[Vision2020] Words Bring Pause

[Sunil Ramalingam]

I can translate what that accident victim was saying.  He was saying 'Oh no, 
this man who has only spite for me is going to kill me while I'm injured, 
all because I can't speak English.  Help!  Help!'

But seriously, Donovan, couldn't this person have simply been visiting?  
What if you were in Russia or Serbia, as a visitor, and had the misfortune 
to be in an accident.  Should you be harangued for not speaking their 
languages when the locals come to help you?  I wouldn't call you 
unreasonable for being in an accident and not speaking the local 
language(s).

Sunil


>From: Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>
>To: Sue Hovey <suehovey at moscow.com>, keely emerinemix <kjajmix1 at msn.com>,   
>      vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Words Bring Pause
>Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:29:53 -0700 (PDT)
>
>Sue,
>
>   You ask, "If they are sold there and not shipped out, why does that 
>create a problem for you?" Besides it being in MY country, because I buy 
>stuff there.
>
>   My friend bought a refrigerator from a store and the instructions on 
>putting it together and maintaining it properly where in Spanish, that can 
>be a problem. The stores in Southern California, for example, the Best Buy 
>off of I-10 in San Bernadino puts their banners up in big Spanish letters 
>and the English is in smaller letters at the bottom.
>
>   Why else does it bother me, because English being a second language in 
>parts of my own country, well when I cannot find something in the store and 
>and every person that works there doesn't speak English, it is a problem. 
>It happens to me in Boise, Phoenix, LA, Las Vegas, places in Washington 
>State and Oregon, and lots of other places.
>
>   Want a more serious situation? OK, how about when I was driving from 
>Phoenix to LA and there was a serious accident, I was seriously delayed in 
>providing first aid to the victims because one of them could not speak 
>English. I was spending time trying to figure out what he was trying to say 
>rather than doing what needed to be done. Tell me, do you think it 
>reasonable to delay emergency aid to themselves and others because they do 
>not speak the language as everyone else? I don't, and this is an everyday 
>problem with people driving around that cannot read the road signs or 
>communicate with other drivers. Road signs are more complicated than just 
>STOP or signal lights. Police Officers, Doctors, EMTs, First Responders, 
>Firefighters, and Nurses have to deal with helping people without the most 
>important diagnostic tool they have, asking the patient.
>
>   A person needs to be able to communicate with others in society in which 
>they dwell, for their safety and well being as well as the safety of others 
>around them.
>
>   Best,
>