Mexico Trucker Online

I guess it was only a matter of time before this happened but the headlines greeting me this morning over my first cup of coffee was “FINES GIVEN FOR NOT KNOWING ENGLISH”

This is the story, in spanish that appears in todays EL Diario, a second tier newspaper here in Nuevo Laredo.

SON DISCRIMINADOS POR LA POLICIA DE AQUELLA POBLACION

Multan a traileros mexicanos
en Laredo por no saber inglés

Elevará Censecar su protesta ante autoridades de ambos países;
muestra Luis Moreno Sesma la multa que aplicó el oficial Jorge Espinoza

En Estados Unidos hay discriminación por parte de algunas autoridades hacia
los choferes mexicanos que cruzan mercancía en transfers, ya que actualmente
algunos choferes son multados cuando transitan en Laredo, Texas, por el solo
hecho de no saber hablar inglés. Esto se hará del conocimiento tanto al gobernador de Texas, como del Mayor de Laredo, para que tomen cartas en el
asunto, señaló Luis Moreno Sesma, presidente de la CENSECAR

What the above is saying is that SOME, keep that in mind, some, authorities are ticketing cross border shuttle drivers for not being able to speak English.

The article goes on to state;

Queja llegará a las más altas esferas del gobierno

Señaló en forma enérgica: “Ya no podemos aguantar más esa
discriminación que están haciendo en contra de nosotros y
nuestra queja llegará hasta las más altas esferas de nuestro
gobierno”.

Here they say they will take the complaint of discrimination to the highest levels of their government. They further state that all who have received these fines (multis) are urged to take them to a local labor office in Nuevo Laredo.

And finally, and this irks my ass because this issue has nothing to do with your nationality.

Como siempre, un mexicano

Dijo que el oficial que se ensaña multando a los choferes mexicanos
porque no saben el inglés, se llama Jorge Espinosa, y van a
presentar la protesta enérgica en contra de él.

This is simply saying they will not stand for the discrimination. Let’s see where this goes.

I have no problem with enforcement of provisions of Federal Motor Carrier Regulations 391.11(b)(2)

None whatsoever. The problem I am having with this report though is why suddenly, it is so important to enforce it amongst the shuttle drivers here in Laredo.

Laredo Texas is 85% Hispanic (and that is a conservative estimate, and business here is done primarily in Spanish.) All the law enforcement officials are Hispanic and are bi lingual. Road signs and instructional signage, even the billboards are multi lingual.

As the article says “SOME” authorities are enforcing the provisions, it begs the question whether or not we have some white redneck DPS officers newly assigned to the inspection stations who are becoming anal in their duties.

Why try to change something that does not need changing, and truthfully, you’re pissing in the wind trying to do so.

There needs to be a standard test for English proficiency for all law enforcement officers to adhere to. One of my concerns with the enforcement of this rule when the border is opened is that it will be up to the officers discretion as to what constitutes “proficiency”. Where one officer might consider the ability to answer simple questions sufficient, another officer might settle for nothing less than the ability for the Mexican trucker to recite the preamble to the Constitution flawlessly.

But back to the border. These officers need to back off and not be messing with something that has worked flawlessly for decades.

And to our Mexican brothers who read this blog. This is not discrimination. It is a few pinche quero DPS officers with too much time on their hands flexing their muscles. But, it would not do you any harm to learn a little of our language since you do business in our city. Quit whining and better yourself. It will open a whole new world for you