ilbegone |
05-19-2014 09:00 AM |
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But today you have to speak Spanish or they won't use you; at least where I live it's required...
...Well, as you know, where I live it's 75% Hispanic and many are voting...
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The registrar would like to convince us that there is a bigger need for spanish/bilingual ballots than there actually is.
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Couple things here:
1) Racial composition doesn't determine language. Too many people on all sides confuse race with language and nationality, some do it deliberately to obscure and conflate the notions of citizen and illegal foreigner.
2) Too many times I have had the experience to, as one example among many, be behind someone at the counter in the Doctor's office who demands in Spanish to have an interpreter then speaks fluent English in the waiting room among their like complected companions.
A friend had taken her brown skinned, Spanish surnamed sister to the hospital. While they were waiting for medical assistance, someone burst into the room and with much linguistic enthusiasm began inquiring as to the nature of the problem. My friend said to her sister - in English - "do you need an interpreter?" Sucked all the wind out of the balloon, so to speak.
I believe much of the "preferred language" stuff is just so much bullshit. The local Home Depot has the silly policy of having their bilingual employees wear buttons that say "Yo hablo Espanol". I've been toying with the idea of having a button made up that I can wear in the store which says "I speak English".
It doesn't seem to me that there would be much difficulty (regardless of whatever language in which one thinks) in drawing a black pen line completing the arrow pointing to the name of the selected candidate and electronically selecting a candidate is not unlike selecting a choice for cash back or not while using a debit card at the supermarket checkout, and it should be expected that the voter has explored the issues before going to the voting booth. It's very self evident that there is a line for signing your name, and the presence of the voting booth is clear. Just how much of the obvious is there to be genuinely explained to anyone who has not just stepped out of a lifetime, isolated jungle life? I believe it's a requirement to speak and understand English in order to obtain citizenship and therefore would be an unofficial requirement to vote.
I live in a mail in ballot district only. How does one observe and verify in that environment?
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