A flag flown outside a Whitley County man’s home is getting attention.
“If you live here, SPEAK ENGLISH.” That’s what is on the flag outside the home of retired veteran Dean Graham, who tells ABC 21 he was upset when he heard a couple speaking Spanish at an area Walmart:
“It’s offensive if you’re speaking a foreign language in a country that’s majority English,” Graham says. “I’m not offended, like I said, by Spanish speaking people. I just wish they would feel what I am trying to say, and say you know what here in America we will at least attempt to learn English.”
About 200 workers from Puerto Rico were moved by Zimmer Biomet to Columbia City to work at their Warsaw campus.
Columbia City Mayor Ryan Daniel says Graham’s flag doesn’t represent how the rest of the community feels:
“We’ve been very happy to welcome people from lots of different places, lots of different countries. We have three or four different countries represented in new businesses here this year.”
Graham says he has no plans on taking down the flag, and he’s also not surprised that some disagree with it.
2 comments
I agree. Happy to welcome LEGAL aliens, LEGALLY documented working visitors, BUT ATTEMPT to learn the language. These people CHOOSE to come here and live as Americans! It is their responsibility to ASSIMILATE (remember THAT word from government class!) Nothing destroys a nation faster than allowing individuals to move their country here and expect US to change for them! Yes, it would be the right thing to help them learn. We helped people who came through Ellis Island learn the language and we welcomed their customs, heritage and traditions. No matter what country a person moves to, it is their responsibility to assimilate and learn the language.
The ESL classes, English as a Second Language, were often done by local Church groups, or other non profit organizations. Although I don’t really look around for them, perhaps that’s something that could benefit the company that brings foreign workers here?