Texas takes large step toward ethnic division with debate

Insight on the News, April 1, 2002 by Marc Levin

On March 1, 1836, Texans declared their independence from Mexico. On March 1, 2002, Texas retreated from one common culture with an unprecedented Democratic gubernatorial candidate debate in a foreign language. In a state and nation that once encouraged immigrants to assimilate, a gubernatorial candidate has been pilloried for trying to speak to Texans in the language of this state and country.

In his opening statement of the English-speaking debate--followed an hour later by the Spanish-speaking debate--candidate Dan Morales declared, "In Texas we speak English as our primary language, and I think it is imperative that we promote the notion and that we influence young Hispanic children to learn English as quickly as they possibly can."

On several occasions, the journalists serving as panelists chided Morales for giving part of his Spanish debate answers in English. Moderator Jaime Ruiz of Univision even told Morales that organizers of the debate "do not approve" of you speaking partly in English. Ironically, Ruiz, who moderated both the gubernatorial debates, made countless grammatical errors when speaking in English, yet it was Morales' Spanish that was ridiculed as "dubious" on News 8 Austin by University of Texas Mexican-American studies professor Jose Limon.

In the Spanish debate candidate Tony Sanchez, according to the stilted live translation, groused that "he [Morales] has never shown the pride of being Hispanic" and "is embarrassed to be Hispanic." Dallas Morning News editorial writer Ruben Navarrette revealed on Texas Cable News that the Spanish word Sanchez used was even stronger than "embarrassed" because it means "ashamed."

This illustrates the enormous context and precision that is lost in translation. The inaccuracy of translation is one reason why a state and nation must, as a practical matter, have one common language. When time isn't an issue, translations eventually may convey full meaning, but who could imagine the U.S. military giving instantaneous field orders to soldiers who cannot speak English?

While some claim that holding two debates solves the language gap, legislative debate can only be conducted in one language, and that language is English. By pretending otherwise, Morales correctly concluded that the Spanish debate does a disservice because it sends the message that learning English is unimportant for good citizenship.

To be sure, English is no more superior to Spanish than Chinese food is superior to Italian food. However, what Sanchez, who recently bragged that he is "bicultural," fails to realize is that the United States is superior to Bosnia in part because we have one shared culture, which includes English as our common language.

Even more disheartening were the implications of Sanchez's race-baiting attacks. His accusation that Morales is not a true Hispanic because he prefers English and opposes racial preferences wrongly assumes that Hispanics are monolithic and unable to think independently. In fact, many Hispanics in Texas do not even speak Spanish.

While Sanchez claimed in the Spanish debate that Morales "does not respect" Hispanics because he is speaking in English, and that Republican Gov. Rick Perry also "does not respect" Hispanics, it is Sanchez who fails to respect Hispanics by falsely presuming that they all adhere to his separatist orthodoxy.

Sanchez also belittled Morales by calling him "an affirmative-action baby" because he was accepted to Harvard Law School as a result of a preference but now is "removing the ladder behind him" by opposing racial preferences. Sanchez's remarks demonstrate the lifelong stigma that minorities are forced to endure. In fact, because many minority applicants admitted by institutions such as Harvard would be admitted without preferences, Sanchez cannot prove his demeaning claim that Morales is a hypocrite because he benefited from affirmative action.

When asked about the issue of amnesty, Sanchez said he supports amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants and didn't indicate that there would be any limits. He stated, "they [the illegal immigrants] are respecting the law." This is an outright falsehood, as by definition illegal immigrants are violating the law.

Morales may not win the gubernatorial nomination, but he will be remembered for reaffirming that Texas is one state and America is one nation, both of which have English as their primary language. This is a theme that Sanchez never echoed.

On the other hand, Sanchez has sown the seeds that will reap a future of ethnic division. Instead of the American tradition of one melting pot, this debate and Sanchez's remarks portend a state whose people increasingly will be divided by language and government programs that give preference on the basis of skin color.

MARC LEVIN IS PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN FREEDOM CENTER (WWW.AMERICANFREEDOMCTR.ORG) AND VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE YOUNG CONSERVATIVES OF TEXAS.