But my views also don't align on requiring immigrants learn English. I strongly favor keeping agricultural workers - even if they don't have a visa. Americans simply won't do the work, and the work doesn't require English. I appreciate the work they do, and I hope they can be treated humanely while keeping the current situation in place. There is a risk Trump deports up to half of America's agricultural workers, which would hurt the economy - perhaps even turning GDP negative (technically, a recession).
You make a good point. I don't mind people on temporary/seasonal/migrant work Visas being unable to speak our language and likely being illiterate in their own. (I also strongly support educating their children in our K-12, including ESL classes, at no charge.) But it only helps them if they learn at least some English. Back in my oilfield days, we used to issue the engineers on rigs south of Corpus 11" X 17" two sided laminated sheets. These sheets had translation of some common phrases, some technical terms, all the directions, numbers, colors, and other items that we had learned over time were needed to conduct the business of drilling a well. An at least somewhat English speaking hand was given these as well and minimally promoted to expedite communication.
On day one, the Engineer or Rig man could tell a hand with no English skills to digame (give to me) four sacks of the yellow (we spray painted the pallets colors), direct where to put it, maybe use a forklift, add some useful details to the instructions such as whether to stack or open the bags, enhanced by pointing. Within two weeks, it was normal for substantially all hands to speak passable "rig English". It was more of a Spanglish but it was functional. Veterans of this scheme, got asked back for more jobs at a higher rate of pay. Becoming fully bilingual and literate meant a "large" jump in pay.
It was also normal for those who became literate to apply and receive their Green cards. That is a five year path to qualifying for full citizenship. The English greases the wheels of immigration for them.
Being from Houston (and surely some of you will think this is kind of racist), I see lots of immigrants with questionable immigration status. Most of them delight me and I'm forever thankful for their contributions to the food scene. (Taco Tuesday is a thing.) But some of them retain cultural behaviors from their home country that are sort of rude here. Such as driving below the speed limit in the fast lane. There is a 'machismo' yearning to be in the highest status lane even though they are going slow to avoid being pulled over and getting forwarded to la migre. They often times at Walmart put their cart in the very middle of the aisle where no one can pass and have long conversations en Espanol. If you ask them to let you pass please, they nod like they don't understand and say "si, si, si." When they find out you speak enough of their language to say "Por favor Usted, dejame pasar", they suddenly speak enough English to cuss you out and threaten to kick your ass. When standing in line, they often crowd your personal space.
Call me an ass but I think when you are in Rome, you do as the Romans. Being a shitty guest should not endear you to the locals nor enhance your access to legal immigration. Learning the language is just a courteous part of that to me.
And the alternative, remaining willfully ignorant of the language and culture, is a powerful way to invite exploitation. That makes the Gringo an asshole too but if they volunteer for that shit?
It is completely a double standard. (sorry, but it just is.) I try to accommodate our local taco shop by ordering and paying en Espanol. They know my 'lo mismo' as soon as I walk in the door now. And it is just courteous to try to accommodate guests, but not required. It is however incumbent on the visitors to be polite guests. Otherwise, we have every right to ask them to leave.
Do you grok my position now?
