Get over yourself, you’re not that interesting. “But it makes me feel as if you are talking about me.” You are doing nothing wrong in any of these cases. It’s no more rude to speak Spanish in public in the USA than it is to practice your religion, or to have skin pigment, or to have freckles, or to have blonde or red or black hair, or to wear the traditional clothing of your culture. It is not rude to speak Spanish in public in the United States. The arguments against speaking Spanish are absolutely wrong.

is strengthened by bilingual citizens who have roots in two worlds. That last is especially saddening because often it comes from foreign-born individuals who have been convinced they must forget their heritage in order to conform to U.S. “Why do I have to ‘Press 1 for English?’ ” “It’s disrespectful to speak a language I don’t understand.” You will see this argument over and over, even from people who are otherwise open to the message. One of the recurring objections that appears in the comments is the sentiment that it is somehow “rude” to speak Spanish in public. One guy even said I was “what’s wrong with America.” Honestly, if the problems of this country could be so easily fixed by eliminating me, I’d be the first to remove myself. I’ve been accused of lying and exaggerating the truth. As I write this, the article is at 79,000 likes with over 1,500 comments.īut among all the positive support there is a fair amount of hate mail. The article’s reach widened even further and people began sending friend requests and leaving heartfelt replies. I began to receive emails, texts, and Facebook messages expressing solidarity with my position, first from friends, then from random people I’d never met. In one of those quirks of fate, the Internet grabbed hold and the story ignited. Recently I wrote a column for the Leader-Telegram titled “Speaking Spanish in America,” dealing with how people have recently come to object when I speak in Spanish publicly. Some people are provoked simply by the sound of Spanish, so it’s good to point out when you have an interaction with a person who displays an admirable attitude. We shared a couple more trivialities, but it wasn’t until later that I realized what a remarkable exchange that was. I tried Rosetta stone and a bunch of other classes, but I just can’t seem to pick it up.” “Now there’s a skill I wish I had,” he said kindly.

After a few words, I turned back to the man who was selling the car. After a quick test drive, I turned to consult my wife in Spanish.

We’d found a rusted out “beater with a heater” on Craigslist which I thought could be used for picking up my children from school. Yesterday I took my family to look at a used car.

Reckless Traveler by Walter Rhein