| My wife belongs to an Internet group where | | | | believe, when learning a foreign language was |
| there was a recent blowup over the insane | | | | considered the mark of a cultured and educated |
| expectation Americans have about foreigners | | | | person. People, even poor ones, wanted their |
| who visit America's shores. You know the one: | | | | sons and daughters to learn French. Then came |
| the foreign visitors should somehow, as if by | | | | the xenophobia with the two World Wars. Soon, |
| magic, be instantly bilingual. This "English Only" jazz | | | | not only were foreign language newspapers shut |
| is nothing new. It is a very old hat Americans | | | | down but also speaking a foreign language in public |
| have been trying to force everyone to wear for | | | | was outlawed. |
| decades. I cannot begin to tell you how this irks | | | | Americans insanely saw the mark of true |
| me. | | | | patriotism was the eschewing of learning and |
| Look at some of the screed my wife shared with | | | | speaking another language. Just how remarkably |
| me: | | | | simpleminded and ignorant is that reasoning? |
| · "When I was in McAllen, I refused to speak | | | | I wonder if the person from whom I got that |
| Spanish even though I knew it. Not all do this but | | | | quote, "That simply isn't right" rightly sees the |
| enough that in McAllen, the signs are in Spanish | | | | consequences of that statement? On just what |
| first and English second. That simply isn't right." | | | | grounds does this person make this silly judgment |
| · "Why after 20 YEARS and a property owner | | | | of "That simply isn't right?" And here is my |
| no less in this (USA) country shouldn't he speak | | | | favorite one: "Another thing many of the |
| English. Another thing many of the Mexicans in this | | | | Mexicans in this country DO know how to speak |
| country DO know how to speak English and when | | | | English and when it suits them they do." |
| it suits them they do. BUT, I've seen them make | | | | You might be interested in knowing just how |
| believe they don't when it doesn't suit them. | | | | American tourists come to Mexico and shout this |
| Sorry that is my sore spot too. I could go on | | | | at the top of their lungs at waiters and hotel |
| about other nationalities (in NY) that do the same | | | | employees. I see this constantly in the town in |
| thing. Parts of Queens NY the street signs and all | | | | which my wife and I live. They actually believe, as |
| other signs aren't in English and when you walk | | | | does this unthinking person I quoted, that |
| into a restaurant that is all locals they ALL STOP | | | | Mexicans have some secret, dark, and menacing |
| TALKING and look at you. THIS IS AMERICA | | | | motive for not speaking English when in fact they |
| FOLKS. Ya wanna be here speak the | | | | really do. |
| language——DON'T try and make our | | | | Describing Americans as "uncultured and vulgar" is |
| country something else." | | | | not a stretch. It is no wonder that Americans |
| After five books and countless articles in which | | | | have such a hideous reputation in the rest of the |
| I've hammered this point repeatedly, here are | | | | world. But, in the survey I mentioned, Americans |
| two quotes that absolutely confirm my thesis of | | | | were also seen as not caring a whit what the |
| the rampant xenophobic xenoglossophobia in | | | | rest of the world thinks of them. No surprise |
| America. | | | | there! |
| The forum-chat group discussion began with a | | | | You know, the members of my wife's |
| question about teaching ESL and the need to | | | | forum-chat group can hold to their phobias and |
| speak Spanish or not, but it quickly devolved into | | | | hate about Mexicans—and that is what this is |
| this English-Only Rant. It was so predictable. | | | | about, Mexicans—and they probably will. Rarely |
| Americans, who have an astoundingly pathetic | | | | does anything enlighten the minds of fearful and |
| 9% bilingual rate compared with the rest of the | | | | hate-driven people. So, I will end it with this: |
| world's 52%, actually think it is "good thing" not to | | | | What gives Americans the right to harshly criticize |
| be bilingual. They complain and whine when there | | | | foreigners who come to America and have |
| are bilingual signs in stores. They speak of their | | | | problems learning English when the vast majority |
| utter and hateful disgust at the thought that | | | | of Americans could not string two words of a |
| someone speaks a language other than English. Is | | | | foreign language together to save their lives? |
| this not the height of xenophobic behavior? | | | | Remember the 9% bilingual rate? |
| In a recent survey in Europe, Americans were | | | | How would MONOLINGUALS have a clue about |
| seen as an uncultured and vulgar lot. A whopping | | | | how difficult it is to master a second language and |
| 85% of the Europeans surveyed had this opinion. | | | | develop a high degree of spoken fluency? Just |
| Having lived in another country now for a few | | | | how would they? And, the real kicker is this: |
| years, and having seen just how Americans act | | | | Americans vociferously scream this fear and |
| when they come here, I am not surprised one bit. | | | | hate-driven screed from the rooftops when the |
| I would have answered this survey's question in | | | | reality is many Americans who move to foreign |
| the same vein. | | | | countries, Mexico for one, refuse to learn Spanish! |
| Let me be even more frank: This nonsense of | | | | They complain and whine that Mexicans refuse to |
| "That simply isn't right" and "THIS IS AMERICA | | | | learn English (and how could they know that |
| FOLKS. Ya wanna be here speak the | | | | Mexicans refuse anything—are Americans |
| language——DON'T try and make our | | | | telepathic?), yet when Americans come to live in |
| country something else" stems truly and | | | | Mexico, they do the very thing they claim to |
| absolutely from the depths of fear and hatred of | | | | despise in Mexicans. |
| all things foreign. | | | | One American living in San Miguel de Allende said |
| As I wrote in my just-released book, YOU CAN | | | | this: |
| LEARN SPANISH or Any Language No Matter | | | | "I've lived in Mexico for thirty years and not only |
| Your Age or Disposition, this American obsession | | | | do I not speak Spanish, I never will." |
| (this fascist neonationalism) with eliminating foreign | | | | Americans who live in Mexico, and have lived here |
| languages from the face of American soil is | | | | for decades, boast they will never learn Spanish. |
| nothing new—it is old. | | | | Just how big of a crock of hypocrisy is this? |
| There was a time in America, though hard to | | | | |