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  1. #1

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    Tybee Currents Deadly to Hispanics...lol

    Ok, this takes the cake. You can't save someones life because they are stupid. This man could not swim, but thought venturing out into the ocean was a good idea? Making a sign in spanish would have saved his life? I don't want to see beautiful Tybee Island littered in spanish signs. Maybe I'm hateful, but I really don't think a sign would have saved him. He just plain lacked common sense to keep him alive.

    Tybee currents deadly for Hispanics
    1A | Islands | Local News
    Larry Peterson | Saturday, August 25, 2007 at 12:30 am

    Three of the most recent drowning victims at Tybee Island were hispanic and may not have been able to read the warning signs. (Photo: John Carrington)

    (Photo: Savannah Morning News)

    (Photo: Savannah Morning News)



    Community leaders, safety officials say Spanish-language signs might lessen the peril

    One hot afternoon in 2005, Manuel Munes and some friends ventured into the Atlantic surf just north of the Tybee Island pier.

    The 18-year-old Atlanta resident could not swim. A riptide swept him off his feet, and he drowned.

    Among his beach companions, a police report stated, only one person - a 9-year-old boy - spoke or understood English.

    Munes' death and those of two others have community leaders talking about whether Tybee needs water hazard signs written in Spanish.

    "It's something we definitely need to do," said Councilman Paul Wolff, one of at least five council members interested in the idea.

    Local advocates for immigrants and Hispanics like the idea, too.

    "It very possibly could save lives," said Mariella Orellana of Savannah, president of Community Navigators and Interpreters.


    Deadly waters

    "We are talking about lives being lost," said Martie Kaufman, coordinator for the Latin American Services Organization.

    Indeed, we are: If you're Hispanic and you go to Tybee for a dip in the ocean, you're lots more likely to die than others who swim there.

    Consider the numbers: Three of the nine people - or 33 percent - who have drowned off Tybee Island beaches since 2000 have been Hispanic.

    No one counts Tybee beachgoers by their ethnicity.

    Nor does anyone say anywhere near 33 percent of them are Hispanic. By comparison, census figures indicate that only about 7 percent of Georgia's population is Hispanic.

    Of the three victims, police reports suggest that two - Munes and Jose Hurtado Barrera, who died in July 2003 - probably could not read English.

    The reports offered no clues about the language skills of the third victim, a resident of Spain who drowned in July.

    Wolff said he wanted to discuss signs during consideration of this year's city budget, but he added that the money wasn't there.


    City to consider issue


    But Wolff said he'll take up the matter when the city has workshop meetings in September to start talking about next year's budget.

    "It wouldn't cost a whole lot," he said. "Certainly not more than $10,000 and maybe not more than $5,000."

    Councilwoman Shirley Sessions is on board, too.

    "Anything we can do to save lives that is reasonable. And if we have the data to back it, I'm for it," Sessions said.

    She and Mayor Jason Buelterman are interested not only in Spanish signs but also in ones that use international picture symbols.

    Kaufman and Orellana like that approach, saying some immigrants can't read at all. Other visitors, they add, might read a language other than English or Spanish.

    Councilman Eddie Crone suggests recruiting local Spanish-language publications to promote water safety.

    Wolff, among others, doesn't want to stop with water safety. He would like bilingual or Spanish-language signs to address issues such as littering and sea turtle nests.

    Tybee's situation mirrors that of many seaside towns in other states with increasing numbers of Hispanic beach visitors.

    Communities as near as Hilton Head Island and as far away as San Diego have opted for signs that include warnings in Spanish.

    Lifeguards back signs


    It's hard to prove signs save lives, but lifeguard supervisors around the nation believe they do.

    "I would have to say yes," said Alan Reece, general manager of Shore Beach Services, which guards Hilton Head Island beaches.

    Peter Davis, chief of the Galveston Island lifeguards in Texas, concurs.

    "I've noticed more Hispanic people observing the signs that we have," Davis said.

    Tybee Island lifeguards are not allowed to comment to reporters, but two guards said privately they would welcome such signs.

    The United States Lifesaving Association, the national lifeguards professional group, supports using signs and brochures in Spanish.

    "Our goal is to prevent drowning deaths," said B. Chris Brewster, association president. "That includes educating the public.

    "You want to reach all beachgoers. ... If a lot of them understand only Spanish, you take that into account."

    On its Web site, the association has Spanish-language posters and brochures, which anyone can download free.

    The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration includes association posters and related Spanish-language items on its site.

    But Davis and Savannah Hispanic advocates Kaufman and Orellana said signs are not enough. Many Hispanic immigrants, they said, cannot swim and should take swimming and water-safety classes before braving any beach breakers.

    Others even argue that Spanish-language signs won't work.

    Huntington Beach, Calif., has outreach programs such as Spanish-language comic books and brochures, but no such signs.

    "We have sign pollution," said Huntington Beach Marine Safety Lt. Mike Baumgartner. "Every time a new issue arises, it seems like they put up 400 new signs. I don't think most people read them."

    Nick Lerma, a spokesman for the San Diego lifeguards, feels the same way.

    "There are so many signs out there that people don't fix on them," Lerma said.

    Tybee Mayor Buelterman and Councilwoman Kathryn Williams voice similar concerns, but they said they're willing to consider some signage in Spanish.

    "If we go with pictures, we'll need something that explains them," Buelterman said.

    "Bilingual is something we can look at."

    But Wesley Cox, manager of Lack's Beach Services, reflects what might be a majority view in the life-saving profession.

    Cox, whose company provides lifeguards at Myrtle Beach, S.C., said Spanish-language signs have limited value, but he still believes they help.

    "Even if they save one life," Cox said, "it's worth it."

    http://www.savannahnow.com/node/349010
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  2. #2
    Senior Member sippy's Avatar
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    "Bilingual is something we can look at."
    Way to waste good taxpayer dollars on a worthless sign in spanish. How about THEY SIMPLY LEARN TO SPEAK FRIGGIN' ENGLISH!
    "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same results is the definition of insanity. " Albert Einstein.

  3. #3
    Senior Member crazybird's Avatar
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    All I know is what are they going to do when they find out many of these people can't read either....Spanish or not.
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  4. #4
    Senior Member BorderFox's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by crazybird
    All I know is what are they going to do when they find out many of these people can't read either....Spanish or not.
    That's the truth. Where will it end. Everything written in Spanish and English? Then what about Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, etc etc.
    Deportacion? Si Se Puede!

  5. #5
    ChicagoEd58's Avatar
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    LEARN ENGLISH! By the way it sounds like a good place for a La Raza beach party. I was called into school because I told my son that he had to learn Spanish because ILLEGAL ALIENS are TOO STUPID to learn english! I also told them I had the right to tell my sons the truth. So sink or swim!

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