Here is a unbelievable story coming out of Dallas. The police department has been giving tickets to drivers for not being able to speak English! The police chief has apologized, and they are going to give the motorists their money back.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
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Getting a ticket for speaking Spanish? This is outright discrimination. I thought when officers come across a non-English speaking citizen, they must get a hold of an interpreter via phone in order to provide the citizen an equal opportunity. I know this is the case in Louisville, but I would think this applies to all metropolitan areas.
ReplyDeleteThis completely shocks me. It is interesting because at my work, people do often come in who speak only Spanish who get annoyed when there is no one at my workplace who can effectively communicate with them. However, even with the frustration (them with us for not speaking Spanish, and us with them for the assumption that in America they can expect everyone else to speak their language - while it is not the primary language of America), refusing to serve them or charging them more money simply because of the difficulty in communication would be downright unethical and wrong. Yes, I can understand frustration, but charging Spanish speakers more simply because they do not speak English? We have come to a new low, and I am glad that the police chief has issued an apology.
ReplyDeleteThis is shocking. Getting a ticket for speaking spanish? Yes, there is much debate over a bilingual society, but nothing has settled over the issue. I think this a purely a act of discrimination against non-English citizens.
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