Is it time for English to become our official language?

"Sorry about grandpa; 84-year old Kang Chun Wong who had a conflict with the police and was arrested. The police should have been more sensitive to the elderly, period, but there was a lack of communication. However, Wong must bear some of the responsibility.

He has been in this country nearly fifty years and has not voluntarily learned or was mandated to learn English. However, tax payers are still obligated for providing him a translator. He speaks Spanish and Cantonese only.

It is not feasible for millions of New Yorkers to learn every language; some of which are: Albanian, Cantonese, Creole, French, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Polish, Yeddish, Russian, Spanish, Mandarin, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, Bengali, Italian etc. etc. etc.

The only panacea to accommodate everyone is to speak the official language, English, for business purposes. People have the right to speak their language in other settings. No one should be asked to give-up their native language.

Spanish speakers in particular are given too much entitlement, while non-Spanish speakers are forced to learn and listen to Spanish. We dare not complain, because they will claim to be offended.

Imagine how offended and inconvenienced callers were during this situation. On Wednesday, 2/5/14, about 35 people and I were waiting on Merrick Boulevard for a bus.

22 minutes later, I called 311 for assistance. Imagine my frustration; an automated message came on in English. I was eager to speak to someone, but first I had to listen to a message in Spanish. Then and only then I was able to speak to a representative.

About two weeks ago I called the B/P office; Mr. La Mura answered the phone and put me on hold. While on hold, I was forced to listen to a message in Spanish only. When he returned I asked why do callers have to listen to Spanish only. He said, that he did not know and was not aware.

Other entitlement for Spanish speakers only not available to other foreign language speakers: social service application, access a ride system, metro cards with directions for emergency etc, etc, etc.

The restroom symbol pictured below is a universal understanding. Why did it have to be written in Spanish?

Governor Cuomo please put a stop to this DEPENDENCY that is a burden to tax payers and causes DIVISION in the process.

Let New Yorkers speak in one voice. That is ultimate EQUALITY.

To be continued." - Pamela Hazel

Government docs to be translated into 6 languages

From the Daily News:

New York State docs will be translated into in six languages -- Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Russian, French, and Créole -- in an effort to make government more accessible to the people, Gov. Cuomo announced in a Red Room presser a short time ago.

"We welcome immigration," said Cuomo, surrounded by officials and immigration activists. "We invite [immigrants] to join the family of New York and we always have, so to the extent we can expedite communication among our family members, that is exactly what we will do."

The executive order requires agencies that provide direct public services to offer free interpretation and translation services for vital forms and instructions. The gathered officials said having government information available in a number of languages other than English can be not only helpful but critical in cases such as reporting crimes.

Cuomo, for his part, said the order corrects a long-standing injustice and problem: "Government works for the person. The person does not work for the government."

Some of the funding for the translation services will be provided by the federal government.

El Bloombito

Koo and Halloran introduce sign legislation

From the Daily News:

City Councilmen Peter Koo (R-Flushing) and Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) plan to introduce a bill next week that would force shopkeepers to change their awnings if at least 60% of the writing isn't in English. The bill is intended to quell a culture clash between homegrown residents and new immigrants.

"We have to make sure people know about these stores. We want to help these businesses expand and help them attract more tourists," Koo said.

The English signage will also help cops and firefighters, Halloran said.

"Our public safety officers need to know exactly where they need to respond to and what their surroundings will be when they enter the location," he said.

A separate bill introduced this month by Halloran and Koo would allow the city Department of Consumer Affairs to close the loopholes on a preexisting law that requires key information to be displayed in English in the store.

Shopkeepers will have up to four years to upgrade their signage under the proposal.

Meng debuts translation pamphlet

From the Daily News:

Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) is creating a multilingual and multicultural pamphlet providing immigrants with a crash course in English and locals with a way to communicate.

The pamphlet - to be published by year's end - is expected to feature translations of phrases such as "Can you help me please?" and "Are you open tomorrow?" into languages including Spanish and Mandarin.

There will also be a section on courtesy reminding newcomers not to cut in line and not to sell items on the street without a permit.

The pamphlet will not only help newcomers, Meng said, but also encourage longtime residents to shop in stores that speak a different language than they do.

"We want to encourage people to learn the language and to welcome customers whether the stores speak English or not," Meng said.

Time to change the signs

Why would Toby propose this?

Toby Stavisky proposes a phrase translation pamphlet for English-speaking shoppers to use while in Flushing (instead of requiring adequate signage in English).

So in America, we're expected to accept non-English signage throughout an entire neighborhood, AND spend tax $$$$$ to produce and distribute pamphlets so that we may have some chance to understand another language? Moreover, how would such a translation pamphlet actually work, as the Asian symbols do not correspond at all to the Latin alphabet and a user of the pamphlet would not readily be able to locate "alphabetized" Asian symbols/phrases? Can Stavisky actually be this brain-dead?

Here is the article from the Queens Courier.

"At a meeting in January, Meng, Councilmember Peter Koo and State Senator Toby Stavisky proposed a shopper’s guide with translations of common phrases in Chinese, Korean and Hindi. The pamphlet was originally proposed by Stavisky’s late husband, former State Senator Leonard P. Stavisky."

They're not interested in having English-speaking customers

From the NY Post:

"The World Guide to Shopping" would translate 29 expressions, like "Do you have a larger size?" and "Would you like to use our layaway plan?" It will be released by the end of the year, and paid for by private grants, said Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing), who formed a sign task force.

The state's general-business law states that signs must display their name legibly "in the English language," or face a misdemeanor. But the legislation does not specify who should enforce it, and no agency has, said Meng.

Last year, neighboring school PS 20 got a $2,000 city grant to have school kids translate indoor signs into multiple languages. But of the 100 stores they approached, only 23 agreed to participate. Some stores that did have since taken down the signs.

"The limited English is a problem. It's a fear [of using English] more than anything else," said Lois Chin Lee, a former Flushing resident who organized the PS 20 project.

Kanguk Lee, of J.E. Deli and Grocery in Flushing, said only Asian customers care about the products advertised in his Korean signs.

"No Americans eat this!" said Lee, pointing to a Korean sign for kimchi (pickled vegetables).

That's funny because there are plenty of Americans of Korean descent that may not necessarily know how to read the language but love kim chee. And, in fact, I was at a very American buffet recently that served it, too.

Since no one in America fell for it...

These videos created to market the Atlantic Yards project to foreign investors - or should I say people who are being bribed with green cards in return for investing in this debacle - are really something else...



From Atlantic Yards Report:

Markowitz claims, incredibly, "Brooklyn is 1000 percent, 1000 percent behind Atlantic Yards."

He knows that's false. But it could help save Forest City Ratner some $191 million under the dubious exploitation of a federal program in which immigrant investors get green cards for themselves and their families in exchange for purportedly job-creating investments.

Markowitz closes by asserting that "there's nothing better than China and Brooklyn together."

There's some irony there, given that the version shown here is subtitled in Korean.

Meanwhile, the City apparently lured Caribbean teachers here with promises of green cards and never delivered on it.

Inconsiderate business owners

Letter to the Editor (Queens Chronicle):

As a lifelong Queens resident, I feel like my community is being invaded by people who are not looking to be part of a neighborhood by displaying signs in their language. These signs now run all the way down Northern Boulevard into Great Neck.

I and most of my friends and neighbors feel their message is hostile and not welcoming to our business. Let’s be honest: Who would go into a store that is has a blocked-off window and no English in sight? They do not want our business, and are not willing to learn English. Why some people leave their country to come here, just to keep themselves separate, I cannot understand.

I doubt change will ever come from a government agency; it’s not politically correct. Gone are the days when immigrants made an effort. Now we must make the effort to learn how many languages? I will keep my money for store owners who work to get my business. Good luck, 20 years and still nothing has been done. Shameful indeed.

Barbara Smith
Bayside

And then there's the great supermarket debate.

LIRR waiting room opens later for Hispanic passengers

Hello Crapper,

I took this photo with my cell phone. This is the LIRR's Depot Road station off Northern Blvd. The schedule says in English "waiting room hours are 5 AM to 4 PM. But in Spanish the waiting room hours were 6 AM to 4 PM. What's up with that?

Take Care,
The Pope of College Point

State Senate Dems' bios now in Spanish

I noticed something a little different when I went to the State Senate's page and looked up one of our local senators. There's now a link "En Espanol" at the top of his bio page. Click it and it jumps to the bottom of the page where you can read his bio in Spanish. I browsed around and found this was only on Senate Democrats' pages, and not on the pages of Republicans or any members of the Assembly. This brings to mind a few questions.

1) Why is only the bio page translated?
2) Why is Spanish the only foreign language available?
3) Why is the translation only on the Democrats' pages?
4) How much did this cost the taxpayers?
5) Will sessions also be translated into Spanish from now on?

Tweeding effort in overdrive

From the NY Times:

In the world’s most diverse city, it was hailed as a milestone: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg signed an executive order in July 2008 requiring every New York City agency that dealt with the public to provide interpreters, translated documents and other language help to people who spoke little or no English.

The order was supposed to help immigrant New Yorkers use services and navigate a daunting city bureaucracy. And in keeping with Mr. Bloomberg’s passion for applying good business practices to city government, the policy was meant to prevent the waste of time and money caused by miscommunication and misunderstanding.

Mr. Bloomberg pledged at the time to “make our city more accessible, while helping us become the most inclusive municipal government in the nation.”

But two years later, the mayor’s promise has fallen short. Many government workers fail to offer interpreters, even if people ask for them, and signs and forms in multiple languages are often nowhere to be found, according to people who have sought services and a lawsuit filed against one of the city’s largest agencies where the problems seem particularly acute.

The agency, the Human Resources Administration, is a virtual lifeline to millions of New Yorkers who depend on it for benefits like food stamps, cash assistance and subsidized medical care.

So not only are we giving people who aren't from this country handouts, we are paying to get them on the public dole. Why are we allowing people to come here and become a burden on us?

Please, beam me up, Scotty!

Asian pols push for English signs

From the Times Ledger:

State Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) said last week she and City Councilman Peter Koo (R-Flushing) were encouraging business owners in the community to put up newer-looking signs on their storefronts that include English translations.

But Meng said the initiative was merely a proposal and that she did not intend to seek violations against business owners who opted out of the program nor attempt to pass any laws to require English language signs.

“A lot of stores have signs in English already, but we want to make them look neater and more uniform,” she said Friday during a news conference at her Flushing office on 38th Avenue.

Meng said the proposal equally emphasized replacing shoddy signs with newer ones as it did promoting the use of the English language at Chinese- and Korean-based stores. The project would not have a quick turnaround, but could take months or years, she said.

She is putting together an advisory board of local business owners for the project.

But some Flushing business leaders at the news conference asked why the issue was once again coming up and discouraged using state money for the new signs amid the economic downturn.

The assemblywoman said funding for the project had already been allocated. The program would likely begin with a pilot project involving a few stores and eventually could be expanded to the entire neighborhood.

It would be a volunteer project, Meng said.

It's so true...

And now, a poem

QUEENS LANDSCAPE

Along the avenue in our part of Queens

storefronts and buildings are closely aligned.

Was it sleight-of-hand or some other means

that caused this landscape to be redesigned?

I can’t read the signs as I walk down the street;

they’re in languages I don’t comprehend;

the old and familiar are not there to greet;

perhaps I’ll find something around the bend.

So I wonder today, as a tongue-in-cheek inquisitor,

Is this my neighborhood or am I merely a visitor?

Trudy Eichen in the NY Times

Will English ever return to Flushing?

From the Times Ledger:

State Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) has taken the first step toward addressing an issue that has faced the Flushing community for many years: signage.

Anyone who has walked through the neighborhood’s bustling commercial district can attest to the fact that there are a number of different languages heavily represented on businesses’ signs, awnings and other written postings.

From the Korean-owned shops on Union Street to the Chinese-owned corridors of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue, signs are often written only in the native language of the store owner or with the English translation insufficiently sized or oddly placed.

So Meng is in the process of recruiting members for an advisory board to look into ways to fix this problem without placing a large financial burden on small business owners.

“We want to achieve results in a way that doesn’t hurt our small businesses,” she said. “For a business that is struggling — to take down an awning, that’s thousands of dollars. But we also don’t want them to just put a paper sign up. We want to find a compromise.”

Meng said she understands those business owners’ concerns but sympathizes with all concerned parties.

She also feels the pain of Flushing residents who cannot read signs in other languages.

I see awnings with patches containing revised info on them all the time.

DOB speaking a different language...

I thought it was just a fluke, so I checked again and...
same thing. Well, that explains the incompetence.

Pharmacies soon required to translate everything

From the Daily News:

A new bill requiring chain pharmacies in the city to provide translation help along with their pills isn't going down too well with some critics.

The City Council bill calls for pharmacists to speak any foreign language spoken by 1% or more of the people in any community district.

A Department of Consumer Affairs' representative testified the bill would impose "an especially cumbersome and expensive set of obligations" on both businesses and the department.

Photo by dumbonyc on Flickr

Queens recruiting center offering citizenship for enlistment

From the Queens Courier:

A Department of Defense pilot program is drawing foreign nationals from all over the country to come to Queens – and join the Army.

The program has a typically obscure military anagram name: MAVNI.

It stands for “Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest,” which is hardly more enlightening. When word of the pilot program first became public, misinformation spread.

Sergeant First Class Larry Nelson, station commander of the Army Recruiting Station at 36-40 Main Street in Flushing, is happy to set the record straight.

The reward is that once in the Army, MAVNI recruits can apply for citizenship immediately. The catch is that if they fail to complete their enlistment, their citizenship can be revoked.

Prospective recruits must be between the ages of 17 and 41; have been in the U.S. on student, employment and other visas for a minimum of two years without having left for 90 days or more; speak one of about 48 specific languages; have at least a high school diploma and pass medical, security and the Army entry exam.

The language list is divided into three priorities, with various dialects of Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Pashto, Punjabi, Hindi, Moro, and other Asian and African tongues listed as “Priority 1” and sought for 40% or more of the MAVNI contracts.

Mandarin and Cantonese, Korean and several other Asian and European languages are capped at a maximum of 30 percent. Spanish is not on the list.