20060921 KDDC Spanish language coverage of the tragic traffic accident in Westminster

“Thumbs Up” © Kevin Dayhoff Sept. 21, 2006

Spanish language coverage of the tragic traffic accident in Westminster

Posted by Kevin Dayhoff September 21^st, 2006

In regards to the local news coverage of the tragic accident in Westminster in which a bicyclist was killed on Rte 140, the Carroll County Times published an article today by Ari Natter and Tomas Pagan-Motta in the print edition which referred the reader to the story – in Spanish – on-line. Para la historia completa vaya a la página.

The Carroll County Times is to be congratulated for including an article in the language of the local Latino community of the victim.

I only wish that the paper had been able to find the space to publish the Spanish version in the print edition.

Never-the-less, I especially appreciated that the article was on-line. In today’s globalized world, one can only wonder just how many folks from this gentleman’s native community were able to access the article, by way of the internet, and read a news account about his unfortunate death. In my limited experience, knowing the circumstances is sometimes helpful in attempting to make some sense out of the tenuous mysteries of life and death.

In today’s world, at the first hint that a friend, a neighbor, former classmate or a loved one is involved in the news outside our immediate community, the first place the computer literate goes is on-line to find a local newspaper account.

Of course, this is easier now that more newspapers are on-line. It gets hard when the publication is in a foreign language.

My ear to the ground reveals that there are folks in our community who are unhappy that the Times did this. Ay caramba.

Folks, this is not a political issue and hurts one’s head when local activists project their political agenda ahead of their humanity. Putting the article in Spanish was a compassionate thing to do and again, the Times is to be applauded.

My article in the Westminster Eagle did not make it on-line until late Wednesday afternoon. I only wish that I had thought of making it available in Spanish.

As far as the criticism, if I worked for the Carroll County Times, I would be one of the first to present myself in Jim Lee’s office, the editor of the Times, and commence to pound on his desk with a frozen burrito requiring him to respond to the criticism – in the print edition, in Spanish. He may refer the readers to the on-line edition of the paper to read it in English.

Ya know, sometimes integrity requires one to do the right thing when everyone around you disagrees. Leadership is often leading folks to someplace to somewhere that they were unaware that they needed to go.

We live in a community in which many new folks have arrived that are of a different culture and speak a different language. They have feelings. They cry at tragedies. They have families and they work hard and try to do the right thing.

And oh, did I mention - they also speak a different language.

I ain’t threatened by that and nor should you. As an artist and a writer, I have probably more insecurities than the next person in the grocery store check-out line. The fact that the next person in line speaks Spanish just is not one of my hang-ups.

They will learn English just as most of our forbearers in Carroll County learned English when the predominant language was German.

The artificial walls in our community are not a Carroll County tradition and this is not the time to begin such a tradition. We have a tradition in Carroll County of being a caring and compassionate community and instead of erecting artificial walls we should be building bridges.

For those who are not aware, I made a living in the green industry. I used to say that I knew what a “greenhouse” was long before it was an “effect.” Growing up near Westminster Nurseries, I became aware of immigrant Spanish speaking workers long before they became a national discussion, much less a local conversation. I went on to work with Spanish workers throughout my professional life. Being around Spanish speaking folks is not an anomaly for me and I certainly don’t feel threatened, physiologically, socially, politically and most certainly not physically.

They are folks just like us. They have my utmost respect. They travel thousands of miles away from home to work long hours and send money home to make for a better life for their families. Can someone please explain to me where’s the problem?

And don’t tell me that they are taking away work from Americans. Any American that wants to work can compete for a job with anyone anywhere. It’s just that there is more work on hand than folks available to fill the jobs and the global market has stepped-in to fill a void. I don’t always like market forces, but the market is a natural phenomenon for which I have profound respect.

If someone can do my job better than me, then I guess they deserve to have my job and it is my responsibility to redouble my efforts to be employable.

I would like to see the local papers include more articles in Spanish. Not only is it good marketing, but it also aids in making our community the best salad we can be as we don’t lose our individual identity, yet come together to make a better whole.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org www.thetentacle.com Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report www.thewestminstereagle.com www.kevindayhoff.com