I am utterly dismayed, disgusted, disgruntled, disappointed that growing numbers of local employers continue to require bilingual employees. Sometimes it is required that you are bicultural. How completely wrong it is to cater to a group of people who came to an ENGLISH SPEAKING country and demand their ENGLISH SPEAKING citizens to learn the newly-arrived's language. This situation is no different than the english-speaking europeans who came to this country and took over the native's land and language.
History, I see, is repeating itself. Only this time, the native's are allowing and actually encouraging the takeover by pandering in a pathetic manner. As a result, many of us are simply being left out of the job market, simply because we cannot speak the newly arrived citizen's language.
This is unacceptable.
There are services available to the newly arrived south-of-the-border citizen to learn English. However, the same services are not available to those of us who, well, were here first to learn Spanish. What else is there to say other than WTF is up with that? Where is the fairness?
Local social service agencies are backlogged with people, the large percentage of them folks who have migrated from Mexico, leaving those of us who, well, were here first, unable to access said services, provided by agencies for whom we have been pumping our tax dollars into for years.
I can understand the desire to escape deplorable situations, to find a better life elsewhere (although the U.S. is quickly becoming a place NOT to do just that). I understand from experience how strong those survival needs are. I understand the sense of entitlement, the desperation, the self-focused thoughts and behaviors that go along with said survival needs. However, let's be practical, logical with this. It is only fair that whoever was here first never be left behind or out due to an influx of newly arrived citizens. And this is what is happening.
Something must be done.
Close the damn borders already and let us go back to english speaking/business as usual! Rather than continuining to allow people IN in such an irresponsible manner, over-populating communities, over-taxing services, let's instead end this fucking war on terror and the war on drugs, reinstate fair and just tax codes on the corporations, and use some of that revenue to help those people in other nations seeking to escape conditions that are even worse than the poorest of the poor in the states.
Of course, I have other ideas on what to do with those in charge of keeping the System of Poverty going, but I've already inserted my foot in my mouth enough for one day.
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2 comments:
This is a tough issue.
I certainly get your frustration but cringe a little from what I sense to be borderline racist remarks. correct me if I'm wrong.
I don't think we're pandering. History has also shown that most second generation immigrants from anywhere are fluent in English and often illiterate in their parents language.
I don't think we need to close the border. We need to address the conditions that drive people into the US. NAFTA and the US farm subsidies. It boggles my mind how the same people who are outspoken about free markets are the same people who continue to insist on subsidies for their buddies, distorting world commodities markets and driving subsistence farmers out of their livelihoods and into low wage jobs here in America.
Also Americans learning new languages is a good thing. We need to grow in this direction. We need to open up to and join the rest of the world, not expect everyone else to be like us.
Of course I'm speaking in a broad context and this doesn't help Nina get a job in the immediate short term. But as corny as it sounds, diversity is good. More diversity strengthens a system and we should embrace it.
If you were to visit or speak with local social service agencies, you would see we are indeed pandering. The majority of people using these agencies are hispanic, who typically arrive in need of such services. I understand that. And yet, services are full and backlogged as a result, leaving residents such as myself out of luck. Part of the issue of course is funding, but equally important is the influx of immigrants.
For practical purposes, we cannot allow everyone to enter the U.S. We have to consider space and resources. And if citizens who are already residing here are unable to access services because they are unable to accomodate due to the huge influx of immigrants, then we must drastically curb the number of people we allow in, in the interim that is.
As you said and as I pointed out, we need to address the issues that drive people away from their native land and use some of our own financial resources that we otherwise waste on other programs that only serve to punish the innocent and profit the government insiders. And yes, NAFTA is a nightmare (unless you're a corporate big wig). Free trade does not mean fair.
No one should be forced to learn another language, unless one is entering new land that has, at its roots, another language. Then assistance needs to be provided to help the new citizen acclimate. However, if the System is demanding a bi-lingual culture, then the System needs to provide resources for ALL residents to learn. And this is not being done.
After awhile, when you see yourself being forced out of (some of) the job market because you aren't bilingual (or at this point, bi-cultural is becoming a requirement too), you start to feel those survival needs kick in that say "hey, what about me?!" You start to think "I was here first, damnit!"
Even diversity has to have its limits, if anything, for practical purposes.
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