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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums'This is not Mexico': Texas official criticizes county judge for speaking Spanish
BY ZACK BUDRYK - 03/27/19 01:42 PM EDT
A Texas county official apologized this week after mocking a neighboring county judge for speaking Spanish.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the top elected official in the states largest county, has delivered bilingual updates over the past few days about cleanup efforts from a chemical fire.
Chambers County Commissioner Mark Tice earned widespread criticism after he commented on CBS affiliate KHOUs Facebook pages livestream: She is a joke. English, this is not Mexico.
Tice initially doubled down on Tuesday to the Houston Chronicle, saying This is the United States. Speak English." But he later posted an apology to Facebook, saying he mistakenly thought an English translation for Hidalgos remarks was not provided.
"I apologize to Judge Hidalgo, the citizens of my County, and most importantly the entire Hispanic community for hastily acting out with transgression on social media," Tice wrote. "I recognize how my response could have been interpreted in a derogatory manner and for that I am sorry. I immediately regretted my choice of words. I'm not proud of my behavior, that is not the example I wish to lead by. I can only hope, in time, that my actions can be forgiven."
more
https://thehill.com/latino/436069-this-is-not-mexico-texas-official-criticizes-county-judge-for-speaking-spanish
KatyMan
(4,209 posts)"Y'all just forget i said anything" or a sorry if anyone is offended type thing.
old guy
(3,283 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,895 posts)To hear (or read) this nonsense from Texas.
I live in Santa Fe. My cleaning ladies (I use a commercial service) just left. They speak adequate English, and generally chat with each other in Spanish while they are here. I always try to understand them, but I can never catch more than an odd word here or there, because my Spanish is rather limited.
And the county official needs to stop having the knee-jerk reaction to hearing Spanish (or any other language) to declare "This is the United States. Speak English."
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)Yeah, I'm persuaded that Mark is really and truly sorry. Hold it; no, I'm not. I hope Chambers County tells him "Hasta la vista, baby" at the next election. I'll even provide a translation for him.
salin
(48,955 posts)of the apology. Rings a bit tinny.
MarcA
(2,195 posts)Gothmog
(145,542 posts)From Juanita Jean http://juanitajean.com/hi-im-mark-tice-and-a-xenophobic-jerk/
In regards to the comments I issued on Judge Hidalgos press conference: From my understanding, there were reporters asking questions in Spanish and Judge Hildalgo responded to those questions in Spanish, with no translation given. If that is not the case, then I sincerely apologize. Like many citizens concerned about the ITC fires, I was very emotional about the effect it was having on everyone. I apologize to Judge Hidalgo, the citizens of my County, and most importantly the entire Hispanic community for hastily acting out with transgression on social media. I recognize how my response could have been interpreted in a derogatory manner and for that I am sorry. I immediately regretted my choice of words. Im not proud of my behavior, that is not the example I wish to lead by. I can only hope, in time, that my actions can be forgiven. Having grown up in Galena Park, Texas a place that is and has always been a very diverse communityI was raised with the ideology that you do not judge anyone by their ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. Those values mean everything to me. It breaks my heart that I may have said anything that would lead anyone to believe otherwise. Those who know me well, know how deeply rooted I am within the Hispanic community. My sentiments on this issue were grounded in the passion and love that I have for the City of Houston and the surrounding areas. Again, I am truly sorry for for creating this unnecessary situation.
When asked about his comments to the Chronicle, Tice wrote:
My comments towards Judge Hidalgo today in the Chronicle were inappropriate. I apologize for that. I was very emotional, and said things that I regret. Again, I am truly sorry.
My response could have been interpreted in a derogatory manner. Ya think? In what other way could that insult be taken other than derogatory? In what world does a guy like Tice live where being a caustic racist in public is OK? Chambers County, apparently. The good thing, though, is that occasionally, even mouthbreathers like this clown can be shamed into not acting like a complete prick to others 24/7.
area51
(11,920 posts)For the record, Texas used to be part of Mexico, or does he not know his history?
mainer
(12,029 posts)Judge Lina Hidalgo is a graduate of Stanford, Harvard, and NYU law school. But because she's a minority woman, of COURSE a white guy like him is more qualified than she is because HE'S WHITE AND HE'S A MAN.
erpowers
(9,350 posts)I heard she was given high marks on how she handled the situation.