Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
House Passes Health Care Reform
Okay, now that the House passed this bill, its next journey is in the Senate.
However, the bill is still fraught with errors and loopholes.
Here is a report issued by NumbersUSA about potential loopshopes and certainly raises some serious questions warranting discussion.
I urge you to contact your respective Congressional representative and express that health care paid for by American taxpayers should not be available to illegal immigrants.
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/news/november-6-2009/illegal-alien-access-remains-health-care-bill-floor-vote-nears.html
However, the bill is still fraught with errors and loopholes.
Here is a report issued by NumbersUSA about potential loopshopes and certainly raises some serious questions warranting discussion.
I urge you to contact your respective Congressional representative and express that health care paid for by American taxpayers should not be available to illegal immigrants.
http://www.numbersusa.com/content/news/november-6-2009/illegal-alien-access-remains-health-care-bill-floor-vote-nears.html
Friday, October 30, 2009
Dallas Police Department Ticket Issue
I saw the CNN interview the other day and was compelled to contact the Dallas police department. I actually spoke with the police department's PIO the other day.
My feeling as I told the officer was that the field officer was doing his job pursuant to the tools and information on the police department's system. Yes, the discretion is on an officer to issue a ticket or not, but as I saw the CNN interview with the woman (motorist), she needed a translator.
So I can only imagine what happened when she was pulled over. Funny story is that the other day, while waiting for my drummer to drop off some equipment, I noticed a police officer pull over a vehicle near downtown Nashville. I realized the motorist was a Latino. I was intrigued by observing what transpired.
After about 25-30 minutes elapsed, I walked over to the officer and asked a few questions. The white female officer was very approachable and informative. I asked her if there was a challenge with language during the stop. The stop originated by her observing an expired tag and failure to use a directional when turning.
The driver knew well enough to have their license handy, but when the officer asked for registration and proof of insurance, the driver didn't understand. Out of sheer civility and to be helpful, the officer attempted to ask for the documents in broken Spanish. But the valiant attempt was unfruitful. So the officer had to return to the cruiser and call dispatch for a Spanish speaking officer.
Obviously, the extra need required to effect her responsibility as a police officer delayed the officer's availability to perhaps answer a more serious call.
I am totally empathetic to those who live here and have a difficult time learning our language. But as I have often stated, the difficulty is no excuse to give up or expect that our government, at any level, must bend over to be more accommodating. We all know that creates laziness, dependency and erodes independence at many levels.
So the point goes back to what we have been saying all along. If a driver in our country doesn't understand English well enough, then they pose a danger to others on the road and particularly create a great impediment to law enforcement trying to do their jobs.
I see it as a potential obstruction of justice issue if a police officer cannot do their job when communicating with an innocent person on the roads. I would bet that often times, a non-English speaking "person" or "defendant" exploits their lack of English or presumed lack of speaking English to their advantage.
Simply pleading ignorance or English illiterate, puts them at a greater advantage and me at a disadvantage. Certainly, the argument can be made both ways, but as history depicts, if a person "acts" ill-informed, uneducated, or similar characteristic, they are essentially preying on the sympathy factor we as humans employ.
I don't believe police officers should learn other languages to perform their civil duties.
Please pass along my Blog's web address to your friends and family. Together, we can make English our official language.
Eddie V Garcia
My feeling as I told the officer was that the field officer was doing his job pursuant to the tools and information on the police department's system. Yes, the discretion is on an officer to issue a ticket or not, but as I saw the CNN interview with the woman (motorist), she needed a translator.
So I can only imagine what happened when she was pulled over. Funny story is that the other day, while waiting for my drummer to drop off some equipment, I noticed a police officer pull over a vehicle near downtown Nashville. I realized the motorist was a Latino. I was intrigued by observing what transpired.
After about 25-30 minutes elapsed, I walked over to the officer and asked a few questions. The white female officer was very approachable and informative. I asked her if there was a challenge with language during the stop. The stop originated by her observing an expired tag and failure to use a directional when turning.
The driver knew well enough to have their license handy, but when the officer asked for registration and proof of insurance, the driver didn't understand. Out of sheer civility and to be helpful, the officer attempted to ask for the documents in broken Spanish. But the valiant attempt was unfruitful. So the officer had to return to the cruiser and call dispatch for a Spanish speaking officer.
Obviously, the extra need required to effect her responsibility as a police officer delayed the officer's availability to perhaps answer a more serious call.
I am totally empathetic to those who live here and have a difficult time learning our language. But as I have often stated, the difficulty is no excuse to give up or expect that our government, at any level, must bend over to be more accommodating. We all know that creates laziness, dependency and erodes independence at many levels.
So the point goes back to what we have been saying all along. If a driver in our country doesn't understand English well enough, then they pose a danger to others on the road and particularly create a great impediment to law enforcement trying to do their jobs.
I see it as a potential obstruction of justice issue if a police officer cannot do their job when communicating with an innocent person on the roads. I would bet that often times, a non-English speaking "person" or "defendant" exploits their lack of English or presumed lack of speaking English to their advantage.
Simply pleading ignorance or English illiterate, puts them at a greater advantage and me at a disadvantage. Certainly, the argument can be made both ways, but as history depicts, if a person "acts" ill-informed, uneducated, or similar characteristic, they are essentially preying on the sympathy factor we as humans employ.
I don't believe police officers should learn other languages to perform their civil duties.
Please pass along my Blog's web address to your friends and family. Together, we can make English our official language.
Eddie V Garcia
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The USA is being besieged; internally!
Recently, a request was sent out to various organizations, groups and email lists urging the members to contact the CNN network to express support for commentator Lou Dobbs. His excellent commentary against illegal immigration has infuriated open border advocates, and they have an on-going campaign to persuade CNN to fire Dobbs or at least force him to stop talking about illegal immigration.
Our country's future is at great stake!
Our borders are besieged!
Our language, that unites the United States of America, is being squandered!
Our core American workers are being set aside by our own government for cheaper labor and illegal immigrants are being given a "hall" pass for jobs, for health care, for driver's licenses and other benefits that should be for citizens of the United States of America first and foremost!
Join the effort to preserve the United States, one issue at a time!
Let’s keep Lou on the air and say “basta” to the Raza crowd. Either call or e-mail CNN, tell them that you like Lou Dobbs and to keep him on the air. Phone CNN at (404) 827-1700, or log in at www.cnn/feedback, click on CNN TV, scroll down to “Comments and Questions About the Anchors and Reporters,” and then click on “Lou Dobbs.” Also, you might want to encourage Lou directly, E-mail him at loudobbs@cnn.com.
Our country's future is at great stake!
Our borders are besieged!
Our language, that unites the United States of America, is being squandered!
Our core American workers are being set aside by our own government for cheaper labor and illegal immigrants are being given a "hall" pass for jobs, for health care, for driver's licenses and other benefits that should be for citizens of the United States of America first and foremost!
Join the effort to preserve the United States, one issue at a time!
Let’s keep Lou on the air and say “basta” to the Raza crowd. Either call or e-mail CNN, tell them that you like Lou Dobbs and to keep him on the air. Phone CNN at (404) 827-1700, or log in at www.cnn/feedback, click on CNN TV, scroll down to “Comments and Questions About the Anchors and Reporters,” and then click on “Lou Dobbs.” Also, you might want to encourage Lou directly, E-mail him at loudobbs@cnn.com.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
English, a must know language for drivers
As fluent English language speakers, we often take our language for granted. But what about non-English speakers when they barely pass the driver's license exam and take the wheel of a vehicle?
These images of signs are taken from the website of ProEnglish, an advocacy organization committed to making English our official language.
Visit their website for more information on how you can assist.
www.proenglish.org
Would you want to be on the road alongside someone who can't fully understand these signs?
Note: click on the images to enlarge.
Images:
These images of signs are taken from the website of ProEnglish, an advocacy organization committed to making English our official language.
Visit their website for more information on how you can assist.
www.proenglish.org
Would you want to be on the road alongside someone who can't fully understand these signs?
Note: click on the images to enlarge.
Images:
Urge your Congressional Rep to VOTE NO on H.R. 2499
Use this link to keep track of H.R. 2499 and to make contact with your respective Congressional member.
http://capwiz.com/proenglish/home/
Urge them to vote NO on this bad bill.
http://www.proenglish.org/issues/pr/index.html
http://capwiz.com/proenglish/home/
Urge them to vote NO on this bad bill.
http://www.proenglish.org/issues/pr/index.html
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Gov. Schwarzenegger Vetoes S.B. 242
ProEnglish lauds veto of ‘unconstitutional’ California language bill
ARLINGTON, VA – “We agree with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that legislation giving a person’s choice of language the status of a protected civil right violates California’s constitution and threatens employers with the likelihood of litigation,” says K.C. McAlpin, the executive director of ProEnglish, an Arlington-based organization that advocates making English the official language of government operations. “It is gratifying that he vetoed S.B. 242 today.”
California’s constitution was amended in 1986 to make English the official language. Section 6 (c) states …“The Legislature and officials of the State of California shall take all steps necessary to insure that the role of English as the common language of the State of California is preserved and enhanced. The Legislature shall make no law which diminishes or ignores the role of English as the common language of the State of California.”
“By giving the choice to speak another language the status of a protected civil right, the California Legislature was trying to diminish the role of English, so the governor acted properly to enhance English’s role as the common language of California,” says McAlpin.
“Proponents justified S.B. 242 as an attempt to make employers demonstrate ‘business necessity’ before implementing English language workplace rules,” McAlpin says. “But in fact this bill would have gone far beyond that to infringe on the freedom of numerous institutions like private and parochial schools, non-government organizations, associations and voluntary and religious groups to have any policies regarding language.”
“Civil rights bureaucrats are not competent to judge an employer’s business necessity. In a free society employers should be able to decide what constitutes a business necessity, and they often need to impose such rules to deter employees from harassing other employees in a language they don’t understand, to deter drug abuse or other illegal acts,” McAlpin notes.
“Passing such a dangerous and ill considered bill will be just one more nail in the coffin of California’s economy,” McAlpin adds.
# # #
ARLINGTON, VA – “We agree with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that legislation giving a person’s choice of language the status of a protected civil right violates California’s constitution and threatens employers with the likelihood of litigation,” says K.C. McAlpin, the executive director of ProEnglish, an Arlington-based organization that advocates making English the official language of government operations. “It is gratifying that he vetoed S.B. 242 today.”
California’s constitution was amended in 1986 to make English the official language. Section 6 (c) states …“The Legislature and officials of the State of California shall take all steps necessary to insure that the role of English as the common language of the State of California is preserved and enhanced. The Legislature shall make no law which diminishes or ignores the role of English as the common language of the State of California.”
“By giving the choice to speak another language the status of a protected civil right, the California Legislature was trying to diminish the role of English, so the governor acted properly to enhance English’s role as the common language of California,” says McAlpin.
“Proponents justified S.B. 242 as an attempt to make employers demonstrate ‘business necessity’ before implementing English language workplace rules,” McAlpin says. “But in fact this bill would have gone far beyond that to infringe on the freedom of numerous institutions like private and parochial schools, non-government organizations, associations and voluntary and religious groups to have any policies regarding language.”
“Civil rights bureaucrats are not competent to judge an employer’s business necessity. In a free society employers should be able to decide what constitutes a business necessity, and they often need to impose such rules to deter employees from harassing other employees in a language they don’t understand, to deter drug abuse or other illegal acts,” McAlpin notes.
“Passing such a dangerous and ill considered bill will be just one more nail in the coffin of California’s economy,” McAlpin adds.
# # #
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