Posted on 06/17/2011 10:51:59 AM PDT by Ballygrl
A Texas state senator is under fire for telling a man that his Spanish-language testimony was "insulting" during a committee hearing earlier this week.
Republican Chris Harris interrupted Antolin Aguirre of the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition just minutes into his statement against the Lone Star State's new sanctuary cities bill.
The legislation, which was passed by the Senate Wednesday, allows police officers to verify the immigration status of detained suspects.
Harris told Aguirre that he "should be speaking in English."
"Did I understand him correctly that he has been here since 1988?" Harris asked. "Why aren't you speaking in English then?"
Aguirre responded through an interpreter that he felt more comfortable speaking in his native language because it was his first time giving a testimony.
"If he knows English, he needs to be speaking in English," the senator fired back.
Harris's comments have reinvigorated a debate over recent immigration legislation in other states that gives police the authority to check a suspect's immigration status.
Alabama passed a bill earlier this month that allows law enforcement officials to detain drivers who have committed a traffic violation if there is "reasonable suspicion" that they are in the state illegally.
Politicians there drew inspiration from controversial immigration legislation that was passed in Arizona in April 2010.
Arizona's law required all immigrants to carry immigration documents and gave the police wide liberties to detain suspected immigrants.
Opponents have argued such legislation could lead to widespread discrimination and encourages racial profiling.
The federal court later blocked several of the Arizona law's most contested stipulations.
Harris's spokesperson, Kristen Webb, supported the senator's outburst in a written statement issued after the hearing, according to KHOU 11 News.
"Senator Harris' comments were in no way intended to be derogatory," Webb wrote. "He continues to support the passage of SB 9 which will prevent Texas cities from directly or indirectly harboring illegal immigrants. This legislation creates a uniform standard across the state that will make Texas safer."
Texas's House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bill next week.
No, he was speaking in Spanish because it is his native language and he thought he could communicate better. The speaker actually called into the Morning Show on KLBJ today and he can communicate very well in English.
I think it is a critical mass issue. In some parts of the country (Miami I know for a fact, I assume others are as bad or worse) you can go about a normal day not having to deal with anyone who isn’t a native spanish speaker. Every other language group pretty much has to learn english.
Absoluetly rihgt.
I used to work with a guy who escaped from Poland during the Solidarity movement. He used to get mad at our southern mush-mouth. In his thick Polish accent, he’d say, “Speak English, G— D——t!”
I can imagine him saying that to the Mexicans that have overrun this area.
if he did say this, then I can sympathize with his feelings on the topic - it is unnerving to be forced to communicate in a legal setting where 1) what you say wrong may have a different implication or meaning, or be used as such, and 2) you don’t know every last rule of grammar and syntax (obscure verb tense agreements, when to use this preposition or that one), and it is embarrassing to sound ignorant.
That said, the political environment is such that native citizens are very tired of the entire 2-language, unrestricted illegal immigration with fedgov defending it, etc., thing, and will make that point, and politicians know it.
In the country how long?
Still couldn’t speak English?
How many ways can I spell “ILLEGAL ALIEN”.
Get that slob’s stinkin’ butt back to Mexico...and charge Mexico for all the welfare, etc this leech has taken from us.
And I’m not kidding.
W didn't get it, and his pandering to Mexicans living as Mexicans in the United States affirmed their desire to remain Mexican while living in the Land of Liberty.
.
.
It is interesting that 31 states have some form of and "official English" law.
Texas is not one of them.
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Here is the bottom line.
A “Working knowledge of English” (I think that’s close) is a REQUIREMENT of LEGAL immigration.
No one is supposed to be able to become a citizen unless they can read, write, and speak standard American English!
It’s a basic requirement!
It has a lot to do with public safety and being able to function as an informed voter, both important to our public well being.
If this guy is so uncomfortable speaking English in public he clearly should not have citizenship, if he is not a CITIZEN he has NO business testifying in any U.S. legislature!
I would have been insulted too, this was an obvious ploy for political points over and above any legitimate testimony.
Yes, I heard him too. You are correct in calling him a media whore. Many Hispanic callers today thought he should have been speaking English.
Yes, I heard him too. You are correct in calling him a media whore. Many Hispanic callers today thought he should have been speaking English.
The only reason this jerk was speaking Spanish is because he is a flaming A-hole.
There is a proven advantage in hiding behind a translator in a debate particularly when the offender knows the language already. While waiting for the ‘translation’ you gain valuable time to compose your response, something the opponent lacks.
It is probably the combination of him speaking to his Spanish-speaking constituency and wanting the above advantage in this case. Kudos to this Texas State Senator for hauling him up short on this.
Yes we are, and to have everything - instructions, grocery products, etc. - in two languages. You'd think the EV whackos would be complaining.
In a “Legal setting” I would be horrified to have to depend on any interpreter!
Interpreter skills vary, the words they choose to convey what you mean to say may not accurately express exactly what you meant, this can be compounded as the conversation progresses.
If the guy actually is capable of speaking English as others have posted, this was an attempt at a stunt, pure and simple.
It is past time to adopt English Only nationwide.
Senator Harris said the witness should speak English since he was able to speak English.
The guy was blatantly insulting the Texas legislature and me personally.
this has been a semi-sanctioned migration by washinton, in my opinion, and despite huge support for doing much more than is being done about the entire illegal enforcement issue, washington does nothing (both parties).
It is pretty clear how washington views sides here, and which they are on.
"Si, Senor."
Thanks. I caught that too, after I posted ti.
“Their English is better than many native English speakers today.”
A Shanghai-born lady friend of my taught herself English. She was sent, by Mao, to the rice fields in the Southern Chinese Mountains. She listened to English language radio broadcasts, and studied books her Father sent her She was there all her teenage years, living in a mud hut! When she finally got back to Shanghai, she took the tests, and was accepted into Fudan University. All with no Junior or Senior High School education. Within two years she was teaching English at Fudan! She is now a proud American citizen! And,,, she has abdo-lutely no accent!
Are Mexicans really so stupid that they can’t learn to speak passable English in 23 years? Bravo for Sen. Harris for calling attention to the arrogance of these stubborn “immigrants,” who want Texas to be like Mexico...except for the cash payments they get, of course.
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