SAN FRANCISCO — California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s remarks that immigrants should avoid Spanish-language media if they want to learn English quickly left some Hispanic journalists shaking their heads.
“You’ve got to turn off the Spanish television set” and stay away from Spanish-language television, books and newspapers, the Republican governor said Wednesday night at the annual convention of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. “You’re just forced to speak English, and that just makes you learn the language faster.”
Schwarzenegger, who immigrated to the U.S. from Austria, was responding to a question about how Hispanic students can improve academic performance. The audience included many journalists who work for Spanish-language media outlets.
“I know this sounds odd and this is the politically incorrect thing to say and I’m going to get myself in trouble,” he said. “But I know that when I came to this country, I very rarely spoke German to anyone.”
Schwarzenegger has been raked over the coals for making these remarks. As a LEGAL immigrant to this country who is the epitome of the American Dream he tried to advise other immigrants on how to assimilate into our culture.
When I go to Mexico everyone is speaking Spanish and I speak Spanish better for being surrounded by Spanish speaking people. Schwarzenegger was suggesting that being surrounded by English speaking people and media speeds up the process of learning English. He was not saying Hispanics are incapable of learning English (I heard one woman ranting and raving on television that that’s what he meant). He was telling the audience what worked for him in learning English.
Rather than hissing and booing him, perhaps they should listen. He does have the distinction of having been quite successful at immigrating and assimilating into his adopted country.
This uproar is political correctness gone crazy.
Hable Inglés!!!
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Read more: Not Exactly Rocket Science
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It’s the tipping point. Arnold, if he had real guts, would try to turn the tide. But my guess is his wife won’t let him.
Let me add this: Arnold could PUSH the importance of acculturation, i.e. becoming American culturally. That is really the main issue. He should do it, be a leader, but underneath all those muscles, he’s a freakin’ wimp.
He certainly should! He’s the poster child for acculturation. His credentials for how to immigrate are impeccable! If he can’t say it, who can?
i wish more had the courage to say it …
BSC: you just did
Once upon a time, may, many years ago, when I taught in a school that was 100% children of LEGAL Mexican immigrants (and Mexican nationals who were legal residents of the U.S.), the parents, who sometimes spoke little English, ALL wanted their children instructed as we did: 100% in ENGLISH (minor exceptions made for folks songs in other languages: “my” students learned and performed songs in English, French, German and Spanish, though mostly English).
Why in the heck were the parents so supportive of instruction happening ONLY in English? Well, they had, one and all, come to avail themselves of the opportunities built by ENGLISH-SPEAKING Americans… If they had wanted to stay poor, hungry, etc., they could have stayed where Spanish was the default language.
Immersion is the best way to learn a language anyone who opposes this does not want them to learn English or assimilate.
If they are trapped in the Barrio they are a source of political power, if they assimilate they might spread throughout the country as opportunities arise and not form such a concrete political bloc.
Racist Politics at its worst
Yes I am now and have been for many years a US citizen AND I SPEAK ENGLISH/ AMERICAN . I live in America not in France not in china not in mexico . In america we speak English/American . PERIOD . If you do not want to speak the language of your COUNTRY then go back to where you come from .