Yes, K-Lo, I’m Smiling
when I read a CBS News/New York Times poll which reports: “Succeeding generations of Hispanics — those born in the U.S. — speak English, watch English-language media, and follow U.S. news and events.” A mere “3 percent cite language difficulties” as “What’s worse about living in the U.S.?” This suggests that Hispanics know that in America, we speak English — even if our elected officials are no longer so sure.
On the subject of translation:
Whichever language they speak, most Hispanics are not looking for the government to provide more translations and services in Spanish than it already does. Almost half of Hispanics — 48% percent — think the government is putting the right amount of effort in providing services in Spanish, and just under one-quarter think the government is already providing too much effort in this regard (emphasis added). . . . These sentiments were even the case among those who took the survey in Spanish — a group that generally rated their own English proficiency as low.
Even better: 64% of Hispanics said “no” to the question: “ever been discriminated against?.” The propagandists from the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the National Council of La Raza must have gagged on their breakfasts upon reading that item.
I do hope someone waives this information under the nose of Karl Rove and the Republican National Committee because it is yet another reminder that there is no such thing as a “Hispanic vote” — just voters who are Hispanic.
The 75% of Hispanics who think “opportunities/future is better for their children” are persuadable Bush voters; the 25% who disagree are not. A Republican message of hope and opportunity given in English, like the speeches given by Ronald Reagan, will entice far more Hispanic voters than all the politically-correct appeals in Spanish put together.