July 4, 2012

One immigrant group still respects might of U.S. government

From that NYT article about immigrants from the Marshall Islands in Arkansas:
The [Marshall] islands and the United States have been intertwined since World War II. The United States has detonated at least 67 nuclear bombs in its 750,000-square-mile territory. The radioactive fallout rendered some islands uninhabitable. ... 
A few days later, Ms. Laelan was out working on another cause: persuading [Arkansas] state officials to offer a Marshallese-language driver’s test. Few can pass the English test, but many must drive to work or to the doctor’s office. As a court translator, she sees Marshallese incur fines and jail time. Some lose their jobs. 
Ms. Laelan and lawyers from Legal Aid of Arkansas have petitioned the State Police, which administers the test, and are considering filing complaints with the federal Transportation Department. “We tried asking nicely, and that didn’t work,” said Casey Bryant, a Legal Aid lawyer said. “The lack of language access can be seen as a violation of the Civil Rights Act.” 
The Marshallese around the table in the Legal Aid office were silent and seemed worried about the idea of taking on the United States government.

I would imagine that 67 nuclear detonations could induce caution.

on

5 comments:

  1. Auntie Analogue7/4/12, 5:35 PM

    It would seem that the US is hell-bent on making of itself the Tower of Babel. We know how the first one worked out.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Aaron B.7/4/12, 6:23 PM

    These people really need to get with the times. They don't have to "take on the US government" at all. All they have to do is ask; the federal government would jump at another chance to beat up a state government over something.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Anti-Gnostic7/5/12, 8:51 AM

    It would seem that the US is hell-bent on making of itself the Tower of Babel. We know how the first one worked out.

    Or the next British Empire. So we can end up broke, socialist and populated by our enemies too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. SGOTI7/5/12, 2:06 PM

    So do we need to threaten to test 67 A-bombs in Mexico?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous7/10/12, 4:22 AM

    Many of them come to the states not knowing the "American" way of life rather they come, in most cases; uneducated, confused, and bear only what they know, the "Marshallese" way of life.

    ReplyDelete

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