SPANISH MCDONALD'S AD PROMPTS TALK OF A BOYCOTT

Star-Ledger ^ | July 08, 2006 | Ana M. Alaya

[HansGygi]

BERGEN TOWN'S MAYOR CALLS BILLBOARD 'DIVISIVE'

The mayor of a small Bergen County town is calling for a McDonald's boycott if the fast-food chain does not take down a Spanish-language billboard advertising iced coffee.

Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan said the advertisement is "offensive" and "divisive" because it sends a message that Hispanic im migrants do not need to learn English.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"I looked and looked but didn't see Cindy and her legions shutting the streets of every major city in America a few weeks ago chanting over and over for their cause..."

You saw that in EVERY major city in the US?

No you didn't.

You know what else you didn't see?

A counter protest.

Most people don't care.

[american spirit]

Yeah, and Mcdonald's will also swear up and down they hire nothing but legal Mexicans when it's a known fact illegal Mexicans are either borrowing or outright stealing SS #'s to get hired.......same thing is happening across the country in other fastfood outlets, construction, etc......fake ID's are a growing menace to our country's stability so spare me the song and dance about the spanish signs being for legals only.....whattajoke.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Cut back on the coffee.

[american spirit]

Saw it in Dallas, Houston, LA, Phoenix, Chicago, NY, Atlanta, DC, Denver, etc........that's not enough?......plus you're also dead wrong about people not caring.....the House of Rep has been bludgeoned by people who care, that's why they're running scared this election year.....that's ridiculous even for you.

[american spirit]

Cut back on trying to defend the indefensible. Try focusing on your statement that illegals "shouldn't be here"....it does give me hope that you'll start to understand the reality of what's really going on here....good luck in your efforts.

[Luis Gonzalez]

You're pissed off about a BS Spanish sign in a State that has more cities with Spanish names than English ones.

Get a grip.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"Dallas, Houston, LA, Phoenix, Chicago, NY, Atlanta, DC, Denver..."

BS...

A few people in the streets with signs does not a "protest" make.

People don't care.

[american spirit]

I do have a grip.......on the # of American taxpayers being forced to subsidize this illegal invasion and being of hispanic descent I kinda like the ring of many of those cities names.....so go on to your next red herring.

[TChad]

But, if one relocates to a new country, one should do their best to assimilate into their new environment, NOT force the residents of the country to assimilate THEIR language, customs and traditions.

I agree, but I don't see how the sign is forcing anyone to do anything. If the owner of a business wants to say adios to English speaking customers in hopes of attracting greater overall business from the Hispanic community, that sounds like good old capitalism 101. Go to eastern Los Angeles and you will see plenty of thriving businesses that made exactly that choice.

My other thought about this is that American kids should be taught Spanish along with other languages in elementary school. At least they would have learned something by the time they graduate.

Maybe it is just that I grew up in southern California, so Spanish signs seem normal to me.

[VeniVidiVici]

Yes I noticed when our Lowe's (Dayton Ohio) hung up its bi-lingual signs and I was offended to say the least.

Lowes is bad enough as they don't hire enough employees and they are ALWAYS paging somebody to go to some department to help a customer. Over and over and over.

It's irritating enough in English but now they've added the pages IN SPANISH!! What? Are they hiring employess now that speak no English?

So now I have to listen to the pages that nobody answers in English and Spanish!

Think I'll start shopping as much as possible at Ace Hardware.

[Jorge]

A free market in a free country. If Spanish advertizing increases your customer base, then go for it. No se preocupe.

Thank you. There is NOTHING to worry about here.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Quit buying burgers from Mickey D's...you could probably use the weight loss anyway.

[DustyMoment]

I agree, but I don't see how the sign is forcing anyone to do anything.

Perhaps you should go back and re-read my original post so that you can comprehend the full context of my comment. As it is, what you posted was based on only a portion of my comment that was taken totally out of context.

[TChad]

Perhaps you should go back and re-read my original post so that you can comprehend the full context of my comment. As it is, what you posted was based on only a portion of my comment that was taken totally out of context.

I'm pretty sure I got the "full context" of your four sentence post. I assumed that when you said "...force the residents of the country to assimilate THEIR language" you were referring to the Spanish billboard that is the subject of the source article for this thread. It still seems a very reasonable assumption, though based on your response apparently you did not intend the reference. If that is the case, I can see why you thought I took your remarks out of context. However, since I think it was a reasonable assumption I don't retract my words.

I don't intend this as an apology, since I don't think I have have said anything worth apologizing for, but I honestly did not set out to offend you, and I feel a lot of sympathy for your original post.

[DustyMoment]

Let me help you read a paragraph. Here is the second one in my original post:

I have no beef with immigrants and immigration, per se, the majority of us come from immigrant stock. But, if one relocates to a new country, one should do their best to assimilate into their new environment, NOT force the residents of the country to assimilate THEIR language, customs and traditions.

Note that I start off by stating, that (essentially) I don't really care about immigrants because most of us are descended from immigrants. I then go on to qualify the statement by adding that "if one" (an immigrant) "relocates to a new country" (i.e. comes to America), "one should do their best" (the immigrant should try) "to assimilate into their new environment" (to accept the customs, language and traditions of their new, adopted country) "NOT force the residents of the country to assimilate THEIR language, customs and traditions". So, it is NOT the billboard forcing anyone to do squat. It is the immigrants coming to a new country, refusing to assimilate their new country and forcing the residents to assimiliate THEIR language, customs and traditions. This is why we are forced teach ESL classes in schools and many schools are migrating to a policy of forcing American children to learn Spanish because the illegal invader kids won't learn English.

This is what the illegal invasion has achieved. It makes me feel like a foreigner in MY own country. McDonald's can do what they please to attract these people to buy their product. As one who is increasingly being put off by the Spanish language advertising that disenfranchises me, I neither have to nor will I support businesses that want to target non-English speaking invaders in my country.

[DustyMoment]

I don't intend this as an apology, since I don't think I have have said anything worth apologizing for,

I agree, you have nothing for which to apologize and, no, I'm not offended. I believe that you took my post out of context and misunderstood its meaning.

[american spirit]

Wrong again Luis....unlike some of your fat ass amigos I work for a living, CUT MY OWN GRASS, and even help my shipping guy unload a truck when needed.....any other misconceptions spinning around your rectal/cranial inverted head of yours that we might want to clear up here?

[meyer]

Lowes is bad enough as they don't hire enough employees and they are ALWAYS paging somebody to go to some department to help a customer.

It's worse than that - they have warped 2X4's.

[WoofDog123]

heck, leaving the airport in miami on 112, over half the billboards are in spanish.

[FreedomCalls]

Also, yesterday my husband and I went to the local mall...I hadn't been since Christmas shopping. It was amazing how many of the women running the kiosks wore covering over their hair. I decided I am not buying anything from anyone who has their hair (and more) covered with a large piece of cloth.

It's state law in Texas that anyone dealing in food products MUST cover their hair isn't it? That's why the workers at all the fast food places were those corporate ball caps.