I've attached a YouTube video of an ABC tv experiment. My professor in my religious service learning class showed it to us, and I found it relevant to this class as well. In many cases, the Spanish-speaking customers are rudely told to "speak English" despite the fact that their requests for coffee are simple and easily understood. How would you react if you had been present for the experiment? Does the cashier have any merit in saying that people should learn English before they come to America? Or is he encouraging that immigrants "melt" too much and lose their identity?
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
How "American" should immigrants become?
For this week's readings, I was most interested in Trans-national America and the author's discussion of the melting pot and it's lack of appropriateness in our culture today. I appreciate the quote, "To face the fact that our aliens are already strong enough to take a share in the direction of their own destiny, and that the strong cultural movements represented by the foreign press, schools, and colonies are a challenge to our facile attempts, is not, however, to admit the failure of Americanization." Seldom are foreigners in America given credit for the fact that they've been brave enough to move to an entirely new place and attempt to integrate themselves.
I've attached a YouTube video of an ABC tv experiment. My professor in my religious service learning class showed it to us, and I found it relevant to this class as well. In many cases, the Spanish-speaking customers are rudely told to "speak English" despite the fact that their requests for coffee are simple and easily understood. How would you react if you had been present for the experiment? Does the cashier have any merit in saying that people should learn English before they come to America? Or is he encouraging that immigrants "melt" too much and lose their identity?
I've attached a YouTube video of an ABC tv experiment. My professor in my religious service learning class showed it to us, and I found it relevant to this class as well. In many cases, the Spanish-speaking customers are rudely told to "speak English" despite the fact that their requests for coffee are simple and easily understood. How would you react if you had been present for the experiment? Does the cashier have any merit in saying that people should learn English before they come to America? Or is he encouraging that immigrants "melt" too much and lose their identity?
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Honestly I do think that immigrants should learn the English language before they come to the U.S but more-so for their own benefit. If you can't communicate with anyone, can't read important signs and documents, and basically can't communicate with anyone around you then how will you build a successful life here? I don't necessarily think it's one of those if-you-live-in-America-you-should-speak-English things but since English is the primary language (for now anyway) that is spoken here it is vital for immigrants to be able to understand it and communicate using it.
ReplyDeleteIt would make immigrants life easier if they knew English. Imagine that you're trying to become a citizen of Italy. You can't expect everyone to know English and a lot of important things you need to know is in Italian. It would make your life so much easier if you knew Italian. If I was present for that experiment, I would definitely stick up for that guy, because he was obviously asking for coffee. I've seen a lot of these videos. It's my favorite ABC segment.
ReplyDeleteI firmly believe in coexistence. I think its harder to approach this issue considering I am a native English speaker; many,many places speak English even if it's not their native tongue. Therefore, it seems easier for native English speakers. The root of the issue is that many immigrants who do not learn English are not literate in their native tongues. My father works in construction alongside many Hispanics who know little English. Since they never learned to read and write in Spanish, it is near impossible for them to learn to do so in English. The best way to enhance their English is to be around the language and to have oral help in discovering the language. However, as shown in the video, many people are not inclined to help. I think it is very useful for immigrants to learn English to live in America, but it should never be a requirement. I would like to think that if I would've been that person in the coffee shop I would've been the hero translating for the workers and defending them against racism. However, the point of these experiments is that you never know how you would react until you are in the situation. Only through education and highlighting such issues can we some day alter the reactions.
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