Thread: Pledge in English, Spanish sparks anger

www.mywesttexas.com

11/14/2005
Pledge in English, Spanish sparks anger
Ruth Campbell
Midland Reporter-Telegram

By Ruth Campbell

Staff Writer

Youngsters throughout Midland Independent School District participated in the recent Veterans Day celebrations -- some with a multicultural flavor.

At DeZavala Elementary School, Principal Dalia Benavides said many students are recent immigrants or their parents are native Spanish speakers. In the first part of their Veterans Day program, students said the Pledge of Allegiance in English and Spanish and entertained with songs in both languages.

"We say it in both languages because we have so many of our students come here and they don't speak English. We want to cultivate patriotism," she said.

"We don't want to wait until they learn to speak English to teach them about patriotism and service to our country," she added.

A recent Letter to the Editor in the Midland Reporter-Telegram said some schools in Midland say the Pledge in Spanish and questioned the need for things to be put in Spanish and English.

Midland County Republican Party Chair Sue Brannon echoed the letter writer's sentiments. When immigrants come to America, she said they should speak English, come here legally and go through the proper channels.

"I feel like English is the No. 1 language," Brannon said. "This is our country and if they're going to live here, they need to learn to speak English."

She said it costs "tons of money" to print ballots, for example, in both languages. And when we travel to other countries, you don't see English everywhere.

"I don't know why the U.S. needs to be an exception. I feel like I have rights also," she said.

Republicans welcome Hispanics to the party. "Democratic values have left a lot of our Spanish people and they have come to the Republican party because they believe in the same values I do -- family, country and religion."

Superintendent Robert Nicks said each campus makes its own decisions on issues like saying the pledge in English and Spanish.

"With DeZavala Elementary being the school for our recent immigrant program, I'm sure that plays a role in their decision," he said.

Felipa Lara, president of the local LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens) chapter, said Travis Elementary also says the pledge in both languages.

"I don't see the problem É To me it's like translating anything else," Lara said.

"To me it's not an issue. It shouldn't be an issue. We have more severe issues than that. ÉStudents when they're saying it (are) still honoring the American flag in their own native language. Even the kids that are non-Spanish speakers are learning it," Lara said. "Some people are not willing to accept the fact that we are the majority and we continue to grow."

She said Hispanics make up about 32 percent of Midland's population.

Research indicates the best time to introduce children to a foreign language is when they're young. "It's just a tremendous asset to be bilingual. In most countries of the world, learning multiple languages as part of their school program is almost a given. Only in the United States, we don't accentuate it," he said.

Well, 32% doesn't sound like any MAJORITY TO ME. WHAT a FOOL.
I am sick unto DEATH to keep hearing how we are catering to these people who are, whether LEGAL or ILLEGAL, coming to our country and taking advantage of ALL of our systems INCLUDING an education. By God, they can start their English lessons with the Pledge of Allegiance. That sounds like as good a place as any to start.

It's just a tremendous asset to be bilingual

How? What is the asset for the average American? Everytime this statement is made it is usually associated with Spanish.

In two years of living in South Korea I learned how to say hello, thank you, ask where the restroom is and a few other key phrases but in no way did I attempt to learn Korean fluently. What would be the point. After being back in the US my need to speak Korean has been zero. I don't plan on leaving the US anytime in the near future and if I do it would most likely be to visit Ireland or England.

When I was in school the issue of a foreing language didn't come up until High School and you had to take two years of a foreign language to be ready for college. Why are we pushing foreign languages, especially Spanish, on elementary age kids and even preschoolers?

QUOTE:
At DeZavala Elementary School, Principal Dalia Benavides said many students are recent immigrants or their parents are native Spanish speakers. In the first part of their Veterans Day program, students said the Pledge of Allegiance in English and Spanish and entertained with songs in both languages.

"We say it in both languages because we have so many of our students come here and they don't speak English. We want to cultivate patriotism," she said.

Lady, you don't even know what patriotism is. You are promoting the national heritage that you brought here packed inside your suitcase.
You're not promoting American patriotism by any means. You are promoting division, animosity, and an "attitude" that could be devastating for this country.

You are promoting this: DON'T ASSIMILATE, MAKE "THEM" (meaning the American people) ASSIMILATE TO YOU. That is what YOU are promoting.

Go home, use your education to help "fix" the problems in the country that you came from. If you really loved your home country, you would have never run away from the problems there, you would have worked to fix them. The American people have not left their country. You are a very "rude" visitor. Your parents did a poor job in raising you. They forgot to teach you some "principles", Principal !

And, by the FASTEST MEANS AVAILABLE.

I think we ought to start promoting French or German programs for our elementary students. Or, even better, Latin. Just give those idiots a taste of their own medicine. Let them see how they are going to like it when THEIR children are forced to learn a language of a country that they will probably never see.

RIGHT !! I want "Freedom of Choice In Language" for my children. Let them choose, French, German, Russian, Chinese, all of them!!

This is DISCRIMINATION against other immigrants !!

Heck!! If America is going to be a country where we have no common language and support no common culture, then get out the books, WE ALL want our old heritage back, even if it was from seven or eight generations back.

TEACH GAELIC !! AND SPELL IT RIGHT !! GAELTACHT !! I WANT MY HERITAGE OBSERVED, RESPECTED, AND PUT INTO ACTION!!

There are a lot of people who would have liked to just be "plain Americans", but since all these people want to "squash" that concept, than GET MOVING ON ALL OF OUR OLD HERITAGES !! GET MOVING, NOW !!

I WANT MORE THAN SAINT PATRICKS DAY. I WANT IT ALL !! GIVE IT
BACK !!

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST IRISH AMERICANS. GERMAN AMERICANS. SWEDISH AMERICANS. FRENCH AMERICANS. CANADIAN AMERICANS.

Maybe we can come up with enough holidays to where there is never work and school!! But instead we can learn all about Mult-culturalism.

DISCRIMINATION

And serve Shepards Pie for lunch in the schools. Serve it tomorrow. AND
Fish on Fridays for the Catholics. It's still observed in Ireland...SO it MUST be observed here.

AND...they should "pay me" for "damages done" for the lost time my children have had and I've had, in not having been supported in preserving our "original" culture and language !! This is a catastrophe !!

All this "Americanism and American way" was "forced" upon us and now we realize the damage!! PAY UP.

Lawsy Mercy!! I had NEVER REALIZED what they had DONE to us, Legal. Thank you SO MUCH for bringing it to my attention. WE WANT TO BE TAUGHT ERSE!!

I think we ought to file one of those class action lawsuits like the African American descendents of slaves have filed. We could file it against the government for ROBBING US OF OUR HERITAGE. SURELY, SURELY we DESERVE SOMETHING for that.

Wonder how we are going to decide exactly which language we want to take?? That was why I suggested Latin since MOST, but not Erse/Gaeltacht, languages are derived from.

Quote article:
Youngsters throughout Midland Independent School District participated in the recent Veterans Day celebrations -- some with a multicultural flavor.

This is a silly way to describe non-Americans.

Quote article:
"We say it in both languages because we have so many of our students come here and they don't speak English. We want to cultivate patriotism," she said.

These "youngsters" should be assimilated properly, which means learning the language of our country.
The more I read about us literally bending over backwards, to appease a bunch of alien lawbreakers, irks the hell out of me! I dont care how old they are, the law is the law.

They should have NO privileges until they are FLUENT in English. Their PARENTS should have no privileges until THEY are FLUENT in English. SCRAP all of those ballots, applications for Welfare, school papers, etc. that are printed in Spanish. Hand them the damn things in English and either they will figure them out or they won't know what's going on.

SIMPLE!!!