Posted on 07/09/2002 10:43:24 AM PDT by Tancredo Fan
Singer's remark riles Hispanics -- Greeley debates 'English' comment
By Michael Riley
Denver Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 09, 2002
A country western singer who told his audience at the Greeley Independence Stampede that immigrants should learn to speak English ignited an emotional debate in a community that has seen an influx of Hispanics over the past decade.
Warner Brothers recording star Chad Brock said Monday that his comments were meant to express his "pride in being American." But Hispanic leaders said they were racist and the failure of Stampede organizers to condemn them shows the refusal to embrace newcomers.
Brock stepped on stage Friday to belt out hits like "Lighting Does the Work," but he salted his performance with some sharp opinions.
In a speech between sets, Brock said he was tired of having to adapt to the widening influence of the country's newcomers. "You are coming to our country. We don't speak Russian. We don't speak Spanish. We speak English here," Brock told an audience of 7,000, according to the Greeley Tribune. While many Hispanics in the audience walked out, people who attended the event said many non-Hispanics cheered.
Brock, a former pro wrestler, said Monday that the comments came out of an honest patriotic fervor, inspired in part by a recent court decision declaring the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional.
"I'm not a racist. I wasn't directing the comments toward any particular group. I was speaking my mind as an American" during the Fourth of July holiday, Brock said.
"But I had no idea there were so many Hispanics in Greeley," he said. "I didn't mean to offend anybody."
Hispanic leaders said "offend" doesn't even begin to cover it.
"His comments were bigoted, inflammatory and hateful," said Roberto Cordova, a local college professor.
The issue goes deeper than Brock, said Jorge Amaya, director of the Northern Colorado Latino Chamber of Commerce. "The problem isn't what Brock said. The problem is that our community leaders didn't step up to condemn it."
At a news conference Monday, the Hispanic leaders demanded an apology from city officials, the event's corporate sponsors and Stampede organizers. They said this isn't the first time the Stampede has offended the city's growing Hispanic population.
Citing poor ticket sales, Stampede organizers last year canceled the fiesta section of the annual event.
Stampede marketing director Kyle Holman said organizers wanted to make the fiesta more inclusive and renamed it Family Night.
"Mr. Brock has the right of free speech just like every other American," Holman said. "But his opinion aren't necessarily the opinions of the Greeley Stampede."
But some here said they share Brock's sentiments.
According to census figures, Greeley's Hispanic population nearly doubled in the 1990s, as immigrants, many with limited English skills, took jobs in the region's meat packing plants and feedlots.
As the ethnic makeup of schools and neighborhoods shifts, some residents say they feel left out. Language has become both a divide and a flashpoint.
"If we're going to communicate, everybody needs to speak the same language," said Billie Messner, a patron at a local coffee shop.
Greeley City Manager Leonard Wiest said the city is working to accommodate newcomers.
Brock said Monday that while he's sorry if his comments offended anyone, he won't apologize.
"I had the guts to speak out, but I think a lot of people feel the same way," he said.
I have always wondered why people are in such a hurry to come to America, and then are in a hurry to turn it into the same 3rd world hell hole they just came from.
Don't worry about it Chad. You didn't offend anyone of any consequence. Only those that refuse to adapt.
Frankly I love this. People are getting so desensitized to the word racist that eventually people will just learn to ignore it as a meaningless word.
I think everything you said is 100% true, except, I don't think it will take a hundred years. I am afraid it will happen much sooner than that.
Hmmm... Kinda funny that the Russians present didn't get up and leave. ¿Que paso?
Pretty strange way to want to get publicity. Look what happened to John Rocker for saying the same thing. I hope this guy tells them to stuff it.
Roger that, although here in California, the majority of people from Mexico that I have met, are some of the hardest working people I have ever seen. It's just that English needs to be worked on also.
Activists demand performer apologize for his comments
Story By Jesse Fanciulli
Posted on Tuesday, July 09 @ 03:49:29 EDT
Hispanic activists are asking public officials to condemn inflammatory comments country singer Chad Brock made during his Stampede appearance last weekend.
Brock told a crowd of 7,000 that he was tired of having to adapt to immigrants and that the foreign-born should learn to speak English.
Most in the audience cheered the comments and a majority of respondents to an unscientific Greeley Tribune poll are saying they agree with Brock.
"I think it's an indictment on this whole community," Phillip Moreno of Evans told the Greeley Human Relations Commission on Monday. "It is sad."
Moreno, a member of the Greeley-Evans District 6 school board, and seven other Hispanic activists asked the commission to issue a formal condemnation of any "derogatory, inflammatory or bigoted statements" made at any publicly supported event. The city does not give the Stampede money, but it offers police protection for the event and owns Island Grove Regional Park, where the Stampede is held.
"Public funds should not be used to foster hatred, division and prejudice in this community," said Roberto Córdova, a Hispanic studies professor at the University of Northern Colorado.
The Human Relations Commission, which is an advisory board designed to foster appreciation between cultures, will consider whether to condemn Brock's comments during a special meeting Monday.
Hispanic activists say they will ask the Greeley City Council to issue a similar condemnation at a work session this afternoon. The group also may make the request of Weld County commissioners, Córdova said.
"I believe at the very least, the city needs to make a statement that Chad Brock will never be welcome here again," said Alberto Loya, a Greeley-area insurance agent.
Loya and others who are lambasting Brock are requesting the following:
· An apology from Brock.
· City assistance in getting a videotape of Brock's performance. None of the critics at Monday's commission meeting attended the concert.
· An apology from Stampede organizers for not pulling the plug on Brock's performance after he made the comments. n Support in the movement against Brock's comments from major Stampede contributors.
· Assurances from the Stampede that no more performers will issue offensive comments. One idea is to include a clause in performance contracts that the Stampede takes a no-tolerance approach to racially offensive commentary.
Stampede spokesman Kyle Holman said he doubts the Stampede would include language that bars artists from making offensive statements.
"A performer is an artist, and artists express themselves through words and music," Holman said.
He added that the sentiments of performers don't represent the opinions of the Stampede.
"I don't think it's our place to apologize on Brock's behalf, and I don't think we should apologize on behalf of the First Amendment," Holman said.
Holman added that the people who are pursing the apologies are likely seeking attention for themselves.
"There are some people in town who want their names in the paper. That's what this is about," Holman said.
Lucille Mantelli, a Kodak spokeswoman who will become a Stampede committee member next year, said Brock's comments were "very unfortunate."
Still, Mantelli said Kodak will not withdrawal its support of the Stampede because event organizers did not know Brock would make offensive statements.
"If the Stampede allowed this on purpose, we'd obviously take a lot harder look at it," Mantelli said.
As for the city, Greeley City Councilman Ed Phillipsen agrees that it's difficult to know what a performer will say. But Phillipsen said the city should be clear that Brock will not be welcomed back to Greeley.
The way Mayor Jerry Wones sees it, Brock's comments were in "very poor taste." Even so, the city is not responsible for them, Wones said.
"I don't see any logical connection between what some entertainer says on the spur of the moment and the racial policies of the city or the Stampede," Wones said.
Still, for some Greeley residents, Brock's comments were the latest in a long line of racial slights that get little reaction from white leaders.
"We are very disappointed in our community leaders," said Jorge Amaya, president of the Northern Colorado Latino Chamber of Commerce. "They are being cowards by not stepping up."
Not to mention the half sold by Texas.
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