Ryan ChartrandLatino fraternity Lambda Theta Phi released a statement opposing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s recent speech touting English as the United States’ official language.
On April 1, Gingrich said, “The American people believe English should be the official language of the government. … We should replace bilingual education with immersion in English so people learn the common language of the country and they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto.”
Lambda Theta Phi representatives responded by accusing Gingrich of racism, saying that bilingualism is “not a disability but a privilege, skill and connection to our roots.” The statement went on to say that Latinos have made an impact wherever they lived, whether it was in a ghetto or in America’s most affluent neighborhoods where Gingrich himself might live.
“Many were raised and born in the ghetto, but language is not the barrier; instead, a sense of community, compassion for our counterparts and confidence of neighborhood revival keeps us tied to our community,” said Lambda Theta Phi’s national director of communications Anthony Perez in the statement.
Jaime Calderon, a Cal Poly and Lambda Theta Phi alumnus, said that Gingrich hasn’t really interacted with the Latino communities that he’s referring to.
“The reason why the United States has been such a successful country is because of all the major contributions by different immigrant groups,” Calderon said. “To categorize a certain language and saying it’s the language of the ghetto negates all the things that Latinos and other immigrant groups have contributed to the country as a whole.”
Gingrich, once a history professor, served as Speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999.
The incident reflects America’s divided view on the issue of immigration into the United States, especially from Mexico.
Liberal studies sophomore Noe Mora said that while English is everywhere in the United States, so is Spanish and other languages that have been brought in by immigrants.
“The English came over here and spread their culture too, so saying Spanish is ghetto is ridiculous because this country is based on immigration and other people coming here with their culture,” she said.
The United States itself has a rich history of bilingualism. As many immigrants came to the U.S. in the 1800s and on, they brought their cultures and languages to the communities they settled in. Spanish, as brought in by the Mexican immigrants is only the latest example of this tradition.
“In places like Europe, if you know more than two languages, you’re considered elite, but if you come to the U.S. and you know more than one language, especially Spanish, it’s demeaning,” said civil engineering senior Adolfo Mu¤oz.
National bilingualism and multilingualism is common in many countries. Ireland’s two official languages are English and Gaelic; Israel’s official languages are Hebrew and Arabic; and South Africa has 11 official languages.
“Lambda Theta Phi respects all opinions; nevertheless, our culture is not up for negotiations,” concluded the fraternity’s statement.
Lambda Theta Phi was founded in 1975 at Kean University in New Jersey. It is the first Latino fraternity recognized by the North-American Interfraternity Conference. Lambda Theta Phi now has over 90 chapters and colonies across the United States. Cal Poly’s Lambda Theta Phi chapter was founded in 1998.