Air Force member called 'distasteful' for speaking Spanish in uniform

[babylonsister]

Air Force member called 'distasteful' for speaking Spanish in uniform
"This is my dream and [to] tell me that I’m distasteful while wearing my dream, that really triggered me,” said a U.S. Air Force member from Puerto Rico.
Aug. 15, 2019, 6:16 PM EDT / Updated Aug. 15, 2019, 8:19 PM EDT
By Shamar Walters


Xiara Mercado was making a routine coffee stop when she was accused of disrespecting the very country she serves to protect because she spoke Spanish while in uniform.

In a Facebook post that has been shared more than 50,000 times, Mercado, an Air Force airman, describes how she was accosted by a woman at outside a Starbucks in Hawaii, where Mercado is stationed, on July 17 who took offense to her speaking Spanish during a private phone call.

“You speaking another language that does not represent America and that uniform you are wearing, that's distasteful,” Mercado described the unidentified woman as saying.

more...

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/air-force-member-called-distasteful-speaking-spanish-uniform-n1042921?fbclid=IwAR09dM4-BrNVXVEIe4QcVL5oru8wHFh8FKMSHWpNbLT-SoEp_aA4YlWUT-M

[MustLoveBeagles]

1. That lady who harrassed Xiara needs to mind her own business

[lpbk2713]

6. Lady?

You really give her the benefit of the doubt.

[MustLoveBeagles]

20. What I wanted to call her would've gotten me a hide

[lpbk2713]

21. Understood.

[GeoWilliam750]

2. I am DEEPLY proud to have Airman Xiara Mercado as a fellow citizen!

Thank you for your service, and your strength, ma'am.

[lunasun]

3. They only support "certain" military personnel . Not new but broadening their disdain

[chowder66]

4. I would have said do you speak Navajo? No? Then shut up and mind your own business. nt

[Celerity]

5. 'Airforce Annie' can fuck right off, the United States has no official language

Adding to the irony is that it took place in Hawaiʻi, the most recent of the US land grabs in terms of states and where around 75% of the population is non-white.

[abqtommy]

7. Ms Mercado would be welcome here in New Mexico

since we have dual legal languages, both English and Spanish. Yes, somehow wise decisions were made when the US took over New Mexico from the Spanish. The op describes the behavior of a woman in Hawaii who was mistakenly offended by the Spanish language and should be forced to attend some remedial schooling. By the way, all New Mexico State communications are presented in both legal languages whether spoken or printed, with the printed ones offering language support in many, many languages. I love this state and most of the people in it!

[gratuitous]

8. Easier said than done, but . . .

Yesterday, nobody gave a tin shit what the unidentified woman said. Let's go back to that time.

[tirebiter]

9. In Hawaii?

Where they may be speaking Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, or any number of English accents for starters.

[PandoraAwakened]

15. Aloha and mahalo

Let's not forget, of course, the Hawaiian language itself, one of two of the state's official languages. And then, of course, there's the unofficial state language of Pidgin.

Dollars to donuts the racist woman spoke with a drawl so thick many would consider her to be the one speaking a different language.

[NCLefty]

10. I know a guy who immigrated here and was told by someone to speak English.

He didn't seem to think it was racist.

I tried to explain it most certainly was but he also seemed clueless about our political parties. Poor fella.

America continues to have no official language.

[quarbis]

11. Sick

Bitch.

[Tiggeroshii]

12. The unit i was in almost only spoke spanish.

Apparently it would appall this woman.

[PatrickforO]

13. We've got to get rid of this racism.

It isn't doing anyone any good, and it is deeply hurting and dividing our republic.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

14. Ahhh, jeez.

I live in New Mexico. I constantly hear Spanish, and my only feeling of annoyance is that I don't understand as much as I think I should. Darn.

Yesterday was cleaning lady day. The women who clean my home speak English to me, and Spanish to each other. I think they are from Mexico, although I haven't asked them, and I'm frustrated that I can't understand anything other than an occasional word. Darn. My problem, not theirs.

Earlier today I met a man who was clearly from Mexico, and in the course of our conversation he gave the name of a TV show he likes to watch and I was frustrated that I couldn't understand his words. Damn. My Spanish ought to be better than that.

Oh, and here's the thing that constantly amazes me. I'll be somewhere, and the clerk or salesperson behind the desk will be speaking Spanish to the person in front of me, and when I get to the front of the line they instantly switch to English. Darn. I apparently have a large E tattooed on my forehead to indicate I speak English only. Sigh. I am genuinely in awe of the many people here who effortlessly switch between English and Spanish.

One of the largest problems with this country is that far too many people are monolingual.

[no_hypocrisy]

16. Speaking a foreign language, even under one's breath on a job, (Haitian Creole)

in a nursing home amounts to an accusation of "abuse" against elderly residents.

I know. I'm an attorney and successfully fought against that allegation on behalf of my client (nurses aide).

[lunasun]

17. Wow that's bad Glad you helped them fight the accuser and won

[no_hypocrisy]

18. Know what else is "abuse?"

Speaking in a foreign language to a co-worker within earshot of a resident at a long-term care facility.

Ridiculous!

[MineralMan]

19. Odd. The USAF spent a great deal of money

to teach me Russian. Multilingual military personnel are a great asset to our armed forces. The woman outside of the Starbucks is just an ass.