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How does the journalist feel about forced language assimilation (i.e. the view / expectation that everyone in America must learn English) and what does she believe is the relationship between accent, identity, and power?
In the Guardian Article that we read this afternoon in class, the journalist talks about forced assimilation, Donald Trump in America and how that has affected her and her family especially her grandma. I think that the journalist disagreed with the idea of assimilation. Her perspective as a Latino was that she felt like she had to keep trying to fit in and belong when she was younger and tried to assimilate fast. She believes that Donald Trump is afraid of the power held in language and in America that language is Spanish. “Forced assimilation through tactics like policing language keeps white supremacist ideology alive.”. She also believes that someone asking you to ‘get rid of your accent’ is like asking someone to get rid of their identity. This all relates because according to the journalist, your language and accent is part of who you are and power comes from language.
What do you notice about the journalist’s own language? Do you agree with her views?
I notice that the journalist doesn’t really agree with the idea of assimilation and personally, I don’t either. If you come to a country you shouldn’t be forced to speak the language and disregard your identity and your own language. However, if you want to get a job in a country it would be easier for you if you spoke English. Saying that someone doesn’t fit in if they don’t speak a language is not right. Diversity is what makes the world interesting. I think that it isn’t right to ask someone to give up who they are to get citizenship and the same rights that any American would be born with automatically.
