Q: I’m an adopted Asian-American in my late 20s who has lived in the Denver area all my life. Growing up, I had numerous Hispanic friends. I recall their families wanting them to speak English and learn the American culture but not forget their Mexican heritage. But now, as the Hispanic population continues to grow in the area, I’m finding that more and more businesses and public places are pushing me to speak Spanish. And, unfortunately, it kind of rubs me wrong.
I don’t think I’m prejudiced against Hispanics, but I also don’t expect to go into a McDonald’s and not be able to order a Big Mac because of translation issues. If I went to Mexico or France or Asia, I would most certainly take a translation book with me and at least attempt their language.
I have done some soul-searching to see whether prejudice has any part of this – and I can honestly say I don’t think so. On the other hand, I don’t think much of people who have society catering to them and would rather everyone else learn Spanish than them attempt to learn English. Is there any insight you can give me?
Catherine: You don’t sound prejudiced – just frustrated. Feeling that a different language is being forced on you and being misunderstood at a restaurant in your own country can do this to a person.
However, your frustration can easily turn into prejudice. The next time you’re irritated in a fast-food line – or on the phone, or at a business – be careful that you don’t jump to racial or ethnic generalizations. There is a difference between frustration over miscommunication or lack of assimilation and disdain for an entire group of people. It is a fine line, but just by asking yourself – and us – about this, you’re showing that you can walk it well.
Danny: You need to view this issue from a business perspective. The marketing madness catering to the Spanish-only crowd stems from the purchasing power of Latinos. If their economic might weren’t so large and their labor so affordable, we wouldn’t be watching bilingual commercials and struggling to order a double-meat, double-cheese. American business – not American society – is catering to the Spanish-only crowd. Our politicians will have more to say about this when the money stops.
It is a shame to watch some Latinos get literally lost in translation by not assimilating and holding on to their culture so tightly that they never learn English. This only creates a “sub’ subculture of Spanish monolinguists in a country where opportunities abound – especially if you are bilingual.
If you wish to take a stand, then do so by urging the corporate owners of the fast-food joint or the American company that does “the catering’ to teach their employees English. There is a misconception that most immigrants arriving in the U.S. want a handout and expect to be spoken to in a native tongue.
Lily: I’m not proud to say this, but I have been in situations similar to yours and have reacted the same way. Picture this: My mom’s Internet service is down, so I call the toll-free customer service number to get walked through the basic steps to get her back online. There is a time delay in the operator’s response, as if she is from another country. She starts to get mad at me because I keep asking her to repeat herself. Why? Because I can’t understand her!
Ever heard the saying about prejudice being a great time-saver because “it enables you to form opinions without bothering to get the facts’? Seems to me it’s not the prejudice that’s the problem – it’s what we do with it that we should work on.
Consejos is a bilingual advice column focused on relationships, culture and identity. E-mail your questions or comments to consejos@dallasnews.com. Or send your letters to Consejos, c/o Texas Living, The Dallas Morning News, 508 Young St., Dallas, TX 75202. Visit Lily, Catherine and Danny online at DallasNews.com/consejos.