Driving while Hispanic?
In Dallas, police officers have been ticketing drivers for not being able to speak English. Racism or an innocent error?
Driving while Hispanic: A crime? (Corbis/moodboard)
Since 2007, police officers in Dallas have issued dozens of traffic tickets to drivers who don’t speak English. All but one of the motorists cited were Hispanic. The police department has acknowledged it erred—that, in fact, no laws were violated—and is investigating the incidents. But what does the pattern mean?
The ticketing may have been motivated by racism: “Some will call this an honest mistake,” says Ruben Navarrette Jr. in the San Jose Mercury News. But doing so involves overlooking the fact that the “mistake occurred at least 38 times” at the hands of 20 separate police officers. “Is this racism—maybe a new strain of that ugly virus?” If not, “what should we call it? Linguistic profiling?"
"'Crime' in Dallas"
Local cops shouldn’t do immigration enforcement: Whatever the reason these particular tickets were given, the explanation is “likely to be highly embarrassing to the Dallas authorities,” says The New York Times in an editorial. But the incidents are merely part of a broader national debate over what role local authorities should play in immigration enforcement—and proof that outsourcing the task to local police tends to yield poor results.
"Driving without English"
Law or no law, drivers who can’t read English are dangerous: Perhaps drivers should be able to demonstarate a basic proficiency in English, says Bryan McAffee in Right Juris. "There are safety signs, traffic signs, and other situations where having a command of the English language might make a whole lot of sense. The problem is you have to make it apply to everyone."
"Dallas police issue tickets for not speaking English"
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3 Comments
Posted by patrick sucharski, Monday, November 9, 2009, 8:07 pm In the early 80's, I was sent to P. R. while in the Army and was required to pass a Spanish test before I was allowed to drive one of the motor pools vehicles off of Fort Buchanan. It is a matter of public safety, if you can not put but one language on every sign, the people driving need to understand the language on that sign. Not racism, but need for safety. As for local cops doing immigration duties, they should be totally involved because they are at ground level, and deal with the problem daily.
Posted by patrick sucharski, Monday, November 9, 2009, 8:13 pm Ruben is always looking for something to cry about. Not maybe, could be, no could, would, or should. Some people are blinded by thier backgrounds and can not be unbiased on any subject.
Posted by patrick sucharski, Monday, November 9, 2009, 8:16 pm The biggest question is WHO put these people on the streets and highways with all of my immediate family and all of my relatives. Can you tell me that.
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