Two women detained for speaking Spanish in Montana convenience store settle border patrol lawsuit

boing
24

On other hand, learn castilian could be easily done in UK. Are courses like this forbidden in USA?

Because one could learn a different language easily, with some application.

1 Like
25

This born and raised only speaking English American thinks Spanish should be taught in elementary schools. Not only would it foster recognition of our polyglot, mixed cultural heritage, but learning a second language early on also builds brainpower (or so I’ve heard).

13 Likes
26

Should have made the agent who detained them take a trip to a place where everyone speaks Spanish and then have someone detain him for speaking English. Fuck that asshole.

6 Likes
27

Spanish is, I believe, one of the easier languages for an English speaker to learn, because much of the vocabulary shares a common root, the phonology isn’t radically different,* and the spelling is practically phonetic.

* Though there are some subtle differences to trip you up if you want a flawless accent: IIRC, to make proper Spanish ‘v’, ‘d’, ‘t’ and ‘th’ sounds, your tongue needs to be in a different position from where it is when making the equivalent English sound.

4 Likes
28

So this guy, whose job is to patrol an empty AF patch of the CANADIAN border with the US, is taking his coffee break to accost people for speaking Spanish? Is the Canadian border some kind of back-door entry point for Mexico & Central America now? That’s a long damn tunnel.

1 Like
29

I really wish these kind of settlements would stop. What’s the point if they aren’t going to admit they were wrong. It’s like an apology that starts Sorry/Not Sorry.

2 Likes
30

I’ve been known to switch to dirga durga languages in front of CBP lackeys in order to make my privilege absolutely & abhorrently obvious. It makes me deeply sad and rekindles my drive to see equity every time.

31

The government should not be allowed to make secret settlements like this, Ho much it cost the taxpayers is significant and the people have an inherent right to know these things about their hired help.

This includes any and all discipinary actions at any level.

Note: I am a retired fed and yes, I would have worked if this was how it was when I worked. If one is to feed at the public trough, one has a lot less expectation of privacy about such matters to the public who pays taxes under threat of force.

3 Likes
33

This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.