Dear Gabacho:
Where do the US presidential candidates stand on the issue of immigration? Who would you rather see win if you were an immigrant?
Need Opinion Regarding The Election
Dear NORTE :
Obama and McCain's plans to rectify our immigration system are similar. They both agree that the US should secure the borders first and crack down on companies that hire undocumented immigrants. Both of their plans include increasing border personnel and the use of technology to preserve the integrity of our borders.
Obama supports a system that allows undocumented immigrants in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity at citizenship. Obama also believes that the US needs to do more to promote economic development in Mexico to decrease the cause of illegal immigration.
McCain supports a system that will meet America's labor needs. He says that he will implement a temporary worker program that will reflect the labor needs of the US in both the high-tech and low-skilled sectors while protecting employment opportunities for US workers. McCain also would like to reform caps for the H-1B visa program to rise and fall in response to market conditions.
In my opinion, McCain seems more interested in protecting our borders while Obama seems more interested in rooting out the cause of illegal immigration.
To see more detailed explanations of the two candidates' plans for immigration reform, visit:
Obama's Web Site on Immigration
and
McCain's Web Site on Immigration
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Mexican vs. Hispanic vs. Ignorance
Today we have a special Ask El Gabacho featuring a question asked live, right before el Gabacho presented his Hispanic Cultural Awareness training to the High Country Human Resource Association (HCHRA) in Steamboat Springs, CO, by one of the meeting facility's maintenance staff (not affiliated with the HCHRA).
"What's the difference between a Mexican and a Hispanic?"
Gabacho responds:
This sounds like the beginning of a very bad joke. Is it? [It was.] The punchline notwithstanding, the difference is this: a Mexican is a person that was born in Mexico. Hispanic is a term created by the US government in the 70's to categorize people whose native language is Spanish. A Mexican could be considered Hispanic, but not all that are considered Hispanic are Mexican. For example, a Guatemalan could be considered Hispanic, but they are not Mexican. Hope that helps everyone.
To see the string of comments that followed this presentation, please go to: http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2008/jun/29/experts_give_tips_helping_spanishspeaking_workers/
"What's the difference between a Mexican and a Hispanic?"
Gabacho responds:
This sounds like the beginning of a very bad joke. Is it? [It was.] The punchline notwithstanding, the difference is this: a Mexican is a person that was born in Mexico. Hispanic is a term created by the US government in the 70's to categorize people whose native language is Spanish. A Mexican could be considered Hispanic, but not all that are considered Hispanic are Mexican. For example, a Guatemalan could be considered Hispanic, but they are not Mexican. Hope that helps everyone.
To see the string of comments that followed this presentation, please go to: http://steamboatpilot.com/news/2008/jun/29/experts_give_tips_helping_spanishspeaking_workers/
Friday, June 13, 2008
Get a Job
Dear Gabacho,
I'm going to be speaking to a group of (Spanish speaking only) Mexican immigrants in a ski resort town in Colorado about applying for a job in the U.S. and preparing themselves to be interviewed for a job. What advice would you give to them?
Hiring in the High Country
Dear High,
Beside the usual advice of arriving on time, having a neat appearance, researching the company ahead of time, etc. I would stress that they speak about their previous experiences in Mexico, either through an interpreter or by translating their resume / letter of interest. It is important to realize that just because someone comes to the United States and cleans rooms does not mean that that is all that they know. I am constantly surprised at the diversity of experiences that immigrants have had and the utter lack of acknowledgement of those experiences on the part of the people that manage them at work.
I'm going to be speaking to a group of (Spanish speaking only) Mexican immigrants in a ski resort town in Colorado about applying for a job in the U.S. and preparing themselves to be interviewed for a job. What advice would you give to them?
Hiring in the High Country
Dear High,
Beside the usual advice of arriving on time, having a neat appearance, researching the company ahead of time, etc. I would stress that they speak about their previous experiences in Mexico, either through an interpreter or by translating their resume / letter of interest. It is important to realize that just because someone comes to the United States and cleans rooms does not mean that that is all that they know. I am constantly surprised at the diversity of experiences that immigrants have had and the utter lack of acknowledgement of those experiences on the part of the people that manage them at work.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Fence between US and Mexico
Dear Gabacho,
I heard that we're building a fence between us and Mexico. What's going on with that?
Wondering in Washington (state)
Dear Wondering,
The border between the United States and Mexico is a diverse stretch of land 1,950 miles long that runs between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, crossing desert, mountains, Indian reservation, gorges, rivers, and high density urban areas. On October 26, 2006 the Secure Fence Act was enacted, which instructed the Department of Homeland Security to secure about one-third of the 1,950-mile border between US and Mexico with 700 miles of double-layered fencing. As of February 2008, 302 miles of barrier have been constructed mostly on federal land in Arizona, New Mexico, and California, and slightly over half (approx. 165 miles) of this has been built under the new law. Is the fence good or bad or even working? That seems to depend largely on whom you ask and where you live. The Christian Science Monitor has a very interesting article and a three part audio series (approx. 2.5 minutes each) about the fence. Most interesting is the diversity of opinions on the fence from the people that live and work near it everyday.
I heard that we're building a fence between us and Mexico. What's going on with that?
Wondering in Washington (state)
Dear Wondering,
The border between the United States and Mexico is a diverse stretch of land 1,950 miles long that runs between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, crossing desert, mountains, Indian reservation, gorges, rivers, and high density urban areas. On October 26, 2006 the Secure Fence Act was enacted, which instructed the Department of Homeland Security to secure about one-third of the 1,950-mile border between US and Mexico with 700 miles of double-layered fencing. As of February 2008, 302 miles of barrier have been constructed mostly on federal land in Arizona, New Mexico, and California, and slightly over half (approx. 165 miles) of this has been built under the new law. Is the fence good or bad or even working? That seems to depend largely on whom you ask and where you live. The Christian Science Monitor has a very interesting article and a three part audio series (approx. 2.5 minutes each) about the fence. Most interesting is the diversity of opinions on the fence from the people that live and work near it everyday.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Are Latinos racist?
Dear Gabacho,
Why don't Democratic Latinos support Obama? Is it because he's black?
Black guy in Atlanta
Dear Black Guy,
Why don't the Obama Latinos support Clinton? Is it because she's a woman? To answer your real question let me just say that I think that some Latinos are racist and some aren't, and everywhere in between, just like among any other group of people. I think that the reason Latino voters have been supporting Clinton in the primaries instead of Obama is that Clinton has name recognition, and the positive economic associations that go with that name. That'd be my guess.
Why don't Democratic Latinos support Obama? Is it because he's black?
Black guy in Atlanta
Dear Black Guy,
Why don't the Obama Latinos support Clinton? Is it because she's a woman? To answer your real question let me just say that I think that some Latinos are racist and some aren't, and everywhere in between, just like among any other group of people. I think that the reason Latino voters have been supporting Clinton in the primaries instead of Obama is that Clinton has name recognition, and the positive economic associations that go with that name. That'd be my guess.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Not Motivated in New Mexico
Dear Gabacho,
I work as a Human Resource director for a resort and about 15% of our employees are Spanish speakers. Many have been with us for years. We have a couple of ladies in housekeeping that have been with our company for over 12 years, doing the same job! How is it that someone could work in the same job for so long? Wouldn't they want to move up a little? And how can they still not speak English??
(are they) Not Motivated in New Mexico?
Dear (are they) Not Motivated,
Of course if you spoke Spanish, or they spoke English, you could ask your employees what's going on. But the obvious language barrier is also masking a significant cultural barrier. Getting a promotion might not be on your employees' wish list. A promotion could alienate them from their peers and could mean more exposure to guests and English speakers, which could be an uncomfortable and stressful proposition. Your employee might be content to work in the same job because it's reliable, predictable, and she gets to work with her friends, family and peers, all of whom are fellow Spanish speakers. This also helps explain why she hasn't learned English yet.
"Nativist theories hold that children are born with an innate propensity for language acquisition, and that this ability makes the task of learning a first language easier than it would otherwise be." But language acquisition is also hampered simply by being an adult. Most adults work, have family and friends, hobbies, housework, bills to pay, kids, etc. They're simply too busy to go to task with learning a new language.
I work as a Human Resource director for a resort and about 15% of our employees are Spanish speakers. Many have been with us for years. We have a couple of ladies in housekeeping that have been with our company for over 12 years, doing the same job! How is it that someone could work in the same job for so long? Wouldn't they want to move up a little? And how can they still not speak English??
(are they) Not Motivated in New Mexico?
Dear (are they) Not Motivated,
Of course if you spoke Spanish, or they spoke English, you could ask your employees what's going on. But the obvious language barrier is also masking a significant cultural barrier. Getting a promotion might not be on your employees' wish list. A promotion could alienate them from their peers and could mean more exposure to guests and English speakers, which could be an uncomfortable and stressful proposition. Your employee might be content to work in the same job because it's reliable, predictable, and she gets to work with her friends, family and peers, all of whom are fellow Spanish speakers. This also helps explain why she hasn't learned English yet.
"Nativist theories hold that children are born with an innate propensity for language acquisition, and that this ability makes the task of learning a first language easier than it would otherwise be." But language acquisition is also hampered simply by being an adult. Most adults work, have family and friends, hobbies, housework, bills to pay, kids, etc. They're simply too busy to go to task with learning a new language.
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