DWI laws hit language barrier

News and Observer ^ | November 13, 2003 | AISLING SWIFT

[BlackRazor]

Perhaps we should make it a crime for a person not to speak English. Then we wouldn't have to worry about the silly Constitutional protections.

What about Miranda rights? What if a non-English speaking defendant in a criminal case claims not to have understood the Miranda rights that were read to him in English? Would you consider that sufficient grounds for dropping the charges or finding the defendant not guilty?

[Old Professer]

Bolding the statistic that Hispanics are twice as likely to be involved in accidents and 31/2 times as likely to be arrested for DWI as though that ought to be astonishing just ignores the often ignored fact that everybody seems to forget that the average immigrant from the south is not the average pillar of society up here on vacation.

Face it, we get the failures, not the successes.

As far as police officers learning to speak their language is concerned, if that is what it takes to get a conviction then they need do it.

[txdoda]

On call interpreters. Any city with a large Spanish speaking population probably has them. >>>>>>


Hmm...You want TAXPAYERS to 'foot the bills' to have spanish speaking interpreters 'on call' for spanish speaking criminals.

Then what??.... cities (TAXPAYERS) erect signs saying "English & Spanish speaking lawbreakers ONLY".......& just WHICH (how many?) languages should these signs be in.

As already posted, I too, have run across many spanish speakers who *claim* "No English" 'til you tell them to go away.....then *suddenly* they CAN understand English.

[txdoda]

As far as police officers learning to speak their language is concerned, if that is what it takes to get a conviction then they need do it.>>>>>>>


So how MANY languages should we REQUIRE police officers to learn ??? Should TAXPAYERS also provide them with 'ticket books' in these many languages ???

I've read where LA county already prints their ballots in MANY languages, at a cost of MANY millions to the taxpayers. What would be the costs to hire 'multi-lingual' officers who also carry 'multi-lingual' paperwork??

[freeangel]

That will , no doubt, hold up for murderers, rapists and thieves as well in the near future. Creative defense 101. And one more reason not to bother to learn English.

[AlBondigas]

SOLUTION

We give the cops a stack of laminated 81/2"x11" flip card translations for the various circumstances they might encounter.

NEW PROBLEM
"Senor I do not read"

[brownsfan]

Your heart is in the right place. I have serious doubts about where your head is, and how you sit down.

Cute response. But you are completely missing the boat. Should we arrest anyone who doesn't speak English?


No, I got your point. My point is, if one chooses to be here in this country, and one uses the roads driving a car, (a priviledge not a right), shouldn't one have responsibilites as well? The traffic laws are in English. The country is predominately English speaking.
Let's not wring our hands and worry about the poor folks who can't speak English, and how we can burden our system to accomodate them. Instead, let's make the rules and responsibilties clear. I don't think it's inhumane to require someone to speak English to drive in this country.

[1Old Pro]

The solution is simple, all cops need their very own translator to ride with them. This of course would raise taxes by billions, but that's never been an obstacle to promoting diversity and multiculturalism.

[txdoda]

The solution is simple, all cops need their very own translator to ride with them. This of course would raise taxes by billions, but that's never been an obstacle to promoting diversity and multiculturalism.>>>>>

Hey it just can't be for the cops........Multi-lingual translators for ALL city, state, federal employees. Who cares about the costs to TAXPAYERS.

TAXPAYERS must accomodate all who want to live here sooo bad, they CHOOSE not to learn English. (or in this case CHOOSE *if* they want to understand English)

[txdoda]

NEW PROBLEM
"Senor I do not read" >>>>>>>>

LOL.....seems like I've seen where this *defense* has already been used.

[txdoda]

That will , no doubt, hold up for murderers, rapists and thieves as well in the near future. Creative defense 101. And one more reason not to bother to learn English. >>>>>>>

Agreed......seems also to send a message that 'foreign speaking' criminals can go free, if there is not an interpreter (of their choice) readily available at the time of arrest.

[wi jd]

What about Miranda rights? What if a non-English speaking defendant in a criminal case claims not to have understood the Miranda rights that were read to him in English? Would you consider that sufficient grounds for dropping the charges or finding the defendant not guilty?

Because Miranda is standardized and read from a card, most police departments that I have dealt with have the Spanish version of Miranda and are taught how to read the Spanish on the card. FYI, failure to read Miranda with subsequent incriminating statements would not result in a finding of not guilty. It would result in a suppression of evidence.

Did the defendant in your hypothetical make an incriminating statement?

[DeathAngel]

pinging authors of books about Mexicans that can do no wrong in the future....oops, sorry, not fiction anymore, just real world events.

[swarthyguy]

The madness of America.

The BiLingual lobby and those idiots who claim that English immersion is bad for new immigrants and their children should look to Quebec.



WHy do we allow nonEnglish speakers to take drivers licenses test in languages other than English is beyond me.

And with Clinton's order requiring the federales to communicate with people in the language they choose, rather than English is madness, too.

Wonder if I can use this?

[DeathAngel]

It seems the judge has forgotten other decisions that have stated that ignorance of English or the law is no excuse.

Perhaps now those against making English the national language might have second thoughts.

"Your honor, my client shot the homeowner while he was stealing from him because the homeowner waved a gun. My client thought that he was going to be shot. The homeowner's words to stop meant nothing to my client as he is Mexican and does not speak English. Therefore, it was all the homeowners fault for waving the gun in the first place."

[wi jd]

No, I got your point. My point is, if one chooses to be here in this country, and one uses the roads driving a car, (a priviledge not a right), shouldn't one have responsibilites as well? The traffic laws are in English. The country is predominately English speaking.

I get your point, but unfortunately the Constitution contains "rights" that trump the driving "privilege"

Do you not see the slippery slope? If the 4th Amendment protection from reasonable search and seizure (which is already eroding) does not apply to non English speakers, who next do the English speakers decide are not afforded that protection.

To paraphrase the old axiom: When Hitler came for the Jews, I said nothing, because I was not Jewish . . .

[Travis McGee]

"Domestic Enemies" is set in a hypothetical year 2010, I'd say that's about right.

[tysont]

Different sets of laws for different ethnic groups is a precursor to a general breakdown of law and order in society.

How can one ethnic group -- english-speaking whites -- rationally obey the law when other ethnic groups flout the law with impunity?

The law must apply equally to all, or there is no law at all.

[mykdsmom]

Is Domestic Enemies a book? Just curious, I've never heard of it.

MKM

[sarasmom]

"As far as police officers learning to speak their language is concerned, if that is what it takes to get a conviction then they need do it."

That is a ridiculous stance.

I lived in Germany for almost a year before I got a license to drive there.
No license, no driving.
Very simple concept.
Driving is a privilege, not a "right" in every country on earth.

We do not allow our own citizens to hold valid drivers licenses untill they meet legal age, sight,ability, knowledge of the laws, and tested competancy requirements.
The revocation of driving privileges are common, if the licensed driver does not adhere to the terms of the privilege.

Why would/should we allow non-citizens extra-special, and non-lawfull privileges?

Why would/should we let non citizens drive in our country, without proven competancy?