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From: "Andres Muro" <AndresM@epcc.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9358] Re: Accept English Only donation?
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This is starting to sound like Hitler's "Mein Kampf" ("My Struggle", not sure how to spell it). However, the rhetoric is the same.
Hitler starts by saying that in the beginning, he didn't hate the jews. He just noticed that they were different. They had different customs, live in their own communities, spoke differently, had a different religion, etc and took advantage of the German economy. He also noticed that they refused to live, act and behave like "true Germans". He claims that he would go and talk to them and tell them to change, but they refused, continuing to live their different ways. He felt that this was detrimental to Germany, and eventually he started murdering millions of them.
The same rhetoric is being applied to immigrants. Some Americans claim that they don't hate immigrants, but that they act differently. America offers immigrants the opportunity to change, and to be "good immigrants" but they refuse. So, Americans start resenting them for behaving differently.
In Florence, Italians hate the Chinese. Italians claim to be progressive, liberal, tolerant, etc. They are critical of America and some northern European countries for discriminating against immigrants. When you question them for discriminating the Chinese, they claim that their discrimination is justified, because the Chinese are truly a burden on their economy and they refuse to change.
Xenophobia is the same everywhere. We claim that we are against discrimination and that other countries have racist policies towards immigrants. When you bring up local discrimination people say that in their case it is justified and that it is the immigrant's fault.
In truth, immigrants don't bother anyone and are beneficial to the economy. They are often exploited, and the exploitation is justified with the usual rhetoric ie: they don't behave like good americans. However, since they have not rights, they are easy targets for politicians during hard economic times. They don't vote, and they don't contribute to campaigns, so, going after them is a good way to put the blame on someone w/o losing too many votes.
Andres
>>> ttweeton@comcast.net 09/02/03 07:00AM >>>
I constantly
> try to reinforce the idea that an 'American' can speak any
language, be
> any color, practice any religion. Having lived in monolithic
societies,
> vive la diference (or somethin' like that)!
Martin, Your case examples are very true. However, consider this fact,
don't you think that the natives of these country develop resentment
towards the immigrant , who from their point of reference, refuses to learn
the language? Isn't this the problem? Resentment towards the immigrant??
I am not sure that it is a wise idea to reinforce the fact that it is ok to
live in ANY country and not find it expedient to learn the language of that
country. How can these immigrants better themselves without knowing the
native language well?? They can't. And you are encouraging them by your
statements, to continue to live in their " ghettos" as Joe calls them and
never advance.
Is the objective of an immigrant to better his lot or is the objective to
continue to live marginally? Think about what you are saying to them and
the consequences of their feeling that English is not so important,
since their teacher "said so" and think about the consequences FOR OUR
SOCIETY with this attitude. The object is not for them to "feel good"
about their situation. IIt should be to WANT to better thems selves.
Encourage and praise those that do. Continually reinforce the advantages
of learning English. This is how I handle it with my students. I ALWAYS
also add that being bi-lingual is very advantageous for those who are and
live our society. And I enumerate just what those advantages are!
Tanya Tweeton
Adult Esol
Lauderhill Community School
Fort Lauderdale ,Florida
----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin E. Senger" <MESenger@netbox.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2003 3:01 AM
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:9353] Re: Accept English Only donation?
> Living within a different language/culture is by now means a sure way to
> learn a language. The desire has to be there also.
>
> I am an ESL teacher at a local plastics factory, and several of my
> Mexican students have been in this country a decade or more. They have
> avoided learning English by remaining within their own language and
> culture group and limiting their outside (English) experience.
>
> I also know many Bosnians, and it was very common for them to live and
> work in Germany for decades and never learn German, since their ethnic
> community had reached such a critical mass that it could offer any
> support services they might need. I might add that the Bosnians I had
> talked to said a primary reason they never learned German was that they
> often felt unwelcome there.
>
> As for forcing someone to learn a language, I often surprise my students
> by asking them what is the 'official' language of the US. I constantly
> try to reinforce the idea that an 'American' can speak any language, be
> any color, practice any religion. Having lived in monolithic societies,
> vive la diference (or somethin' like that)!
>
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