Re: Bob Haworth's new song hits the airwaves!
First of all, I can't speak for Bob, but I don't think that was what he was saying by stating "Our" culture. I am sure, like most of us, Bob's great grandparents came from other than these borders (unless Bob is American Indian and he isn't telling us). Mine came from Europe and they learned English, but still spoke Italian in small family get togethers from time to time (as I remember). Nobody was putting out signs in Italian for them, except maybe in "Little Italy". "Our" culture is a melting pot and I think Bob knows that, but it isn't solely one, even Mexican. Let me say too, I think we (Us Americans?) are enabling this behavior. Mostly everything I have read seems to indicate that the Mexican people here don't generally have a problem with learning our language, etc. But we are now teaching them they don't have to. I have lived in an area for 31 years where by periodically we get workers in for the apple crops (from Mexico). I can tell you by being in the supermarket with them, they have tried to read the cans of vegitables and know what they are, and I have been approached to help them and I have. I would expect this from kindly people in other countries if I were there. I was in Mexico when I was 14 years old for a whole summer with my mother and father (my father was working there). My mother and I were exploring around the city, we got lost, we approached some school kids for help, they couldn't speak English, they lite up and ran to get help, they brought back one little girl who was taking English in school, she helped us. I didn't expect to have all the signs in English, but a kind person did help us. Meanwhile my father was learning 60-80 Spanish terms, to get by on. I think every one is too sensitive and that's what starts misunderstandings and problems.
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