well, I am sure they would prefer to get a better job or a better education. Would you like the competition? A few years ago I watched on tv americans complaining that well educated chinese were getting their IT jobs.

 

[min0 lee]

It's not a bad thing to learn English.
Hispanics seem to demand we speak spanish, I don't like being forced to speak another language in my own country.

 

[min0 lee]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

BigDyl often confuses this with When in Greece, do it Greek.

 

[NordicNacho]

I live in Cali and I would 99% of second Generation Hispanics speak English. You try learning english after cleaning houses, washing cars, mowing lawns, picking strawberries 10 hours a day and raising your kids. Typical conservatives don't tax us thats big government, but its all right for us to force people to speak a language we what them to. Some Nerve!

 

[min0 lee]

I live in Cali and I would 99% of second Generation Hispanics speak English. You try learning english after cleaning houses, washing cars, mowing lawns, picking strawberries 10 hours a day and raising your kids. Typical conservatives don't tax us thats big government, but its all right for us to force people to speak a language we what them to. Some Nerve!

If the germans, Italians, Greeks and Irish didn't complain about learning English what makes the Hispanic so special?

My mother learned English and she did all of the above with no problem.

 

[DOMS]

I live in Cali and I would 99% of second Generation Hispanics speak English.

Sure, it's so common to find a Mexican that speaks English that Mexican is written all over the products in the stores and the signs at public services.

You try learning english after cleaning houses, washing cars, mowing lawns, picking strawberries 10 hours a day and raising your kids.

Tough shit. They're here in this country (mostly illegally). I really don't care if they learn English, I just want them to get the fuck out.

Typical conservatives don't tax us thats big government, but its all right for us to force people to speak a language we what them to. Some Nerve!

Conservatives? Talking out your ass again? Democrats are more likely to bitch about big government, not conservatives. If for no other reason that their party isn't in the White House.

 

[NordicNacho]

If the germans, Italians, Greeks and Irish didn't complain about learning English what makes the Hispanic so special?

My mother learned English and she did all of the above with no problem.

I wasn't there but Im sure alot of first generation Europeans it took them a while. Also a lot of hispanics don't come here to live just to work and move back. Whats the point of learning English if you can get deported back at a moments notice. I blame Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and Bush for this mess. The 500 billion we spent in Iraq so far would of built a 100 foot fence. We can't kick them out we would have a revolt We could fix it in a minute just fine a company 200,000 for each illegal imigrant they have working for them. No bullshit just fine them ,but this will never happen cause Big Companies need them and the Republican need them.

 

[DOMS]

Also a lot of hispanics don't come here to live just to work and move back.

No, they're coming to squat.

 

[NordicNacho]

They come here to work. You ever been to Mexico? Its a shit hole where 5% of the population controls all the wealth and the othe 95% are dirt poor. I'd cross the border if I had to live and work there.

 

[DOMS]

They come here to work. You ever been to Mexico? Its a shit hole where 5% of the population controls all the wealth and the othe 95% are dirt poor. I'd cross the border if I had to live and work there.

Yes, I have been to Mexico. And yes, it's a shit hole. The problem is that they are coming here and turning it into a Mexican-style shit hole.

 

[NordicNacho]

Yes, I have been to Mexico. And yes, it's a shit hole. The problem is that they are coming here and turning it into a Mexican-style shit hole.

I wouldn't say that. I live in La and its not a shithole and since where the 7th largest economy in the world we must be doing something right and the funny thing is we have the most illegal immigrants. I just wish the south would suck it up and stop draining are tax dollars. California and New York can't fund the federal Government by ourselves. Im betting that the 400 billion we have spent in Iraq would have buildt a fence about 300 feet high and we could have had 100,000 troops on the border instead we got a desert shithole that just keeps on giving. Nation Building sure is Fun Got to love Republicans big government, big spending, and low taxes it works great till you have to pay the tab.

 

[NordicNacho]

The Outstanding Public Debt as of 16 Jun 2007 at 02:54:26 AM GMT is:



The estimated population of the United States is 302,169,994
so each citizen's share of this debt is $29,244.47.

The National Debt has continued to increase an average of
$1.27 billion per day since September 29, 2006!


You got 30,000 grand laying around you want to donate Doms. Freedom is not free



U.S. National Debt Clock

 

[DOMS]

I wouldn't say that. I live in La and its not a shithole and since where the 7th largest economy in the world we must be doing something right and the funny thing is we have the most illegal immigrants.

I'm from LA. Huge chunks of LA are shit. And there is a direct correlation between the Mexican population and neighborhood quality. Hell, it's like that everywhere. Even here in Utah. Most of the Mexicans live in Ogden (which isn't even the largest city in Utah). Care to guess where the highest crime rate in Utah is?

Keep in mind that the economy that your boasting about grew to its height before the beginning of the Mexican invasion.

 

[NordicNacho]

Our Economy is booming most shit people buy in this country comes from china so it goes through are ports we got the most public colleges. Tech is still big, agriculture, Movies, TV and so on. Where doing so well we only get 80 cents on the dollar that we send to the federal government which I guess goes to the redneck red states.

 

[DOMS]

Our Economy is booming most shit people buy in this country comes from china so it goes through are ports we got the most public colleges. Tech is still big, agriculture, Movies, TV and so on. Where doing so well we only get 80 cents on the dollar that we send to the federal government which I guess goes to the redneck red states.

The economy is due for a correction. Which has nothing to do with the topic of Mexicans.

Like I said, the Mexicans are coming here to live the American life. They're coming here and dragging down this nation.

 

[NordicNacho]

I just don't understand the math. The South is bringing us down by sucking all our money.

you guys are sucking us dry time to start earning your own money. To bad we can't ship those hicks back to mexico maybe they would work harder after a few years down there.

http://www.taxfoundation.org/UserFiles/Image/Blog/ftsbs-large.jpg

 

[emitecaps]

Why should Mexicans bother to learn English. The government and everyone else provide documents in Spanish so there is little incentive to learn english. It's also absurd that we don't ahve an official language and in another 20 years I wouldn't be surprised if Spanish becomes it. I'm not racist but if you come to a new place you should intergrate and not expect everyone to adapt ot you.

 

[NordicNacho]

Why should Mexicans bother to learn English. The government and everyone else provide documents in Spanish so there is little incentive to learn english. It's also absurd that we don't ahve an official language and in another 20 years I wouldn't be surprised if Spanish becomes it. I'm not racist but if you come to a new place you should intergrate and not expect everyone to adapt ot you.

How have you had to adapt? Conservatives are funny they dislike the government telling them to do with their guns, money, but its alright to make everyone use the same language, or they have to pray in school, they can't have a abortion, they can't marry, they can't join the military, they can't adopt kids, they can't kill themselves. Anything I miss And they seem to like wiretapping without a judges consent, or looking up what libary books you checkout.

 

[soxmuscle]

I love it. He couldn't have said it any better.

 

[Little Wing]

i have friends online from italy, germany, france... they all speak english. they apologize for not being more fluent in it while i'm simply amazed at them knowing any. most americans i know only know english. vanity speaks italian, french, and english.

i think arnold has a good point n the whining, to me, seems stupid.

 

[kbm8795]

How have you had to adapt? Conservatives are funny they dislike the government telling them to do with their guns, money, but its alright to make everyone use the same language, or they have to pray in school, they can't have a abortion, they can't marry, they can't join the military, they can't adopt kids, they can't kill themselves. Anything I miss And they seem to like wiretapping without a judges consent, or looking up what libary books you checkout.

You forgot banning library books they don't like, too.

As for adaptation, either there is a lot of general ignorance in this country or it seems to willfully encouraged. Sociologists for decades have studied the acclimation process among various immigrant groups, and it is generally the second and third generations who fully blend into a new culture. It isn't unusual for first generation to continue using a native tongue no matter what country they emigrated from. America is filled with enclaves in cities of cultures from all over the world - they weren't developed as tourist destinations but as islands of community created just as often because of the prejudice against the group as it was for some degree of comfort as people adjusted to living in a new country.

This means the history of much of this country, even in the smaller towns, is full of stories of local newspapers printed in German or Hungarian or Italian or Portuguese, along with churches which for years continued conducting services in a native language. Rural towns in this country often were named for the places the bulk of the immigrants came from in Europe and the population in some places still reflect a heavy cultural influence from that heritage. None of those people suddenly started speaking English ten minutes after landing on our shores.

 

[kbm8795]

i have friends online from italy, germany, france... they all speak english. they apologize for not being more fluent in it while i'm simply amazed at them knowing any. most americans i know only know english. vanity speaks italian, french, and english.

i think arnold has a good point n the whining, to me, seems stupid.

Well, Arnold might have finally learned English, but after 37 years in this country, he can't seem to get rid of that heavy accent. If people can learn how to speak other languages, shouldn't he learn how to talk more like an American?

Hell, some southerners for years have tried teaching their kids to get rid of the drawl. . .and many of them do. Yet Arnold still hangs onto that foreign accent.

 

[kbm8795]

Hahahaha. . .

Governor's no stranger to Spanish
By Kevin Yamamura - Bee Capitol Bureau

Spanish-speaking immigrants can view Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's state Web site in Spanish, where he declares himself a man of the people: "Arnold Schwarzenegger: El Gobernador Del Pueblo."

They can listen every Saturday to the governor's weekly radio address, translated, on Spanish-language stations around the state. And they could have watched the governor last year on various Spanish-language news programs or in Spanish-language campaign commercials.

After Schwarzenegger said Wednesday that immigrants who want to learn English should tune out Spanish-language media, critics questioned why the governor has devoted himself to bilingual communication if he thinks it poses a hindrance to the Latino community.

"He's inconsistent," said state Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles. "If immigrants did what he said, nobody would have watched his campaign ads. Nobody would have watched him on (Univision public affairs show) 'Voz y Voto.' "

Schwarzenegger, responding to a question on how to improve the performance of English-learning immigrant students on the state's high school exit exam, said one good way would be to "turn off the Spanish television set. It's that simple. You've got to learn English."

Those remarks seemed to contradict the message sent by the governor's campaign last year. Schwarzenegger advisers often touted how they used Spanish-language outreach in ways unprecedented for a Republican.

The governor aired campaign commercials in Spanish. He met with Spanish-language daily La Opinión, where he made a point of renouncing his past support of the anti-illegal immigrant Proposition 187. He hired Arnoldo Torres, a political consultant who once co-hosted "Voz y Voto," to run Latino outreach.

Schwarzenegger's campaigns also benefited financially from the growth of Spanish-language media. Former Univision Chairman A. Jerrold Perenchio has given nearly $4 million to Schwarzenegger's political causes since 2003. Perenchio gave an additional $4.3 million to the California Republican Party last year, when the party financed advertisements to help Schwarzenegger win re-election.

Politics - Governor's no stranger to Spanish - sacbee.com