Don’t Agree with Julie
We received a lot of letters and heard from a lot of people about the conversation between Mayumi and Julie regarding Moonshine Ink’s bilingual printing in last month’s edition. The responses we got were full of bewilderment and amazement that some people in our community feel as Julie do. Following are some of the letters that poured in. And remember, we love community discourse, so keep ‘em coming, and don’t be afraid to disagree with us – we like a healthy debate.
I think it’s wonderful that you publish a bilingual paper. I admire the inclusive nature and the frankly humane approach you take.
~ June Saraceno
Truckee
Thank you for being the leader of the local media in printing Moonshine Ink in both English and Spanish. You have set the standard for choice and diversity.
I was raised in northern Illinois, so the languages to study were either German or French. Spanish was not even offered in my schooling. After 37 years in California I find that I still have acquired little Spanish.
Ever since Moonshine Ink began publishing I usually try to read articles in Spanish after reading them in English. Thank you for helping me learn Spanish. For those who object to the Spanish articles, I suggest they don’t read them. That is the power that choice and diversity give to us.
~ Sincerely,
Helga Munday
Fear not a multicultural society
I was not socked by Julie’s comments after reading the conversation between Julie and Mayumi with regard to your publication printing articles in both Spanish and English [Nov/Dec 2006]. As an English as a Second Language teacher and professor of Sociopolitical Contexts of Bilingualism at UNR, I see her opinion all too often in our community and the nation as a whole. Many people, like Julie, are terrified of having a multicultural and multilingual society. By saying things such as ‘people want to live here because it exceeds all other places…which is going to be nonexistent because of this type of thing,’ she is saying that the English language and the Anglo culture are superior over all others. But I ask how can any of us pass judgment on another culture or language? This is ethnocentrism and whether you like it or not, this idea is what leads to discrimination and is the root of horrors such as genocide.
Furthermore, what is wrong with having a multilingual society? Many nations are multilingual and successful. Being multilingual and multicultural is not only a benefit in our growing global economy but there are also many proven social and cognitive advantages. I agree that it is important for everyone to learn English, as it is an important tool for knowledge and success in our nation, but this does not need to be at the expense of a speaker’s native language. Legally there is no official language of the United States and I support that there should not be one.
The wonderful thing about America is that it is a country that allows us to practice our own religion and speak any language freely. I encourage Julie, and other members of our community that may hold her same view, to really study what they are supporting and to look inside themselves to realize that peaceful coexistence does not have to mean assimilation. I applaud Moonshine Ink for their continued support of our community and all of its members. It is organizations like this one that make me proud to say that I live in Truckee!
~ Respectfully,
Pearlie Johnson
