living in the US whether you are in the system awaiting a chance to become legal or not. Now there is a 5 to 15 year wait for legalization and hundreds upon hundreds of thousands seeking legalization. This just doesn't work and change is in order.The big bone I have to pick here (and there are two) is that we will allow big businesses to off-shore jobs to countries that DO NOT spend the money here but we are refusing hard working, tax paying (some) illegals to work jobs no one is willing to work (let's be honest) for half the money but DO SPEND the money in OUR economy. They go to local grocers, banks, clothing stores. Where does that guy from India or Malaysia who took AMEX jobs go for food? Oh, some place in India or Malaysia? That's right! So what the hell sense does that make? It's okay to take our jobs AND our money and f*ck our economy but god forbid we allow honest people to work their asses off and spend what little money they do make back into our own country..yea, okay!?
Bone to pick number two ... I was at the march and everyone was pleasant, respectful, and well organized. There were American flags everywhere along with white t-shirts and free bottles of water being dispensed to avoid anyone be dehydrated. The problem? The chants were all in Spanish. Now while I agree with their cause and their belief in the march I feel a huge opportunity was missed today. As an American and an English only speaker, I felt slighted. Much in the way the Mexican flag was removed from today's march, speaking Spanish only and not translating into English too still sent the same message. They are not interested in becoming part of this country but seem to be biting off their nose to spite their faces. I understand there is genuine sincerity about being part of this country, I do believe that. However, the first rule of thumb in debate and persuasion is to know your audience. Who are they talking to? They are speaking Spanish to a government that is primarily English. They are trying to appeal to the masses of this nation and gain support from others(who, again primarily speak English) and have the country united but they send the message in Spanish?
Where was the disconnect? It sends the same message as waving another country's flag! You are not sincere you are not interested in becoming united. I can appreciate that some don't understand English however that SHOULD be required to gain citizenship; this I do agree with and not on a grand scale but I believe a certain level of communicating is in order. That aside, how difficult is it to learn a sentence? Say it in Spanish AND English this way it IS united it IS one. They totally missed on a great opportunity here today and for that I was disheartened. I no longer wanted to finish the walk because I FELT THE LACK of sincerity and that they were truly sending the wrong message. THEY are missing the point and speaking to the wind because they aren't ready to join this country they simply want to stay and reap those bennies.
Not what you want the lawmakers to think...not what you want the nation to think. That's not how you gain support but how you lose it. I wasn't necessarily turned off today but I did feel like I was walking with people that didn't perhaps appreciate my presence in trying to support them. White America and non-Spanish speaking Latin Americans were not appreciated or regarded in today's march. How do you not include those trying to support you? That is just plain ignorant.
All in all it was a quiet march today and why? Because at least half those attending either didn't understand the chant or weren't comfortable saying it only in Spanish. That's a shame.
2 comments:
and......"SCENE"....
J/k.....so I agree with the first boner of yours......wholeheartedly!
But perhaps if you truely support the idea behind the march....U couldve brought an english-spanish dictionary and put the effort forth to learn spanish??....The fact that they were waving the american flag and chanting in spanish perhaps was the mssg......we who speak spanish (and contribute to your economy) want to wave this flag proudly. Incidently?.....I looks like there were signs in english ?...right?......did they match what was being chanted???
The signs didn't match. We finally asked some girls what was being chanted and some didn't know, other's did. It meant "Yes we can" the whole idea was UNITED, yes we can however no one was chanting the whole thing and more than half didn't know what was being said. My pick isn't that they were speaking spanish but that it was ONLY in spanish - it should have been both to send the message. As far as the flags...well that was manipulated effort (wisely) by the coordinators. Being handed and sold along the walk in place of the Mex. flags they weren't allowed to use. Just seemed very staged and ingenuine. My position on the matter is unchanged...I have no issue with immigration and I think the felony BS is just that - just poor vibe coming off the line there. Had to be there - very separating - not uniting. We weren't the only one there with that issue.
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