Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h7SL48713749; Thu, 28 Aug 2003 17:04:08 -0400 (EDT) Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2003 17:04:08 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <E19sTrh-00065w-00@avocet.mail.pas.earthlink.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Joe Little <fyi@americanliteracy.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9296] Re: Accept English Only donation? X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Mailer: GoldMine [5.00.402] Status: O Content-Length: 2538 Lines: 36 > How about taking the money, and during your acceptance speech explain why English only > is absurd. They may take the money away, but you may get some converts. Andres, Kate, Cathy & all, How about take the money and during your acceptance speech explain why English Only is absolutely good and well-- Unless u want state and federal governments that take us down a slippery of slope of printing any and all documents and records--let's see, in order of frequency, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian,oh, yes, and Polish, Italian, etc. I LOVE IMMIGRANTS-- EVEN THOSE WHO DON'T SPEAk English. AND I WANT THEM TO RETAIN THEIR LANGUAGES AND CULTURES, & dang if they're not willing or able to speak the melting pot language then they ARE a drag on the economy, social services, legal system, etc. Name an organization with- out a lunatic fringe? > That's a rough one. I think I would politely and regretfully decline the > donation. It was somewhat underhanded of the English Only organization to > expect her to stand forth in that way. Perhaps underhanded. Certainly manipulative, at least in a benign sort of way...and i repeat:name an organization without strings attached to the money it doles out? Am i missing something here? Shouldnt 'english only' be credited with giving her warning regarding the hope/expectation on their part? > Naturally, the community expects an ESL teacher to encourage use of English > in the immigrant community. What bothers me about many in the English Only > movement is that they see it as an opportunity to send unwelcoming messages > to newcomers. They use promotion of North American culture and the English > language to devalue other languages and ures. How many English Onlians have u met, spoken with, heard speak? Have u infiltrated their ranks? For my money the most unwelcome message to newcomers is this: we want u to keep your language, culture, habits. The subliminal message:learn english if u like (i.e., become integrated in mainstream of american society) but if u dont, we have a plethora of stringattached crutches to aid u in your extended stay outside the mainstream. > To be seen accepting a donation in such a public manner could be perceived in > so many ways. There will be misconceptions that this teacher accepts not > only the overt message of the English Only movement, but the anti-immigrant > rumblings of the lunatic fringe. Do u favor the overt message of English Only, or not? Pax to native & immigrant. Joe
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