Posted on 09/21/2006 2:53:20 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
WOODBURN, Ore. - Inching along the dusty field under a broiling sun, Simon Santol tossed garlic bulbs into buckets and chatted with the other stooped-over Mexican workers. The conversation wasn't in Spanish.
Instead, they spoke Santol's native Triqui, or Mixtec, Zapotec or other languages indigenous to the poorest regions of Mexico. Many of the workers can barely get by in English or Spanish.
"It was hard at first," the 28-year-old Santol said in halting Spanish. "We would look for someone who spoke our language and Spanish. Now I have learned a little Spanish. Grace of God."
Immigrants who have not adopted Spanish or English can struggle to find housing, jobs and fair interest rates, advocate groups say. Navigating the legal system is tricky - sometimes it's difficult just to communicate.
But with worsening conditions at home and relatively rosy reports from family or community members already here, the United States is attracting more indigenous immigrants - people who primarily speak a local indigenous language of Mexico, a country that is Latin America's Tower of Babel. Its government recognizes 162 living languages, plus some 300 dialects.
It's impossible to say exactly how indigenous people have crossed the border. Many are here illegally and would rather not be counted, and immigrant population estimates tend to focus on nationality, not language. But estimates put the number of Mixtec speakers in the United States from Oaxaca alone at 100,000, mostly in Oregon and California's Central Valley.
The stream has grown since the North American Free Trade Agreement opened Mexico to U.S. crops in 1994, straining Mexico's farmers, some experts say.
"Now corn sent by the United States is real cheap, there's no return for us," said Leon Ciovasquez, spokesman for the Indigenous Front of Binational Organizations based in Fresno, Calif. "There's no point in....
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
Like in most cases, my post made no sense....
This crime happened near Los Angeles.
Of course I know that Mexico's justice system works on Mordidas and Indians that can't afford to pay them are SOL.
But here in the US, if you can find a Gray Davis or Bill Clinton appointed judge who determines that your rights are being violated because you successfully pretended not to speak Spanish or English; then you walk.
I'll second that.
Bttt!
ROTFLMAO!
"6 million Jews murdered ---> 20 million Muslims
40 million aborted children ---> 40 million Mexicans
Any questions?"
Yeah. What the heck are you talking about? You lost me.
I don't think a lot of you have any idea what you are talking about. I work with many Mexican indigenous speakers here in New York and most of them truly want to learn English but are shunned by people just like you. Would you take the time to talk to a speaker of an indigenous language and help him learn English? I can bet your answer would be "as long as he is picking my vegetables I don't care what he speaks".
Grow up!
I guess DU trolls don't understand the difference between legal and illegal immigrants.
Are they legally residing in the United States?
...most of them truly want to learn English
Here in Los Angeles, free ESL classes are plentiful, yet they are not taken advantage of. They could also learn from watching English language television. But they prefer to remain Spanish-speakers or whatever language is their first.
So, you don't have free ESL classes in the public schools in New York?
Last of all, why blame the average native American English speaker for not teaching the illegals to speak English?
Even given as much as we cater to the illegal invaders, you socialists want us to do even more. Simply amazing.
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