Thread: Right in ALIPAC's backyard

William,
Here's a little something Lou Ann thought you might enjoy.

To Lowe’s Companies, Inc.:

As a proud American, I believe that three factors helped to make this country great: the rule of law, a common currency and a common language. For the past 200+ years, these elements have also stimulated a commercial environment like no other in the world and have provided companies such as Lowe’s Companies, Inc. the opportunity to prosper at unparalleled levels.

It seems as though with each visit to one of your stores, more Spanish language signs become evident. It is my firm belief that companies and any other entities that discourage the use of a common language are inflicting great harm on our society. I find it unfortunate when businesses that have so benefited from our American economic liberty now use that freedom to degrade our own cultural and ultimate financial well-being.

I would be happy at any time to further discuss this issue and its negative implications related to our country’s future.

Lou Ann Anderson

The reply from Lowe’s:

Dear Mr. [sic] Anderson:

Thank you for your recent inquiry with Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Lowe's believes that the number one priority of the company is to focus on the customers' needs and find ways to meet those needs. Many of Lowe's Hispanic/Latino customers speak little or no English. Helpful signs in Spanish are just one way we are meeting the needs of this rapidly growing customer segment.

Thank you for your suggestion, and if you have any further questions or comments, please send them to wecare@lowes.com.

Sincerely,
Rebecca
Lowe's Customer Care

Lou Ann’s reply:

Thank you for the response regarding my comments on Lowe’s use of dual language signs. I well recognize your marketing strategy. My comments address the consequences of your strategy.

You mentioned customer needs and on one thing we agree – this “rapidly growing customer segment� to which Lowe’s is pandering is becoming needier and needier, especially in the areas of education, health care and incarceration. Resistance to speaking a common language greatly increases these costs. Companies and other entities accommodating this resistance also contribute to growing financial burdens being thrust upon productive, law abiding, English speaking American citizens.

For instance, as schools continually complain of not having enough money, recognize that major financial resources that could positively impact all students are funneled to bi-lingual programs that only benefit non-English speaking (often illegal) student populations. As one regularly hears reports of skyrocketing health care costs (could that correlate with your “rapidly growing customer segment�?), keep in mind that one aspect of escalating costs involves providing translators throughout medical encounters to again accommodate non-English speaking patients. These resources could be spent upgrading facilities and/or equipment that could benefit all patients, but instead, money is directed to assist those with high demand levels for services yet a low interest level for assimilating into American society.

Are you aware of the legal issues facing Juan Robles Gutierrez, the driver of the bus carrying Hurricane Rita evacuees that caught on fire resulting in the death of 23 passengers? Gutierrez was not only an illegal alien, but one of the points specified in a recently filed civil lawsuit alleges, among other things, Gutierrez’s negligence stemmed from his inability to speak English. Lowe’s can certainly view dual language signs as a “helpful� customer amenity. Sadly, those bus passengers learned the danger of dual languages. True “helpfulness� for Mr. Gutierrez and his passengers would have come from his knowledge of this country’s language so as to have had communication skills that perhaps could have avoided or minimized the effects of this tragedy. True service (and public safety) comes from a cohesive society that shares particular commonalities – like a language.

And one last point, if Lowe’s chooses to embrace this population segment which comprises large numbers of people who disregard our laws, can shoplifters look forward to the same deference or is your corporate philosophy selective in the laws and law-breakers you choose to aid and abet? I ask this in the rhetorical sense, but it is something interesting on which to ponder.

I produce a talk radio program. This topic is a hot-button issue for me personally, but I also see similar sentiments shared within our audience. If anyone from Lowe’s would like to come on our program to further discuss this topic, I will be happy to schedule him or her.

Sincerely,
Lou Ann Anderson

Lou Ann Anderson is producer of the Lynn Woolley Show.

Great letter. Unfortunately Lowes is like every other business. They don't care. They have no loyalty to this country. Their only loyalty is to the ole mighty dollar. That's why this invasion is allowed to go on unabated. If we forced the government to crack down on these renegade, anti american, gloabal businesses then they will start caring. They will start caring when they start losing dollars and find out that it doesn't pay to pander to criminals.

You should have asked them, great you have signs in Spanish to help out non-english speaking hispanics, so are you all going to have those same type of signs to translate for Arabs, Chinese, Japanese, Germans, French, Italians, Russians who don't speak English? Makes you wonder where these gloabalists do draw the line if at all.

Look at the name "lowes" .

In English we all know what it means, something about being near the bottom.

Cellar dweller
bottom feeder... comes to mind. g

If you go to the Lowe's in Billings, MT you will see no Spanish signs nor will you hear it.....some places are yet to be invaded!

This is an issue that just makes my blood BOIL. I want to SCREAM every time I see one of those signs. I just want to jump on my soapbox and start yelling that this is AMERICA and that we speak ENGLISH here. If they can't learn our language, they need to return to whence they came.

I have gotten to the point that I CRINGE every time I pick up the phone and call ANY service organization and am asked if I want the service in English or Spanish. BUT, I LOVE these voice activated ones because, when I get one of those, they get an EARFUL! And, I use some pretty nasty language at that!!! I bet they get the message pretty quick when they hear what I have to say about them even DARING to ask that question!!

Originally Posted by JackSmith

If you go to the Lowe's in Billings, MT you will see no Spanish signs nor will you hear it.....some places are yet to be invaded!

Same deal here in Pittsburgh All signs everywhere are in English and there are Americans doing the jobs that Bush says Americans don't want!

The last time I was in Lowe's in Lexington, NC, I didn't see any signs in Spanish but it's been a month or more so I need to go back and check it out. ODDLY, even at Lowe's and Wal-Mart here, I don't see ANY Mexicans working. That just surprises me because we sure had a HUGE influx of them before all of our furniture factories began shutting down. That's really strange, isn't it??? NOT COMPLAINING!!

Lowe's in Billings, MT you will see no Spanish signs

Same deal here in Pittsburgh

They had just changed the signs in Temple, TX. That is what prompted Lou Ann's letter.

I'm sure it's only a matter of time before that's ALL we see. We'll forget how to speak English ourselves and that is their goal.

Originally Posted by MissT4TX

Lowe's in Billings, MT you will see no Spanish signs

[quote:2fdqbmz6]Same deal here in Pittsburgh

They had just changed the signs in Temple, TX. That is what prompted Lou Ann's letter.[/quote:2fdqbmz6]

I live in Phoenix, AZ. I'M SURROUNDED! PLEASE HELP ME!