The notion that we should be treated as part of ‘mainstream America,’ versus being treated as minorities, lends credence to the frame of a static, dominant culture by subconsciously granting [it] the power to decide what is ‘American.’

Such warped idea places us in a subcategory. A cultural purgatory where we are doomed to stay until we learn to be ‘good enough to be treated as Americans.’

We don’t need platitudes about being treated as part of ‘mainstream’ America (where the dominant culture absolves our essence of being). We are America. No excuses, no explanations. We need to continue to define our own American experience on our own terms.

And, another thing, stop telling us that the GOP love(d) us. Why don’t you tell them to show us how they plan to love us instead. They demonstrated to the world during the last presidential campaign and at the St. Paul convention that they are xenophobic they are to the core. They need to get on the immigration and human rights reform van wagon or shut up about outreach to Latinos.

Lastly, is going to take more than the man of ‘Steele’ to slay the xenophobic dragon that sits at the throne of the GOP. It’s going to take a miracle and lots of cash.

How about it? Anybody think Leslie is up to the task?

Posted: 01/26/2009 03:36:00 PM MST
Updated: 01/26/2009 05:08:03 PM MST

Sen. Dave Schultheis says the Colorado Department of Transportation is wasting mucho dinero by running ads in Spanish that urge drivers to buckle up.

“All these ads are going to do is provide one more assimilation off-ramp for new arrivals,” Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, said today. “Bilingualism in our buckle-up ads — just like bilingualism in our schools — will only encourage the further balkanization of our culture, reduce the pressure on new immigrants to learn English and make it harder in the long run for immigrants to become Americans.”

The department is holding a press conference to announce the TV ad campaign, its first ever Spanish ad campaign, on Tuesday. According to agency spokeswoman Stacey Stegman, 23 percent of all fatal-accident victims last year were Latino.

And of a total 80 Latinos who died in accidents last year, 59 were unbuckled.

“It’s clear that expanded efforts are needed to increase safety-belt use within the state’s Hispanic community,” Stegman said.

The department said the ad campaign is aimed primarily at Latino men and urges them to protect themselves and their families.

Stegman said the ad cost about $15,000 to produce, and the agency hopes Spanish TV stations will run it for free.

She said CDOT got $5.3 million in federal safety funds this year to address drunken driving, seatbelt usage, aggressive driving, motorcycle safety, teen driving and child safety seats. The department spent $622,000 on seatbelt education efforts and paid advertising last year, she said.

Schultheis wondered where the accommodation of foreign languages ends.

“Can we expect a new round of PSAs from CDOT later on this year in Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese or some other foreign language?” he asked.

Stegman replied, “If in Colorado there were the same large numbers of those populations that were unbuckled, we would do what we could to address those as well.

“Our programs are about saving lives, regardless of the race.”

Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626 or thoover@denverpost.com

Script of Spanish seat-belt public service announcement:

SPA: Tu troca, nadie la toca.
ENG: Nobody touches your truck.

SPA: ¡A tu hija mucho menos!
ENG: And your daughter no way!

SPA: ¿Y esa camiseta que costó tanto sudor conseguirla? ¡Ja! Ni se diga.
ENG: And that hard-earned soccer jersey? Ha! Don’t even think about it!

SPA: Si realmente cuidas lo que te importa, hazlo también cuando manejas.
ENG: If you really take care of what matters most, also do it when you drive.

SPA: Usa el cinturón y cuida lo que más te importa.
ENG: Use the seatbelt and take care of what matters most.

SPA: Un mensaje del Departmento de Transporte de Colorado.
ENG: A message from the Colorado Department of Transportation.