Arizona city council hopeful says politics - not poor English skills - kept her off ballot
San Luis, Arizona, resident Alejandrina Cabrera, made national headlines after she was denied a bid for city council because some say she doesn't speak English well enough.
Cabrera was born in the United States, but grew up mostly in Mexico and moved back to Arizona as a teen. In the border city of San Luis, though, most residents speak Spanish. She says she's being kept from the ballot as political payback because she spearheaded two recall campaigns against the mayor.
She plans to take her appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court.
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Black in America
iReport
This is really disgusting. Not being able to *think* is a much bigger handicap in office, but we don't make candidates take SAT exams. This is ethnic hatred of the worst sort because another hispanic used a racist law against a political enemy.
Ms Cabrera is a good citizen, I'm sure. I believe that it is any American citizens right to run for office in your city, county,or state. Ms. Cabrera is unique in that she speaks little english, which is our American language. Now I believe that she should run for office only after passing a engllish proficiency test. If she fails that, then an english class for at least a year, since she want to be in American government. I am hispanic and do not know Ms. Cabrera, but I have lived in a neighborhood that is predominantly hispanic. Most of my neighbors who are Hispanic will not speak English at home. They only speak what little they know at their jobs. I feel its important for my people speak the language of their homeland-AMERICA. My husband have traveled all over the world with the Military and are retired now. Where ever we were stationed at, we made an effort at learning the language of tha country. In the host country, the ciitizens who did not speak English, did not go out of their way to speak to us if we wanted their wares etc.. Now when you made an effort to speak in their language, they let you know they appreciated you. I guess the point I'm trying to make is "When in Rome do as the Romans do". I"am in favor of English being our American language. What ; you speak at home is your business, But if you live in America, it's English at work, in Political office, in the Militaary, USA.
Literacy tests were used in this country to keep blacks from voting.
That ended 100 years ago but has resurfaced to prevent hispanic candidates from running in Arizona.
It is that simple. This is not a complex issue.
Read the history of the United States and this law should send chills through your spine.