English and the Salvation Army

I read the news today, oh boy...

sorry! couldn't help myself. But seriously, I heard on the news this morning that the Salvation Army is being sued by the feds because they fired some people that didn't speak English. The charge has to do with discrimination.

I don't get this. What's wrong with an employer wanting employees to speak English. I mean we ARE in America, right? Where the language of business is English. Methinks the feds have too much power.

And by the way, what's wrong with discrimination? All of us discriminate every day! I mean we choose one thing over another, or choose to socialize with some people over others. Think about it. It's true.

Jobs and Free Stuff

Seems like I'm writing a lot about illegal immigration..
I heard on the O'Reilly show last week that the government is to blame for allowing illegal immigrants to cross the border. I beg to differ, people cross the border illegally because America gives them jobs and free stuff.

Targeting Mexican Americans by Presidential Candidates

I heard last week that there was criticism against the GOP presidential candidates for not attending a hispanic-centric event. I don't know if this was a debate or a forum to discuss "issues that hispanics care about."

What issues do we care about that the rest of the country doesn't? I'm not sure I'm upset that the candidates didn't attend this event. I mean what do I care about that others don't? Socialism, the war on terror, the war in Iraq, balanced budgets, smaller government, more money in my pocket than in the government's.

I believe the issues others want me to care about because I'm Mexican- American are: illegal immigration and amnesty, "rights" for illegal immigrants, bi-lingual education, and so on... Why are these THE issues for me? I care about these issues, surely, but they are not the ONLY things I care about. And, I may not take positions on these issues that one would expect given I'm Mexican-American.

Mexican-Americans (NOT Mexican-American "Leaders") care about what the rest of the country cares about. We are not any different that others when it comes to caring about our families and our and their futures.

I wish these so-called "leaders" would stop making us "different" and I wish the media would stop listening to them.

Much to do about MECHA?

When I was in college, MECHA (for all of you that haven't heard of this group, it is a Chicano activist group that leans heavily to the left) was a group of Chicano students that were loosely organized and were "political" in some unknown way to me. I knew they existed but didn't know what they did or when they did it.

They knew I was obviously Hispanic but they did not bother me, ask me to join, or harass me in any way. I never attended any of their meetings, if they had any, saw them in any protest or activist activities on campus. I don't know about other MECHA groups in other colleges and what they did or stood for. I thought they were some sort of fraternity.

I have been somewhat amused about the media's reactions to this group and their labeling of MECHA as a racist organization. Their website (mecha.org) is nowhere to be found, although there are plenty of individual MECHA campus websites.

I just recently went to one of those websites and read the "founding" papers of MECHA. They talk about all "bronze people" being in communion with each other, that the "gringos" brutally invaded their land, and that they don't recognize any arbitrary national borders. They talk about organizing Chicanos, and making them aware of their "plight" and of being politically, culturally, and defensively organized against the "gabacho."

Wow! I never knew any of this stuff, and would be surprised if you found any run-of-the-mill MECHA members that knew and truly believed any of this stuff.

Chances are they joined MECHA to get together with other Chicanos to party, listen to music, and drink beer.

Not a good year for Hispanic politicians/appointees

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, LA mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, LA city attorney Rocky Delgadillo. Ouch! Not a good year at all so far...

Elvira Arellano

Well, what do you all think of this news item? I am in a quandry when it comes to illegal immigration because my family came here as immigrants, LEGAL mind you, and I understand why people want to come to America. Even though Americans whine and complain about illegal immigrants, I believe America wants them here and welcomes them with open arms. BUT I resent the idea that just because I am a Mexican-American, immigration is my cause celebre.

Anyways, back to Elvira, I think she ought to have taken her son back to Mexico with her, somehow it appears she is using her son as some sort of bargaining chip.

What do YOU think?

Welcome!

I hope this blog stimulates discussion and interesting views. Let's start...
The idea for this blog came after I heard a radio talk-show introduce a Hispanic political commentator with Mariachi music and thought, "hmm, why are they playing Mariachi music? Is country music played when someone from the South is featured on the radio? Or Hip-Hop music when an African-American commentator is introduced? Is it because they are trying to tell the listening audience something about this commentator? Why? Because she was Hispanic?"

The more I thought about it the more I realized that we are treated differently simply because we are Hispanic. Politicians get out their High School Spanish to "wow" us with their bilingual prowess and to tell us they are "one of us." But why? Why speak to us in Spanish? Don't WE speak English?

Well, I'll stop here and let others continue. These are just some thoughts to get the discussion started...

This is an example of what I'm talking about, http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ywnl3gYvBCc