Governator: Mexicans don't blend in well

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By Ruben Navarrette | Thursday, October 12, 2006 12:54 AM CDT | () comments

Ruben Navarrette

As if Mexicans weren’t having a tough enough time in America these days, now they’re being told they don’t speak good enough English by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

What’s Spanish for “How humiliating”?

You’d hope that someone who’s been ribbed because of his accent might be extra sensitive to how language can be used as a weapon, or understand how some people like making others feel less American than they are.

So why would Schwarzenegger stumble so clumsily into the language wars when, during an appearance in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, he gave Mexicans a tutorial on how to succeed in America, Austrian-style?

Welcome to Caly-for-nee-ya.

In response to a reporter’s question, Schwarzenegger said people often ask him the secret of his success. He tells them it requires “that you learn the language, that you learn the history of America ... and (that) you have to become part of America.”

So far, so good. But then he went for the whole enchilada.

“And that is very difficult for some people to do,” said the governor, “especially, I think, for Mexicans, because they are so close to their country here, so they try to stay Mexican but try to be in America.”

The Austrian immigrant offered this advice: “What I am saying to the Mexicans is, you’ve got to go and immerse yourself, and assimilate into the American culture, and become part of the American fabric. That is how Americans will embrace you.”

Et tu, Arnold?

The governor’s most recent comments were inaccurate, impolite, inconsistent, imprudent, insincere and incomplete:

Inaccurate because Mexicans do assimilate. A recent study found that, by the second generation, English is dominant for children of Mexican immigrants. By the third generation, only 17 percent still speak fluent Spanish. In the fourth generation, it’s 5 percent.

Impolite because it’s never a good idea to compare one group to another. Schwarzenegger contrasted Mexicans to Asians, whom he called a “hardworking people ... making great contributions.” Imagine if the governor used an event for Jews to criticize African-Americans.

Inconsistent because the governor was, after all, in Chinatown to attend a celebration of something called the Moon Festival, a fall holiday in Asian culture, and promote a new law to study the effects of relaxing health standards for ethnic foods. And he touts assimilation?

Imprudent because issues of language and assimilation represent delicate territory where it’s best not to charge in without reflection and restraint.

Insincere because Mr. Assimilation’s own campaign Web site, www.joinarnold.com, has a feature where you can hit a button to read the site en espanol. Que pasa, Arnold?

And incomplete because this line about how Americans will “embrace” Mexicans if they do X, Y and Z only perpetuates the notion that — to the degree that Mexicans aren’t embraced now — it’s their own fault. Never mind racism, discrimination or fear.

It’s not that Schwarzenegger doesn’t have a point. He’s right that immigrants — no matter where they come from — should assimilate and blend into American culture and learn English.

Schwarzenegger’s mistake was assuming that this was some revolutionary idea that Mexicans and Mexican-Americans need to be sold on. They don’t. They’ve already bought in. And one would like to think the immigrant governor of the most diverse state in the country would know that.

Contact Ruben Navarrette at ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.