Tom Brokaw made a very successful living off of free speech and freedom of the press. Now he’s apologizing for making perfect sense. While on the air for Meet the Press he said something with which a vast majority of American’s agree. “Hispanics should work harder at assimilation. They ought not to be just codified in their communities, but make sure that all their kids are learning to speak English.”
Put another way; you should make sure your children learn the native language of the nation to which you have immigrated. If you dragged them to France or Germany or Russia, would you refuse to have them literate in the native tongue or expect everyone around you to learn Spanish? Or, just let them struggle, confined to ethnic areas. If the latter, why did you go there in the first place?
You dragged them here. Or gave birth to them here. Presumably for a better life. Don’t you have an obligation as a parent to ensure that “better life” is possible?
What’s That Snapping Sound?
Brokaw’s declaration of common sense snapped Leftists like twigs all across the Lib-o-Sphere.
Aura Bogado, who is described as an investigative immigration reporter at Reveal, said Brokaw was “arguing classic white supremacist talking points in a deeply racist rant on national television.” Julio Ricardo Varela, the founder of LatinoRebels.com, said “It really was a punch in the gut to a lot of people.”
People who didn’t speak English? How did they know? They’d have had to learn English and then translate it so that others who don’t speak it could know. Or were they watching Meet the Press and reading the captioning in Spanish? Using the SAP Button on the remote? Which, if what Bogado says is true, they shouldn’t need.
So, how is Bogado’s take not a form of supremacy all it’s own?
“It was not only factually incorrect, it was also xenophobia in action,” Varela added in his criticism of Brokaw. Liberal commentator Maria Cardona called Brokaw “a little out of touch.”
And there’s no reason to push 2 for Spanish?
I’m glad we worked that out.
Brokaw’s fellow commentator on Meet the Press, PBS NewsHour’s Yamiche Alcindor, said: “We need to adjust what we think of as America. The idea that Americans can only speak English, as if Spanish and other languages wasn’t always part of America, is in some ways troubling.”
When did Brokaw say that? He didn’t. He said they should learn English. A skill that, believe it or not, makes them incredibly valuable to employers. Why? because there are a lot of people who come to America who only speak Spanish.
Which means Brokaw is right, and he never should have apologized, which he did, because he’s a snowflake too.
