Thread: Don't let them mass "categorize you".

My husbands family came legally from Mexico, a couple of generations ago. Hence I have a Spanish last name.

I find living in Southern CA that people assume that I can not speak English, and send me things in Spanish, due to my surname.

Today we rec'd a mailing in Spanish from Time Warner Cable.

I called the number and told them that I found it very offensive, that they assumed that because I had a Spanish surname that I was not an American citizen.

I told them that since American citizens have to speak English to be a citizen, then to send me details in Spanish, was like they had assumed I was not a citizen.

The women on the help line noted that I live in Southern CA and so was close to the border.

I asked her if they sent all of the people in the northern part of the country who lived close to the French Quebec provence of Canada, all their documents in French because they lived by the border of Canada?

I said if you have a Chinese last name to you send all details in Chinese? If you have an Italian last name do you send all details in Italian?
If you have a Korean last name do you send all details in Korean?
If you have a Japanese last name do you send all details in Japanese?

I said that I found the entire thing discrimination, that because of my last name you just assumed that I was NOT an American citizen because I could not speak English.

I found it insulting.

They said that in the future I should just throw out the mailing. I said I have done that in the past, but that I felt that if I kept doing it, then it meant that I was OK with their practice and I was OK with them doing it.

I am not OK with it and I find it highly offensive.

Anyway, if any of you ever get these mailings, please call and raise hell.

If we are silent and do not complain then they think if is OK.

cjbl2929: Do you call a Mexican company when they make a mistake? I don't have a Spanish name and I still get waste mail in that language. What an uncontrolled invasion in American there is

Maybe the passports for Americans will fix some of the immigration problems.

Corporate America and illegals deport them all to Mexico.

Good for you for complaining. And were I really evil, I would demand everything written in Gujurati.

The problem can be easily resolved by our government, if they make English the ONLY language in America and don’t accommodate others that don’t speak the language. If people want to speak other languages they can do so in their homes and/or if in the company of those that understand their language of preference.

I can appreciate how you felt offended cjbl2929. I was in a store yesterday and the woman behind the counter at a local grocery store spoke to me in Spanish only (I live in a Sanctuary City). I very politely told her that I only do business in English, the language of America. She told another cashier ( speaking in Spanish) that I was rude and they exchanged a few expletives about white people in general. And then laughed in my direction. I pretended I didn't understand until I left the store, and then I said to her in Spanish, that she was the one being rude, first for not speaking the language of her host county as I would speak Spanish if I were living in her home country and second for making racists comments about an entire group of people and third for saying unkind things about me, a valued customer.

Her mouth was open and her eyes got huge, and she didn't say anything to me after that, I thought it was sad but also kind of funny!

This is a form letter I got from the Congressman from NY regarding making English the only language of our country. Gotta love the double talk! Such Nonsence! Smile (and sarcasm mixed in)



Dear :

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for making English the official language of the United States.

While I agree that everyone who lives in the United States should be encouraged to learn English, I am concerned that legislating an official or national language could have potentially dangerous consequences. There are times when it is absolutely imperative for the United States government to communicate in languages that everyone within our borders can understand. In such instances, anything that would inhibit this could prove to be perilous.

In order to protect American citizens, the government must be able to disseminate information to everyone who could be impacted in languages that they can understand. For example, in the case of a flu epidemic, it is critical that everyone, regardless of their proficiency of the English language, have access to information to prevent further outbreaks. It is not difficult to imagine floods, explosions, and many other scenarios in which the government must be able to communicate in many languages in order to protect everyone.

Above all, the government's primary responsibility is to protect its citizens. I believe that legislation to declare an official or national language is contrary to this responsibility, which I take very seriously.

I appreciate your taking the time to contact me, and of course, if I can be any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Sincerely

GARY L. ACKERMAN
Member of Congress

Originally Posted by ELE

In order to protect American citizens, the government must be able to disseminate information to everyone who could be impacted in languages that they can understand.

What a dolt! Americans, including those who are naturalized, speak English. You can't pass the test if you don't speak English. He's really saying he must protect those immigrants here on visas and the millions of illegals here who refuse to learn English.

Was there spanish on the outside of the envelope? If you get one again, put NOT AT THIS ADDRESS and then ENGLISH ONLY in big letters across the front of it and have it sent back.