Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i2UEcdm15616; Tue, 30 Mar 2004 09:38:39 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 09:38:39 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <17F1C59A.7CAF5BB3.0AB94E44@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: AndresMuro@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:10133] Re: layers of meaning X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 X-Mailer: Atlas Mailer 2.0 Status: O Content-Length: 3352 Lines: 53 ...but you are afraid of driving in the same roads with them. I believe that you live in florida, am I right? They are there to pick your oranges. they are recruited from southern Mexico and Central America to work for menial wages. They don't have health insurance, don't collect retirement and work ridiculous hours for nothing. They also go to school because they are making an effort to improve their conditions. Nobody complains about the orange juice that they drink the fresh fruits that they eat, that their tolilettes area clean, they children have caring nannies, that their yards are clean and well maintained or that the kitchens are clean, laundry is done beds are made and dinner is served when they come home from work. In fact, nobody ever mentions that "these illiterates" do all these things. However, people are quick to mention that they don't want to drive on the same roads, or that they refuse to learn "our language", or that they deliver babies in "our hospitals" spending "our tax money", or that they are lazy drunks and all other kinds of racist bs. Well then, if they are so deffective, why are so many wealthy Americans willing to hire them. they could instead, hire US citizens, pay them minimum wage, social security, health insurance and report them in thier taxes. BTW, racism is not defined by the intention of the person spouting racist stuff, but by the interpretation of the oppressed. Andres In a message dated 3/30/2004 6:05:29 AM Eastern Standard Time, ttweeton@comcast.net writes: >Janet, of course I certainly don't mean to be offensive. That is not my intent at all. My ESOL class is a Pre-literate class. In my particular class, most have never been to school in their own countries, never taken up a pencil. "Buying" a driver's licence as well as a social security number has been a common practice around this part of the country. > >Tanya Tweeton >ESOL and GED Programs >Fort Lauderdale, Florida >> Tanya >> >> I'm wondering if you have a sense of the weight and tone of your post >> here. For many, a word like foreigner carries the implication that >> someone doesn't belong in a particular place; and last I knew, >> driving and using a language were two very separate sets of skills. >> >> If you re-read what you've written here, I'm wondering if you might >> see what this strikes me - and maybe others - as offensive and >> anti-immigrant. I don't think that's your intention, but I do >> believe that our words carry weight and deliver messages that may or >> may not convey our intentions. >> >> Janet Isserlis >> >> >> >I would like to leave you all with just a thought about the reasons >> >for teaching English and WHY foreigners need to learn our language, >> >(not just to come to live in our country, living here without it,) >> >as you travel on your way. I have an older student in my class who >> >can neither write her name correctly nor her address. She doesn't >> >remember it, daily I ask....... She can't read period.... However I >> >discovered this week that she has a driver's licence and is driving >> >a car......... I am trying to discover where she drives exactly so I >> >can head the other way!! Aren't you all glad you don't live in our >> >county!! :) >> >Tanya Tweeton >> > -- go here: www.geocities.com/andresmuro/art.html
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