The Power to Divide or Unite: How Our Bilingual Community Can Shape Us

Is English the official language of America? To the surprise of many, the 
Constitution makes no provisions to designate English as such. Legislative 
efforts have proven futile in passing these types of amendments, as many 
scholars will point to its obvious contradictions to the First Amendment, which 
protects freedom of speech. 

Our newly elected Mayor, Neil Pagano, along with the other Board members to 
be sworn in on April 2nd, should take note of this important issue not as means 
of dividing the people of Port Chester, but as an opportunity to unite. 

During the Mayoral and Trustees' forum hosted by the League of Women 
Voters, the question was posed to all the candidates -- whether Board Meetings 
should be conducted in Spanish as well as English. The general consensus was 
that there was little practicality in this, given that our exclusively English 
board meetings will often start Monday and end on Tuesday. Translation into 
Spanish could plausibly double meeting times. However, as was noted by the LWV, 
58% of Port Chester's population is Latino/Hispanic. Expectations about how our 
non-English speaking residents might assimilate to Port Chester life -- and by 
greater extension, American society -- should be considered with some 
sensitivity. Comparing the past to the present isn't always so simple. 

Greg Adams likened such a proposal as a "road to hell paved with good 
intentions." Indeed, it doesn't take a fluent English speaker to see the hellish 
qualities of some of our meetings. Any translator would struggle to keep up with 
caustic interruptions and the reverb from shouting. Joe Kenner also considered 
it well-intentioned, but felt residents should learn English "just like everyone 
else." Gene Ceccarelli suggested a close-captioned television, which would 
ostensibly not cut into time, but could cause the village to incur an 
added expense. Dan Brakewood mentioned how "translating some documents makes 
sense," and that such outreach could get more people involved. Luis Marino 
lightheartedly responded that it would "make it easier" for him, being a native 
Spanish speaker. Mr. Marino received rightful praise from Pagano during the 
Mayoral debate identifying him as the "connection between our Board...and the 
Latino community." Suffice it to say, it doesn't make Mr. Marino's work any 
easier. Mr. Terrenzi noted, "If you want to keep immigrants second class 
citizens, make it easy for them not to learn English." 

Mr. Terrenzi is correct in this assertion, but here I would caution the 
dangers of having an "English-only" mindset in conducting business and communal 
matters. I would extend Mr. Terrenzi's idea that if we want to keep 
entrepreneurs and business owners second-class in terms of their success, we 
would have them not learn Spanish. The ATM at the downtown Chase substantiates 
this idea. The welcoming screen offers prompts in over a dozen languages. If it 
were to have English-only options, just think about how much business would be 
lost. What part of the 58% Latino population would likely take their business 
elsewhere? It pays to have bilingual skills not just in Port Chester, but 
beyond. 

Mr. Pagano seemed to suggest that language acquisition and assimilation by 
immigrants haven't changed much. He noted that "people come to this community 
the same way my ancestors did...they learned our language." I think there is 
reason to disagree. Unlike my own grandparents, who arrived to a country where 
all media and business were done in English, today's immigrants arrive 
assimilating to an entirely different world. Our sources of information have 
exponentially increased. America is now more multi-cultural than ever; and its 
media is not limited to a handful of networks the way it used to be. 

Cablevision could arguably be a culprit in delaying the learning of English 
among immigrants nowadays. A fellow teacher friend noted how Brazilian 
students transitioned with greater ease into mainstream English classes as 
compared to Spanish-speaking students. She asked, was it matter of motivation 
among Brazilians that set them apart? That assumption can actually lead to 
some hasty generalizations and stereotypes. By talking to the students, the 
answer became clearer. A lack of televised programming in Portuguese goaded 
these kids into learning English faster. Entering into the blame game about why 
some immigrants fail to adequately learn English can steer us down an 
unproductive and ugly road. Schools are doing their part. I have seen 
firsthand how immigrant students work hard at home to teach the parents. Both my 
grandmothers were immigrants and had to learn English. Yet they were 
stay-at-home moms. With the changing economy, I see many students who simply 
don't have time to dialogue with parents, as many parents work well beyond the 
typical forty hour work week. 
  
Undeniably, Port Chester is a bilingual village. The many cultures we have 
here set us apart from the average community -- and for me, it's a source of 
pride. Bridging the gap between our English and non-English speaking residents 
cannot be a burden that Mr. Marino should handle alone. Do I think Board 
meetings should be in Spanish? For the sake of time, no. Should key documents 
and perhaps a close-captioned broadcast be made in Spanish? If it means bringing 
more people to the table, yes. The rising tide that will raise all boats in our 
seaside town will not come from resistance to learn a new language; rather, it 
will come from the willingness to make connections and bring all cultures 
together.