Governator Talks Assimilation

In a speech to the National Associaton of Hispanic Journalist, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told the audience that Spanish speakers need to turn off the Spanish language television in order to learn English faster.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told a gathering of Hispanic journalists that immigrants should avoid Spanish-language media if they want to learn English quickly.

"You've got to turn off the Spanish television set" and avoid Spanish-language television, books and newspapers, the Republican governor said Wednesday night at the annual convention of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

"You're just forced to speak English, and that just makes you learn the language faster," Schwarzenegger said.

"I know this sounds odd and this is the politically incorrect thing to say, and I'm going to get myself in trouble," he said, noting that he rarely spoke German and was forced to learn English when he emigrated from Austria.

Schwarzenegger was responding to a question about how Hispanic students can improve academically. Many journalists for Spanish-language organizations in the audience were surprised by the remarks.

"I'm sitting shaking my head not believing that someone would be so naive and out of it that he would say something like that," said Alex Nogales, president and chief executive of the National Hispanic Media Coalition.

Hispanic immigrants need Spanish-language media to stay informed and "function in this society," Nogales said.

Well, no one ever said that Schwarzenegger was not blunt, but had he made this statement in any other forum, it would not have been heard like it is now.

While is choice of venue might be strange, his message is right on point. The Governor is not talking about ending Spanish language TV, but that Hispanic students need to listen to the English language in as many formats as possible in order to learn it better. Due respect to Mr. Nogales, but would he have his position without knowledge of the Enlighs langauge? The English language is needed to function in this society--not Spanish.