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Editorial July 25, 2008
Make Spanish the Official Language of Los Angeles
Honestly we should make Spanish the official language of all of SoCal
Why?
I don't present the argument of the Brown Pride people that says this land belonged to the Mexicans before it got into the hands of this country. That argument is chauvinist.
If we are to give land to those who once occupied it, well, the Wailaki, Pomo, or Kato tribes have something coming to them, more so than the Mexicans.
My argument is a matter of pure democracy.
Spanish-speaking peoples are the majority: Mexicans, El Salvadoreans, Guatemalans, Central Americans, Hispanics, etc.
It is insane that the official language of commerce, education, and government is not Spanish.
Unofficially it is. Once outside of the Black and White sections of Los Angeles, for instance, the language of the people is Spanish or some dialect of it.
But the fact that we don't make it official is the cause for a lot of boneheaded policies that would stump Jonathan Swift.
For example, I point to the education system. Why on earth is Spanish not the official language of the Los Angeles Unified School District? More than fifty percent of the kids speak Spanish as a native tongue. It is pure arrogance that we do not accept that majority language.
It results in illiteracy, failure of state competency tests, confusion, misbehavior.
Now, for a moment I want to speak to the English-as-a-first-language people: How would your little Johnny or Jane fare if they had to go to school and learn in Spanish? Probably not too well.
Well, now you know how it feels for little Juan and Juanita. They exist half-heartedly in two worlds, English and Spanish. Their growth and their personalities are in conflict.
I dare anyone to prove me wrong.
Lastly, under a different official language the redistribution of power that would occur economically is grand. New corporations would rise up. Small business would be forced to step in and provide services. It most likely would be the kind of radical stimulation this economy needs.
Honestly we should make Spanish the official language of all of SoCal
Why?
I don't present the argument of the Brown Pride people that says this land belonged to the Mexicans before it got into the hands of this country. That argument is chauvinist.
If we are to give land to those who once occupied it, well, the Wailaki, Pomo, or Kato tribes have something coming to them, more so than the Mexicans.
My argument is a matter of pure democracy.
Spanish-speaking peoples are the majority: Mexicans, El Salvadoreans, Guatemalans, Central Americans, Hispanics, etc.
It is insane that the official language of commerce, education, and government is not Spanish.
Unofficially it is. Once outside of the Black and White sections of Los Angeles, for instance, the language of the people is Spanish or some dialect of it.
But the fact that we don't make it official is the cause for a lot of boneheaded policies that would stump Jonathan Swift.
For example, I point to the education system. Why on earth is Spanish not the official language of the Los Angeles Unified School District? More than fifty percent of the kids speak Spanish as a native tongue. It is pure arrogance that we do not accept that majority language.
It results in illiteracy, failure of state competency tests, confusion, misbehavior.
Now, for a moment I want to speak to the English-as-a-first-language people: How would your little Johnny or Jane fare if they had to go to school and learn in Spanish? Probably not too well.
Well, now you know how it feels for little Juan and Juanita. They exist half-heartedly in two worlds, English and Spanish. Their growth and their personalities are in conflict.
I dare anyone to prove me wrong.
Lastly, under a different official language the redistribution of power that would occur economically is grand. New corporations would rise up. Small business would be forced to step in and provide services. It most likely would be the kind of radical stimulation this economy needs.
In all her Spanish-speaking, Brown beauty...
