Letter -- Theresa Lopez

I watched the City Council meeting (April 23) and was struck by the

irony of the many people who stood up to speak only to need an

interpreter to tell us what they were saying. One man told us, through

the interpreter, that he had lived in Glendale for 23 years! This man did

not speak one word of English.

I am all for respecting one’s heritage, but if you are going to live

in America, it behooves you to make some effort to assimilate into the

culture, at the very least learn some of the language.

I know you will receive many letters that America is made up of

different cultures and languages. I know this to be true and do not need

to be lectured, ad nauseum, by your readers responding to my letter.

My point is, if your house is on fire and you cannot communicate that

to the English-speaking dispatcher, perhaps then you will see the

practicality of integrating yourselves more fully into the culture you

have chosen as your home.

THERESA LOPEZ

Glendale