Monday, May 17, 2004
Compassionate Conservative of the Week: Governor Ehrlich
Having been fortunate enough to travel extensively around the world, I've had the unique experience of finding out what it is like to be completely illiterate in another country. Seems that Governor Ehrlich is missing the point here and slandering a poor sole whose only apparent crime seems to be having a job.
Foxnews reports that
Last week, state Comptroller William Donald Schaefer openly complained about a McDonald's cashier who couldn't speak English, and followed it with criticism of the separatist bent of multiculturalism.
Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich followed it up with the comment, "Once you get into this multicultural crap, this bunk, that some folks are teaching in our college campuses and other places, you run into a problem."
"With regard to this culture, English is the language," Ehrlich said. "Can [immigrants] obviously honor their ethnic traditions and languages at home and other places? Of course. They are not mutually exclusive. The point here is there is a major distinction between ethnic pride, which is appropriate, and multiculturalism, which is damaging to the society in my view."
In all likelihood this poor McDonald's worker is working hard (for pennies) and probably trekking to English classes at night. It takes a while to learn English, especially at a level that would stoke the ego of someone so important as Comptroller Schaefer. NOTE TO GOV: It's not a conspiracy. Of course Governor Ehrlich is probably fluent in several languages. (And yet we in the GOP wonder why we can't score votes with immigrant groups...) Sigh...
Foxnews reports that
Last week, state Comptroller William Donald Schaefer openly complained about a McDonald's cashier who couldn't speak English, and followed it with criticism of the separatist bent of multiculturalism.
Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich followed it up with the comment, "Once you get into this multicultural crap, this bunk, that some folks are teaching in our college campuses and other places, you run into a problem."
"With regard to this culture, English is the language," Ehrlich said. "Can [immigrants] obviously honor their ethnic traditions and languages at home and other places? Of course. They are not mutually exclusive. The point here is there is a major distinction between ethnic pride, which is appropriate, and multiculturalism, which is damaging to the society in my view."
In all likelihood this poor McDonald's worker is working hard (for pennies) and probably trekking to English classes at night. It takes a while to learn English, especially at a level that would stoke the ego of someone so important as Comptroller Schaefer. NOTE TO GOV: It's not a conspiracy. Of course Governor Ehrlich is probably fluent in several languages. (And yet we in the GOP wonder why we can't score votes with immigrant groups...) Sigh...
Comments:
<< Home
Bronson,
Thanks for giving me more context to Ehrlich's comments, it helps. In my experience immigrants are some of the hardest working folks in our country and I think we need to cut some people some slack as they learn english. (traditionally first generation struggles with English, second gen. is bi-lingual and thrid speaks only english). I've also worked in a McDonalds and think that Schaefer was probably on an ego trip. No we shouldn't pander to the hypersenstive multiculturalists, but at the same time we should cut some slack to people who are working hard at starting a new life. (Thus my criticism) Glad to here that Erhlich wasn't harshing on this poor worker bee.
Post a Comment
Thanks for giving me more context to Ehrlich's comments, it helps. In my experience immigrants are some of the hardest working folks in our country and I think we need to cut some people some slack as they learn english. (traditionally first generation struggles with English, second gen. is bi-lingual and thrid speaks only english). I've also worked in a McDonalds and think that Schaefer was probably on an ego trip. No we shouldn't pander to the hypersenstive multiculturalists, but at the same time we should cut some slack to people who are working hard at starting a new life. (Thus my criticism) Glad to here that Erhlich wasn't harshing on this poor worker bee.
<< Home
