I just received the following notice via email, regarding the latest candidates’ forum that will be focusing on Santa Ana candidates:
The American Voter Education Fund, dba American Latino Voter EducationFund, invites you to attend the first ever Bilingual Candidate’s Forum! Please join us on Thursday, September 28, 2006, at 6:30 p.m. so that the residents of Santa Ana can come meet their candidates for Santa Ana City Council and Santa Ana School Board. The forum will be held at the Southwest Senior Center at the Corbin Center 2215 W. McFadden Avenue, in Santa Ana.
All candidates for Santa Ana City Council and Santa Ana School Board are invited to attend to answer the questions from the Spanish-speaking Santa Ana Neighborhood Associations who are participting in the forum. Each Neighborhood Association will be submitting one (1) question for City Council candidates and one (1) question for School Board candidates. Each candidate will receive one (1) minute to answer the question which will be asked by our moderator, Sr. Rueben Martinez. Please call Deborah M. Vasquez at (714) 785-1130 if you have any questions or require additional information, and thank you in advance for your participation! P.S. A table will be available for all candidates to display their literature.
I heard of this one, but still have no idea where it is going to be at.
Cook,
Good point – their press release did not mention the site of the forum. Weird.
It’s not a “bi-lingual” forum, it’s a forum done in Spanish with English translation available. Talk about a slap in the face! This one should be attended by 2 or 3 residents with the rest of the audience being the sponsors and the candiates themselves. Pass…
Art Pedroza, I received the same e-mail. Below what you printed on this thread more imf . is given.the forum will be at the Southwest Senior Center at the Corbin Center 2215 W. McFadden Avenue Santa Ana Ca 92704.Also the neighborhood associations participating are listed.Possibly you can post the whole e-mail,so people don’t get the perception of weird.Post#3 how do you interpret this to be a slap in the face and who’s face are your talking aboutIs your issue that you think the forum will be in Spanish and traslated to English?To ease your tension let me imform you that the forum will be in English with Spanish translation,this should conform with your definition of “bi-lingual”. The idea of this forum is for neighborhoods that in the past not participated in the process have an opportunity to present the candidates their concerns as other groups do.We should all be supportive of more groups participating in civic duties. Art Lomeli
Art P.- your thread heading is wrong.The forum is the 28th not this Thursday. Art Lomeli
Lomeli,
You are wrong about the English to Spanish forum. The PDF I received clearly states that this forum will be conducted in Spanish and “English translation will be available.”
I too find it offensive that any language other than English is used when it comes to voting or “candidate forums” for that matter. Even though I’m a conservative Dem, there’s nothing “non-partisan” about the sponsoring group. They are a Hispanic rights group with a clear left agenda that has managed to form a 501c3 so that they can siphon money from the government in the way of grants. I have seen them in action at various events and have never heard them ever encourage anyone to register as a Republican. In fact, they strongly discourage doing so, preferring all to be Democrats.
I don’t like this kind of behavior from either side, so I too will “Pass” on this event just like Poster #3. I also encourage others to do the same. English is the primary language of U.S. Citizens.
Lomeli & OC Democrat
You’re both right – the Spanish flyer says it’ll be in English with Spanish translation available & the English flyer says the reverse. An accidental or deliberate mistake? Wouldn’t hurt to attend and maybe learn something.
Would it not be wise for our citizens to vote on a candidate they themselves can understand and vote intelligently about? Otherwise we are stuck with people voting for our current mayor and other candidates not worth much.
I applaud the organization and Deborah Vasquez for ensuring that all citizens be given access to the candidates and the knowledge needed to make the right choice.
Those who dislike it, must not want certain votes to go a specific way, why would that be?
Posts #6 and # 8 are predictable responses from haters and individuals that feel threatened by participation of groups other than those they support.Some find groups you support offensive, and don’t participate. You also have that rightThis forum is not government funded,your language concern is a private service to this community.Post#8 believes speaking Spanish, listening to Mariachi music and eating tacos are leftist traits .The Replublican Party must be ignorant because a big concern of theirs is recruiting these individuals.Your hatred is very transparent.oc dem, you come across as from the extreme Republican right.You believe enpowering Hispanic comunities is leftist?Post #8 you are just generally ignorant. You have no ability to debate so your method is to attack with irrelevant garbage. Art Lomeli
From the recent posting, this forum sounds like the one to go to.
It is a good idea to have questions and answers in Spanish, and then translated into English for us mono-language people. Even tho it takes more time, there is less twisting of the meaning during translations.
I went to the forum in the council chambers and it was done in English only. It is only fair to have at least one for Spanish speaking voters.
OC Dem said…
I think having a forum in English/Spanish is a great idea. There is a churched based grouped called OCCO or something like that that has done one since 1996 in just that format at the Delhi Center. I wish more Gringos like me would take the time to learn Spanish. Of all the languages to try to learn it is not the most difficult and it is really a pretty language to speak and listen to. If you are resisting the linguistic changes in California today then you are putting yourself and your family at risk of missing out on a lot of opportunities. ( Including but not limited to economic opportunities) Don’t you want your neighbors to understand the issues and know who to vote for? Don’t those of you who cry about code enforcement want your non-english speaking neighbors who share your concern to join you in the fight to improve Santa Ana?
Does anyone know why Floral Park, Washington Square, French Park, and Wilshire Square are noticeably absent from participating in this candidates forum?
These Comlink NA’s like to talk about the 60+ neighborhoods, but that’s exactly what it is .. talk.
Comlink never has or never will be an inclusive group.
Voters should take note of the candidates who do not participate in this forum.
Will Art and Claudio attend the event and provide a report out on OJ?
Thanks to those who stepped up and took on this out of the box candidates forum.
# 13-
You ain’t so smart, are ye!
How can neighborhoods like Floral Park, Washington Square, French Park, and Wilshire Square be noticeably absent from an event that has not yet happened?Do you attend Comlink?Do the armed guards posted at the door keep you out?
Pot # 14.Don’t get so testy.I believe the poster was commenting about Comlink N.A’s. being absent from this forum’s N.A list.The absence of N.A.from each others forums is because they each have different concerns.
#13 – Stop by the forum for some cookies and punch.
For #15
Maybe I misunderstood your post, but are you saying only the residents of Floral Park, Washington & Wilshire Sq. and French Park want safe and tidy neighborhoods, streets free of potholes, more libraries and park space and good schools?
I presume that’s what an earlier blogger was referring to.
Suppose we all want the same things for a better quality of life?
Suppose we are more alike than different in what are expectations are for the city we live in?
The Comlink forum did not address any of the issues you mentioned. The questions to the candidates were about carts, mobile homes,code enforcement and immigration.It would be nice if we were more alike than different as you say.Art Lomeli
As mentioned in an earlier post, Comlink is merely a mouthpiece for the mayor. His smoke and mirror topics – shopping carts, vendors and quality of life – are mere diversions.
Doesn’t anyone find it startling that eminent domain, or the zeal to build up was not not addressed?
It was refreshing when candidate Gordon approached land issue topics as they pertain to One Broadway Plaza and Markland. Why are polluters allowed to persist in our community? Shopping carts are an eyesore, but companies that pollute have real health issue consequences.