Javier Bustamante,
Editor

Editoriales

No bunk

Die Anmerkungen durch Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr. und Finanzoberaufseher William Donald Schaefer waren hoch unpassend. Maryland braucht mehr Menschen aller Talente, gleichgültig ihr Ursprungsland. Und es ist kein Quatsch.

Maryland es una sociedad de muchas culturas. Los comentarios por Gobernador Robert Ehrlich junior e Interventor William Donald Schaefer eran muy inadecuados. Maryland necesita más personas de todos los talentos, no importa su país de procedencia. Y esto no es una broma.

L'État de Maryland - la société de plusieurs cultures. Les commentaires de Robert Ehrlich, le gouverneur, et de William Donald Schaefer, le chef des finances, étaient fortement inapproprié. Maryland a besoin d'une plus grande quantité de gens de tous les talents, indépendamment du fait leur pays de l'origine. Et cela non aucune betise.

Maryland is a society of many cultures. The comments by Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and Comptroller William Donald Schaefer were highly inappropriate. Maryland needs more people of all talents, no matter their country of origin. And that's no bunk.

Copyright © 2004, The Baltimore Sun

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William Donald Shaefer as bigot

When Mayor of Baltimore William Donald Schaefer created the Mayor's Committee on Hispanic Affairs in 1981, the Hispanic community cheered. Finally someone had noticed the presence in Baltimore of our community and was ready to understand its needs and do something about them. The group began to advise Schaefer about the recent immigrants problems with the English language, education, housing, jobs and many other mundane needs that normal citizens have. Mayor Schaefer listened and did a credible job.

When Schaefer went to Annapolis he brought with him his Liaison with the Hispanic community in Baltimore, Jose Ruiz, and made him the Executive Director of the Governor's Commission on Hispanic Affairs. Once again the Hispanic community cheered and the Governor did a credible job by our community. In 1994 Schaefer vetoed a bill that would have designated English as the "common official language" of the state. In the veto message, Schaefer said the proposed law "might lead to a rise in discriminatory policies and practices, aimed at persons belonging to linguistic minorities..." He understood our community, we thought.

Now Schaefer encounters slow service in a fast food restaurant and blames the poor English of the person serving him. Not satisfied, Schaefer lounges into a tirade against immigrants who don't know the language:

"I don't want to adjust to another language. This is the United States. I think they ought to adjust to us," the comptroller complained. "The people who come here should become part of American [sic], become Americanized and speak the language"

What gives? Is this the William Donald Schaefer we knew and respected? Is it that the bigot in him is just coming out of the closet after all these years?

Hard to say, but the remarks, the intemperance, and the insensitivity of a person who always was and now has become the ultimate curmudgeon speak of an inflexible individual who in his old age has become an embarrasment to all around him.

Mr. Schaefer, its time to retire. Do it before you get further and further behind. We loved you; let's leave it at that.

Javier Bustamante

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Ehrlich calls multiculturalism 'bunk', 'damaging to society'

Governor on radio show backs Schaefer's remarks

By David Nitkin
Sun Staff

May 9, 2004

The concept of multiculturalism is "bunk" and "damaging to the society," Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. said in defending remarks about non-English speakers made by political ally Comptroller William Donald Schaefer.

"Once you get into this multicultural crap, this bunk, that some folks are teaching in our college campuses and other places, you run into a problem," Ehrlich, a Republican, said during an appearance on WBAL radio Thursday. "There is no such thing as a multicultural society that can sustain itself, in my view, and I think history teaches us this lesson."

Ehrlich's comments came as he was asked about remarks made a day earlier by Schaefer, who opened Wednesday's state Board of Public Works meeting with a diatribe about his trouble placing an order at an Anne Arundel County McDonald's restaurant because of the counter staff's limited knowledge of English.

"Then I got a bag, and instead of having English on it, it had Spanish and German and every other" language, Schaefer said. "I don't want to adjust to another language. This is the United States. I think they ought to adjust to us."

Ehrlich did not attend the public works meeting because he was at a funeral, but he said in the radio interview that he supported Schaefer's sentiments.

Ehrlich has worked hard to keep on his side the cantankerous Schaefer, whose vote the governor needs to approve most state spending and other policy decisions on the three-member panel.

"With regard to this culture, English is the language," Ehrlich said. "Can [immigrants] obviously honor their ethnic traditions and languages at home and other places? Of course. They are not mutually exclusive. The point here is there is a major distinction between ethnic pride, which is appropriate, and multiculturalism, which is damaging to the society in my view."

Ehrlich did not define what he meant by multiculturalism, a term that has been the subject of fierce debate that has included overtones of political correctness and racism.

The concept has its roots in the 1960s, as growing numbers of educators came to believe that school curriculums focused on Western European values, history and literature to the exclusion of other views.

As the concept took hold, a backlash developed.

"In fact, any group can identify itself as a marginalized culture group," wrote Don Closson, a theologian with Texas-based Probe Ministries in a paper on multiculturalism available on the group's Web site. "The homeless become a cultural group, as do single mothers on welfare. Should their perspectives get equal treatment in our schools?"

Said Herbert C. Smith, a political science professor at McDaniel College in Westminster: "One of the complaints is that the multicultural curriculum pushes into and intrudes into the teaching of American history, given that there are only so many hours in a week."

Steven L. Kreseski, Ehrlich's chief of staff, said the governor spent time thinking about the concept as a congressman. Ehrlich believes that different ethnic groups should embrace American values such as capitalism and the celebration of Thanksgiving, Kreseski said. Kreseski pointed to Quebec as a place where debates over language and cultures have produced damaging results.

Del. Luiz R.S. Simmons, a Montgomery County Democrat and one of a handful of Hispanics in the General Assembly, said he agrees with the governor's views that immigrants should assimilate into society, without giving up their cultural touchstones.

But he said the governor should have stayed out of the debate, because his statements may generate confusion and hostility.

"It just seems to me that the governor should set a higher tone. You can sometimes set a higher tone by refusing to exacerbate a problem," Simmons said.

"As someone who sees the positive contributions Spanish-speaking residents are making every day, I see Governor Schaefer's comments as mean-spirited, and Governor Ehrlich's comments as opportunistic," he said.

A broader discussion of the rights and roles of immigrants was aggressively debated in Annapolis this year. Republican delegates from Baltimore County introduced bills that restricted illegal immigrants from borrowing vehicles or obtaining identification papers, but the measures were defeated.

Ehrlich has worked, however, to enlarge his administration's outreach to minority groups. He has refocused the state's minority business laws, and has attempted to give Hispanics a larger role - with uneven results.

By making his comments on AM radio, Ehrlich ran little risk of political damage, said Smith.

"He's speaking for his core constituency: the Republicans in Maryland. It's a pretty monochromatic choir in the main," he said.

Copyright (c) 2004, The Baltimore Sun
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Ehrlich won't criticize Schaefer, calls for one culture
by C. Benjamin Ford
Staff Writer

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. declined to criticize recent remarks made by Comptroller William Donald Schaefer against immigrants who do not speak English.

"There's no such thing as multiculturalism," Ehrlich (R) told reporters before a lunch meeting with business executives in Rockville on Thursday. "It's one culture -- American."

Ehrlich said it is important to celebrate the ethnic diversity of the country. "This is a nation of immigrants," he said. "I'm German-American."

However, Ehrlich said, the different ethnic groups need to make up a "singular culture" and speak English.

Schaefer (D) made his comments at Wednesday's Board of Public Works meeting about slow service he suffered at a McDonald's restaurant, The (Baltimore) Sun reported.

"I don't want to adjust to another language. This is the United States. I think they ought to adjust to us," The Sun quoted Schaefer as saying. "The people who come here should become part of American (sic), become Americanized and speak the language."

Schaefer spokesman Michael A. Walsh said Thursday that the comptroller would not be "not commenting one way or another at this time."

Ehrlich did not attend Wednesday's meeting.

"Schaefer grew up in a Maryland that was not as multicultural as today," said University of Maryland, College Park political science professor Ronald Walters.

Schaefer's remarks tap into a growing anti-Hispanic movement in parts of the country, Walters said.

"Resentment is deep," he said.

Del. Victor R. Ramirez (D-Dist. 47) of Mount Rainier said the remarks come at a bad time because the Democrats are trying to build up a base among new immigrants.

"To have someone who is a leader in our party and has done a lot of good things for our party -- it's really disappointing," said Ramirez, who was born in El Salvador. "Disappointing as a Democrat and disappointing as someone who speaks another language as well.

"I don't think anyone would dispute that you should learn to speak English. I also don't believe you need to assimilate and lose your culture."

Montgomery County Councilman Thomas E. Perez (D-Dist. 5) of Takoma Park, the son of immigrants from the Dominican Republican, called Schaefer's remarks unfortunate.

"People want to learn English, but government isn't making it enough of a priority and we have waiting lists," Perez said Thursday.

Schaefer language comments draw complaints from Hispanic leaders
By TOM STUCKEY
Associated Press Writer

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Comptroller William Donald Schaefer's complaints about fast food workers who don't speak English drew criticism Thursday from Hispanic leaders who said the former governor displayed an insensitivity toward
immigrants. The remarks also could hurt Democratic Party efforts to build support among members of racial minorities in Maryland, said Delegate Victor
Ramirez, D-Prince George's.

"It's definitely inappropriate," Ramirez said. "I respect him as a politician, but I think the statements were way out of line."

Schaefer often begins meetings of the Board of Public Works by sounding off about something that he finds annoying or upsetting. Wednesday, it was service
at fast food restaurants by employees who speak little English.

The comptroller recounted two recent instances when he had trouble placing an order, including a stop for breakfast on the way to work Wednesday.

"I gave my order to the new girl. Nice little girl. She was very accommodating. The little girl beside her had to take the order," he said.

"I don't want to adjust to another language. This is the United States. I think they ought to adjust to us," Schaefer said.

Richard Montgomery, who worked for Schaefer when he was governor, noted that in 1994 Schaefer vetoed a bill that would have designated English as the "common official language" of the state.

In the veto message, Schaefer said the proposed law "might lead to a rise in
discriminatory policies and practices, aimed at persons belonging to linguistic
minorities..."

"There are times when his manner of expression isn't the most sensitive,"
Montgomery said. "But I have never doubted the man's heart being in the right
place."

But Ramirez said Schaefer should be held accountable for his words.

"We wouldn't accept this from anyone else," he said. "You can't just say he's a
grumpy older man."

Roberto Allen, president of the Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said
the comments were troublesome.

"It just seems like it's a counterproductive kind of commentary," Allen said.

Allen said he agrees that immigrants should learn English.

"But if somebody just starting here is working in a fast food job that nobody
else wants, what are they supposed to do? They sort of learn the language at
work," he said.

Michael Golden, a spokesman for Schaefer, said the comptroller believes most
American and most Marylanders "expect that when they are being served by any business, that the people serving them will be speaking the same language."

"That isn't a swipe against immigrants. It's just part and parcel of doing
business in this country," he said.