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News and Society > In America Speak English Only?
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Article rating : 0.00, 0 votes. Author : Karen Machuca
Just the other day a recent incident at my son’s HS soccer game was the straw that broke this camel’s back. Our left forward was running full speed ahead, ball at his feet in the perfect position to score a powerful goal. Fans were cheering, the team was pushing up ready for the rebound.. Our Coach ( also a Spanish teacher) yelled out to his player “place the ball in the upper right hand corner of the net now!” On the side line a voice protested, “What is the Coach saying? He is not speaking English and I am going to report him!” I looked over, expecting to see an old man named Archie Bunker ready to call out to his wife Edith. Instead I realized that these words had come from one of our own parents in reference to our Coaches choice of communication with his player. Directions he thought should have been given in English only.
In the “All American” sport Baseball coaches and players openly use secret signals such as crotch grabbing, ear pulling, and if necessary nose picking in order to outwit the opponent. No one seems to find these signals offensive, but speaking another language other than English is quite a horse of another color. The common language spoken between our Coach and his player is unimportant, it could have been Spanish, Hebrew, Russian or any myriad of languages that make up our nation. The point is that it was not English, and according to this parent and others that call themselves “American” we need to speak English if we live in America otherwise we have violated some kind of unwritten law. This rule, obviously not enforced by our government seems selective as I do not believe that our soldiers are required to pass an English test before they are sent off to Iraq.
The irony of this point of view is that the people that perpetuate this form of prejudice are not related to Chief Sitting Bull or any other Native American. They are persons with forefathers that came through our portals fleeing persecution due to their race and religion. Thus, they came to the “melting pot” looking for the freedom , and now their descendants believe they are qualified to infringe on the freedom of others. Like the Loch Ness Monster, their bigotry unashamedly has reared its ugly head once to many times for this American.
Which brings me to the question, what is a true American? My grandmother lived in the US
for over almost 70 years. My mother and I were born in the New York My father and his parents in a US Commonwealth that was permitted to keep their native language. Our family has strived to share our culture through our food, music and language, always encouraging our children to be proud of whom they are. Can we preserve our heritage and still be considered American?.” Maybe, if we speak our other language behind closed doors.
It is not a surprise to me that inequality runs rampant in many forms in our society. I have witnessed some ridiculous feuds under the guise of equality. Should we have a Menorah or a Christmas tree at the Borough Hall? Are there equal amounts of blue and red table cloths at the Holiday Boutique? If you speak English, you can fight over all of these important things. If you don’t you get stuck with the meager pickings, at work, at your child’s school and in any situation where you may need to advocate for yourself. There is no doubt that not learning to speak the English language is a disadvantage, and isn’t opportunity the reason most migrated here in the first place?
What shocks me is the open idiocy displayed by this parent and others like him. More than a few times bias commentary from parents has made me hang my head in shame for them. Disguised as educated men and women they travel among us., misrepresenting themselves as civic minded citizens interested in the welfare of our children. These people infiltrate our government, schools, houses of worship and think of themselves as pillars of the community. In the name of America they close doors on those that cannot defend themselves and look down on those that are different. The saddest part is that they will raise their children to be just like them.
They come to watch their child play an International Sport, originated and revered outside of the US and arrogantly demand that only English be spoken. It may seem only a minor infraction on human rights to those that share these views. After all, not too long ago there were signs hanging that read “White Only”, why not hang one that says “English Only”.
My freelance writing is inspired by situations and topics that I feel strongly about. Employed by Continental Airlines since 1996 I am actively involved in my community. One of the founders of FairLawn Lightning Soccer Club, my husband and children ages 21, 17,and 15 are the most important thing in my life.
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