491. Pruebas de los Conductores

My friend Paul Hosse writes a blog called Another Opinion which he posts at www.hosse.blogspot.com. Paul and I differ on many subjects not the least of which is Immigration, where he is, admittedly, more in tune with the sentiments of the nation than I. I am to the left of most everyone including our congressman John Yarmuth. Ironically, the political leader (used ever-so-loosely) with whom I find the greatest agreement on the subject, is the now thankfully-former president, George W. Bush.

In a very recent entry of mine on the languages of the Feast of Pentecost, as recorded in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, I mentioned that the event recorded therein reminded me of Governor Steve Beshear's decision to reverse the decision of the Kentucky State Police regarding the offering of Kentucky's Drivers Tests in languages other than our beloved Mother Tongue, the governor's decision being one with which I concur.

Paul offers another opinion on the matter. I have entered a comment on his blog in Spanish, which with the free help offered on the internet, I have translated into English.

First, below, is my comment in Spanish and then, below that, its English rendering. But first I would ask my six faithful readers to visit Paul's blog and read through his entry. Again it can be found at www.hosse.blogspot.com.

*****

Paul (o Paulo),

Apesadumbrado falté la 100a edición. Ofrezco enhorabuena. En esto, su 101o, diferenciamos en nuestras opiniones, algo que no es nuevo.

Usted se refiere sobre nuestra prueba de conducción que es ofrecida en veintidós idiomas, decir debe ser ofrecida solamente en una. A título de indicación, ha sido y continuará siendo ofrecida en el de su lengua preferida, Inglés.

Su discusión, entre otras cosas, se refiere sobre las que pudieron pasar la prueba en una cierta lengua Arabe, y entonces dado una licencia de conductores, entonces no pueda discernir las muestras de calles cuáles están, por supuesto, en Inglés.

Ese me lleva a preguntarse si la preponderancia de accidentes es causada por todos estos extranjeros que no entiendan que los medios rojos paran y los medios del verde va amarillear medios quizá. Ciertamente hay un número de conductores de habla Inglesa que tienen problemas con esas distinciones.

Usted, en su entrada, consigue eventual alrededor al núcleo verdadero de su preocupación, una cuyo usted ha escrito en muchas veces, y apenas tantas veces, he discrepado cortésmente. Esa preocupación es inmigración, legal y más pronunciado, ilegal.

Usted pide específicamente, "¿En cuanto a ésos aquí ilegal, necesitamos darlos de fácil acceso a nuestros caminos dándoles una oportunidad de conseguir una licencia de conductores de Kentucky también?"

La respuesta, que no es específica apenas a tomar los conductores prueba, es sí. Debemos hacerla más fácil para que estos ilegals lleguen a ser legales. Debemos hacerla más fácil para las que quieran trabajar, y ésa es la razón la mayor parte de que están aquí, poder hacer así pues, y de tal modo permitiendo que paguen en las cajas del impuesto.

Oímos repetidamente que los polticians y los bloggers quejarse por los illegals del coste imponen ante los pagadores de impuestos de la nación. ¿Es más que el bienestar corporativo del paquete del estímulo? No sé. ¿Está más que hemos pagado guerra de George Bush en Iraq? No sé que tampoco.

Sé que si proporcionáramos una trayectoria del mas facil para todos estos extranjeros, y usted tiende a significar ésos del sur de Tejas, sentir bien a ciudadanos - y así a pagadores de impuestos - de los Estados Unidos, una gran carga sería levantada como sus impuestos ocupacionales se podría entonces utilizar para tratar las preocupaciones más verdaderas que hacen frente a nuestra nación, tal como pobreza, falta de vivienda, cuidado médico, y educación.

Jeff Noble

*****

And, in English:

Paul,

I am sorry I missed the 100th edition. I offer congratulations.

In this, your 101st, we differ in our opinions, something that is not new. You talk about our drivers test which is offered in twenty-two languages, and say it must be only offered in one. For the record, it has been and will continue to be offered in that of your preferred language, English.

In your discussion, among other things, you write on those who might pass the test written in a certain Arab language, and then upon being issued a drivers license, that same person may not be able to discern the variety of streetsgins which are, admittedly, in English.

That leads me to wonder if the preponderence of accidents are caused by all these foreigners who do not understand that Red means Stop and Green means Go and Yellow means Maybe. Certainly there are a number of English-speaking drivers who have problems with those distinctions.

You, in your entry, eventually get around to your true concern, about which you have often written, and then for as many times, I have politely differed. That concern is immigration, legal, and more pronouncedly, illegal.

You ask specifically, "As for those here illegally, do we need to be giving them easy access to our roads by giving them an opportunity to get a Kentucky drivers license too?"

The answer, which is not specific to just taking the drivers test, is yes. We must make it easier so that these illegals may become legal. We must make it easier for those who wish to work, and that is the reason most of them are here, to be able to do so legally, thus allowing the payment of their taxes into our tax coffers.

We hear repeatedly of politicians and bloggers complaining about illegals and of the cost they impose upon the taxpayers of our nation. It is more than the corporate welfare of the Stimulus package? I do not know. It is more than we have paid for George Bush's War in Iraq? I do not know that either.

I do know that if we provided an easier path to citizenship for all these foreigners, and you tend to mean those of the south of Texas, and thus they become taxpayers as well - of the United States - a great burden would be lifted given all the occupational taxes they would then pay - occupational taxes which could then be used to address the truer and greater concerns facing our nation, those of poverty, homelessness, healthcare, and education.

Jeff Noble

*****

I invite your comments as always.