Posted on 10/06/2006 12:44:58 PM PDT by SmithL
No stranger to sensitive ethnic remarks, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger drew criticism Thursday for saying Mexican Americans have acculturation problems "because they are so close to their country here" while collectively praising Asian Americans for "assimilating into the American way of living."
Democratic lawmakers supporting gubernatorial challenger Phil Angelides charged that the Republican governor was once again engaging in "divisive" racial stereotyping in remarks similar to taped comments he made about Cuban and Puerto Rican women that were revealed last month.
Schwarzenegger spoke Thursday in Los Angeles' Chinatown at a celebration of the Moon Festival, a fall holiday recognized by various Asian cultures, to promote a new law to study relaxed health standards for traditional ethnic foods such as moon cakes.
Asked his views on assimilation, Schwarzenegger said being a successful American requires immigrants to learn English and U.S. history in addition to fully engaging in the nation's culture.
"And that is very difficult for some people to do, especially, I think, for Mexicans, because they are so close to their country here, so they try to stay Mexican but try to be in America, so there is this kind of back and forth," Schwarzenegger said, according to a transcript provided by the Governor's Office. "And what I am saying to the Mexicans is, you've got to go and immerse yourself, and assimilate into the American culture, and become part of the American fabric. That is how Americans will embrace you."
U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, said Schwarzenegger's comments show an "utter disregard" for Latinos. Solis also criticized Schwarzenegger last month after an audiotape revealed that the governor said Puerto Ricans and Cubans have a "hot" temperament.
"It is not the governor's place to tell immigrants to abandon their culture and language," said Solis,...
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Well, Arnold may not be "culturally sensitive," but he's right.
By the way, Bill Bradley on his site has offered to release all of the tapes Phil has on Aronld.
Sure, it's extremely divisive to suggest we should all look past superficial differences and get along. I mean, where would we be if we weren't so hung up on race, sex, orientation, ethnic origin, etc?
/sarc
SO he's in trouble for telling the truth?
Arnold is an immigrant who somehow managed to assimilate.
Poll: Do You Think Gov. Schwarzenegger's Comments On Assimilation Were Out Of Line?
Right side about 1/3 way down
http://cbs2.com/homepage
See post #7
"Arnold is an immigrant who somehow managed to assimilate."
He should have taken a program to reduce his accent, but that might have harmed his movie making.
He completed college, in business or economics.
He is a "self made man."
"Sure, it's extremely divisive to suggest we should all look past superficial differences and get along."
LOL!! Glad I'm not the only one that jumped out at. Some people's stupidity amazes me.
"SO he's in trouble for telling the truth?"
The truth is not generally a friend to liberals so they tend to frown on it.
Looks like 3-1 against his comments being out of line to me.
Which I would agree is the right way to take this. Somebody in the media just found him/herself wrongfooted, IMHO.
U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, said Schwarzenegger's comments show an "utter disregard" for Latinos.
Illegal and non assimilating Mexicans are showing an utter disregard for America and it's citizens!!!!!!!!
Arnold probably brought this up because he likely made comments about assimilation that may be on the private tapes Angelides may or may not have illegally obtained.
Learning English is abandoning their language? Fully engaging in the American culture is abandoning their culture? Gee, what happened to DIVERSITY? Is it only white Americans who must become "diverse" in the Rat utopian world, Ms Solis?
The media's boy Angelides is drowning and sinking deeper every day. They're looking for anything they can find to use as a lifeline.
An odd comment considering that Mexicans are, by anthropological and geographic classification, white Americans.
If they don't want to "abandon their culture and language," they can go back there.
There's this mexican guy on my bus (commute to/from work) and he as a very heavy accent. The guy kept telling me he live here for 7 "geez" and in Texas for 11 "geez"... it took me a while to figure out that he's telling me he's been in the US for over 17 years and he doesn't know how to pronounce the word "years" correctly. I've been in the US for about 21 years, but after the first 5 years I was pretty much fluent in English. I don't have a problem with people who have a slight accent, but people who refuse to learn the language because they would rather live in their own communities and stick to their own culture... well, then they should go to mexico and stick with their own culture. Even my 70 yr old mother in law who just came to the US, is learning english and speaks with less of an accent than that mexican guy.
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