Thread: Arnold's remarks irk Mexicans, whining ensues

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sectio ... id=4632876

Activists Find Governor's Comments Offensive

Gov. Questions How Mexicans Assimilate
KGO By Nannette Miranda

Oct. 5 - KGO - More questionable remarks from Governor Schwarzennegger today about Latinos, saying Mexican immigrants do not always assimilate quickly into American culture. The governor made the comments just as pressure to release more private recordings of other controversial Latino comments ramps up from his Democratic opponent.

For the second time in as many months, Governor Schwarzenegger finds himself in hot water with Latinos, saying today that Mexicans have not tried hard enough to assimilate.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, (R) California: "They are so close to their country here, so they try to stay Mexican, but try to be in America. So there is this back and forth."

The controversial comment comes just when a new poll out last week showed the governor gaining support from that community, with one-third likely to vote for him. But Latino activists say he'll lose ground again because today's remark was also offensive.

Luis Arteaga, Latino Issues Forum: "I'm offended because once again, this governor is making these blanket generalizations about the Mexican community that comes in so many different shapes, sizes and beliefs. And yet he wants to couch us all as un-American."

Last month, aides to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides somehow accessed a server in the governor's office that houses private tapes. They released six minutes in which the governor referred to a Puerto Rican lawmaker as having a fiery temperament.

Private Tape: "They're all very hot. They have black blood in them and the Latino blood in them."

The Angelides campaign has threatened to release more of the private tapes. They too say the governor made offensive remarks.

The governor may have been trying to head off their anticipated release, but might have made things worse.

Prof. Melissa Michelson, Ph.D., California State University East Bay: "I think he put his foot, his ankle and his entire lower leg in his mouth. He really seems to have a misunderstanding about how Mexican immigrants see themselves and their place in this country."

The Angelides campaign didn't return our calls today. Professor Michelson expects Angelides to bring up the Latino comments on Saturday night's one and only gubernatorial debate to help bolster his struggling campaign.

The lawmaker the governor was talking about in the private tape recording is Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia. She has said she was not offended and considers the governor a friend. Meanwhile, the CHP is investigating how the Angelides campaign got those internal recordings, and if any law was broken.

Copyright 2006, ABC7/KGO-TV/DT.

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Any side bets on how long it takes girlie man to recant his statements and apologizes to the poor little Mexicans?

I guess this puts Arnold in the same category with the Pope. God help anyone that offends the Latino's.

God forbid you point out the obvious.

Originally Posted by crazybird

God forbid you point out the obvious.

Yeah. He just thinks that because he's surrounded by barrios where hardly anyone speaks English. What's with him? Didn't they give him a PC blind eye!

Prof. Melissa Michelson, Ph.D., California State University East Bay: "I think he put his foot, his ankle and his entire lower leg in his mouth. He really seems to have a misunderstanding about how Mexican immigrants see themselves and their place in this country."

That's a good thing and will make it harder to pander to that which doesn't exist. How they see themselves is a far cry from what they actually are in this land.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniont...n6govtalk.html


Schwarzenegger under fire again for ethnic comment

SACRAMENTO BEE

October 6, 2006

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger drew criticism yesterday for saying Mexican-Americans have acculturation problems “because they are so close to their country here.”

Democratic lawmakers supporting gubernatorial challenger Phil Angelides charged the Republican governor was once again engaging in “divisive” racial stereotyping in remarks similar to those he made about Cuban and Puerto Rican women last month.

Schwarzenegger spoke yesterday in Los Angeles' Chinatown at a celebration of the Moon Festival, a fall holiday recognized by various Asian cultures, to promote a new law to study relaxed health standards for traditional ethnic foods such as Moon Cakes.
Asked his views on assimilation, Schwarzenegger said being a successful American requires immigrants to learn English and U.S. history in addition to fully engaging in the nation's culture. “And that is very difficult . . . for Mexicans, because they are so close to their country here, so they try to stay Mexican but try to be in America . . . ,” Schwarzenegger said. “And what I am saying to the Mexicans is, you've got to go and immerse yourself and assimilate into the American culture . . . ”

U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, said Schwarzenegger's comments show an “utter disregard” for Latinos. Solis also criticized Schwarzenegger last month after an audio tape revealed that the governor said Puerto Ricans and Cubans have a “hot” temperament.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/...Immigrants.php

Schwarzenegger: Mexican immigrants should assimilate into U.S. culture
The Associated Press

Published: October 5, 2006


LOS ANGELES California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Thursday that some Mexican immigrants "try to stay Mexican" when they come to the United States, and he urged them to assimilate into American culture.

Schwarzenegger's comments came during a stop in Chinatown, where he was asked about assimilation.

Recalling his own experience emigrating from his native Austria, the Republican governor said immigrants should learn English, learn U.S. history and "make an effort to become part of America."

"That is very difficult for some people to do especially, I think, for Mexicans because they are so close to their country here so they try to stay Mexican, but try to be in America. So there's this kind of back and forth," he said.

"What I'm saying to the Mexicans is you've got to go and immerse yourself and assimilate into the American culture, become part of the American fabric. That is how Americans will embrace you," he said.

"That was my ... secret, if there is one, to success. I was embraced by the American people because I love America," he added. "This is my advice. Someone can take the advice, or someone can ignore the advice. It's perfectly fine with me."

Just political, all it is. Maybe Arnold has seen one too many Mexican flags in this state? Supporters of Angelides have to find something to try and discredit Arnold.

After all of the demonstrations in the spring with all the Mexican flags flying, and the chants of "Mexico, Mexico, Mexico!!", I don't see how his statements could possibly be refuted. It is amazing to me that they have the nerve to even try. They should just stuff a sock in it.