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 h83IpR704456; Wed, 3 Sep 2003 14:51:27 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2003 14:51:27 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <20030903184756.44619.qmail@web40302.mail.yahoo.com> 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: Jillian <zazee27@yahoo.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9385] Accept English-only donation, etc. X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Status: O Content-Length: 3087 Lines: 74 I just want to clarify a few things. The donation question: as much as some people have tried to think of a way the money could be accepted with a clear conscience, to accept a donation from an organization one fundamentally opposes (or which fundamentally opposes what one is trying to achieve) would be destructive, because nowadays publicity would inevitably result. A photo of oneself accepting a check from the donor could be broadcast via the Internet; therefore, all the caveats and explanations one made at the time would be useless. The English Only question, etc.: Ken Tabor has provided very useful resource info on federal law, among other things. I've printed it all out to keep on hand. However, he seemed to think (after reading my message) that I am an English-Only-ite (-ist? -er?), which couldn't be further from the truth! When I heard that some people wanted to require workers to speak only English at work, I was incredulous. Why? Well, remember that I usually look at things from a different angle. You are all talking about the foreigners or immigrants who need to speak their first language. I was thinking of *myself*--imagine if I were practicing my French with a co-worker ("Comment allez-vous, Jim?") and was told that it was against the law! The sad fact is that many people, at least in this country, are uncomfortable when they hear others speaking a different language. People have even written to Dear Abby to complain about being in such situations socially (for example, if their in-laws speak a foreign language). For such people, it's not so much "hatred" of foreigners as "fear" of anything strange. Some paranoid people fear that co-workers talking in a foreign language are talking about THEM! Regarding legal/illegal status: I suppose that at one time people could wander about the world freely and work anywhere they could find a job. In our era, this is impossible. Every country, so far as I know, has regulations and laws about who may enter and for how long and whether they may work. Can you possibly imagine what would happen if all these laws disappeared tomorrow? Countries like England and Sweden are already accepting as many immigrants as they can handle--they'd be overwhelmed! Therefore, there is a meaningful difference in being an illegal or legal alien in a country. To me, to say that you can enter a country illegally, send your children to high school there, and then have them enter college as if they were residents (of that state), is preposterously unreasonable. Oh, by the way, I admit that I myself have been an illegal worker in foreign countries, having entered (legally) as a tourist and while awaiting a work permit. But during my time as an illegal worker, I did not receive free health care and education. (And no, I am not comparing my living situation to that of migrant field workers, and so on. I am comparing legal situations.) __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com
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