An article in last week’s El Editor resulted in some interesting comments being exchanged via email on the subject of whether Congress should continue legislation detailed in the Voting Rights Act of 1975 which calls for renewing a requirement that large communities of “people who speak limited English must have access to (voting) ballots in their native language”.
Here are 3 Lubbock residents’ voices
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“We are seeing the racial division that exists in Lubbock and the lack of more Hispanic representation. ÖI think we need to take action to make sure that this law is renewed or else all our political efforts can be jeopardized.”
Modesto R. Rodriguez – Lubbock Resident
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“We should encourage our representatives to help Hispanics by extending the bilingual ballots. On another important note, we should encourage our people to speak and read English on par if not better than native English speakers. All of the worthwhile jobs, political positions, and high level government appointments require a mastery of English. The thing that is keeping Hispanics from learning proper English is machismo. Our people need to drop the machismo act and begin to open their eyes to the fact that they need to master English. Machismo doesn’t put food on the table and all it does is put our young people into poverty, gangs, eventually jail for young Hispanic men, and single motherhood for our Hispanic women.”
Jerry Perez – Lubbock Resident
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“I wish “machismo” was the only reason Spanish speakers were preventing themselves from speaking English. Lack of funding for quality bilingual, ESL (English as a second language), and bilingual special education classroom instruction is one of the main reasons cited as why people are only Spanish proficient. If more funding for these types of programs were available instead of always being cut, then perhaps more pride in speaking, reading and writing English, as well as being educated in English would exist.
ÖTexas ranks 46th among the 50 states with literacy problems. As suchÖwe must require our legislators to invest more in our children’s elementary and secondary educationÖ And we must require them to make voting accessible despite language proficiency issues.”
“Una persona biling¸e vale dos”
Christy Martinez-Garcia – Lubbock Resident
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If you would like for your “voice” to be heard in “Community Voices”, send your comment to El Editor Community Voices, 1502 Ave M, Lubbock, TX 79401 or you can email your comments to: acruztsc@aol.com