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Posted by: Inspector

Merrimack, NH – Spanish-speaking people are coming to a public beach in town on the weekends, prompting Parks and Recreation Director Sherry Kalish last week to ask for a sign that spells out the park rules in Spanish.
The request did not go over well with at least two members of the town council. Finlay Rothhaus and Michael Malzone say they don't want their town signs to be written in any language but English.
"I know where I live," Malzone said. "I am in the United States of America, and I am not going to spend my tax dollars to put up foreign-language signs." Malzone said he thinks that first- or second-generation immigrants should learn the English language and respect the cultural and municipal rules if they want to come to live and work in the state.
Lt. Michael Dudash said that a call for bilingual signs originated in the police department. The Latino visitors that come to the beachfront have told police they are unable to read the posted rules, he said.

Alcohol violations and other offenses at the beach are a problem and police have indicated a lack of signs in Spanish can cause an inability to prosecute cases.

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Posted by: KozmoKramer

Quote:

Alcohol violations and other offenses at the beach are a problem and police have indicated a lack of signs in Spanish can cause an inability to prosecute cases.

More and more capitulation... Will it ever f'ing end....

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Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inspector Alcohol violations and other offenses at the beach are a problem and police have indicated a lack of signs in Spanish can cause an inability to prosecute cases.

Whatever happened to "ignorance of the law is no excuse"?

If I went to Mexico on vacation (fat chance), I sure as hell wouldn't crack a beer in public unless I knew ahead of time it was legal.

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Posted by: Tuna

We have simalar problems in Ma.State Parks, i.e. booze, fireworks, loud radios, and the default response is "no compren'de". Signs would help prosecute but wont ever end the problems. I work a few details in the Worcester area parks. I write alot of paper and pour out alot of booze. The gangs are beginning to make there way to the State Parks now and they are something to keep an eye on.

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Posted by: 94c

Oh, I get it....

If we post more signs in Spanish the stolen car rate will go down?

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Posted by: rg1283

Its not fair, what about EVERY OTHER LANGUAGE. How about common sense with the rules....... Most of those signs are common sense rules.

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Posted by: MPDReserve

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta784 Whatever happened to "ignorance of the law is no excuse"? If I went to Mexico on vacation (fat chance), I sure as hell wouldn't crack a beer in public unless I knew ahead of time it was legal.

...or how much the cops were charging that day to leave you alone.

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Posted by: pahapoika

...or how much the cops were charging that day to leave you alone.

hello ?

i've been to foreign countries and a little common sense goes a long way. look around and see what the natives are doing.

you can't plead ignorance to the law. the "no speak english" is getting old
</IMG>

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Posted by: USMCTrooper

In Europe signs are universal. They are symbols with marks across them. The US has some traffic signs like this. Its been this way in Europe for decades.

There are signs to address the "rules" of the beach that anyone can understand, unless you are visually imparied:








I found just a sample of these in less than 60 seconds. How hard can it be?

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Posted by: Hutch

How can you honestly live in this country and not speak english? Isn't there a statewide law in NH that you cannot have open containers of alcohol on the beach? If so then not being able to read a sign is completely irrelevant. Not only that, but even if you don't speak a word of english (which I have a hard time believing if you live here) it's not hard to understand the signs, as the two words are pretty close in both languages. Next time someone gives you the no comprende crap you should give them a baton to the face! "¿Entiende usted la ley ahora fucker de madre?"

That'll teach em!

P.S I can't stand these ridiculous ricer cars with their fart can exhausts all night. I've never seen one get pulled over around here for any reason and they're out of control. Heard about 20 the other night at my condo that were louder than a Harley with a custom exhaust and all had the most obnoxious sound. Can officers start busting these idiots for noise pollution or whatever?

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Posted by: Mozzarella

Add this to the bottom of the list.

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Posted by: Inspector

MERRIMACK – Latino people remain free and welcome to come swimming at Naticook Lake at Wasserman Park, but they are not going to find any Spanish-language signs to tell them the park rules.
The town council last night voted 5-0-0 to update the park rules only in the English language, ending a two-week debate that captured national attention and hit at such nerves as public access and immigration.
Finlay Rothhaus, whose grandfather immigrated from Germany in 1921, was the councilor who made the initial objection to the Spanish-language signs, and explained his line of thought to the public last night.

"My concern is that multi-lingual nations have a history of problems, and have no mechanism for unification. If you look to the north, Quebec made a move to secede from Canada, and the vote only failed at 49 percent. I don't think we want that."
An identification in the English language enables unity, shared values and public safety, a protective message that was similarly presented by councilor Michael Malzone, and resident Dennis King.
Proponents of English-only signs said that if the town were to adapt Spanish-language signs, the action could develop into a slippery slope with calls for signs in Vietnamese and Portuguese.
Councilor Tim Tenhave argued police retained authority from the law not the language.
Parks director Sherry Kalish brought the debate on Spanish-language signs to a head last month, when she asked for a sign in Spanish per a police department request.
Police say that more than half of the visitors to the park on the weekends are often Latino, and a handful of those visitors do not respect the rules of the park by bringing alcohol, foul language and rough and tumble activity.
Rule-breakers often appeal to language barriers when confronted by police, saying they do not understand the park rules and cannot read the signs. Police, Parks officials and town staff supported an idea of a Spanish-language sign to mitigate those excuses.
The town purchased the Wasserman Park land in 1989 and accepted a package of federal grants and state L-CHIP money for its development, and town officials have had the understanding that the acceptance of those grants ensure that the park remain public.
Town officials yesterday learned the land had been purchased in two separate transactions, and Wasserman beach is not bound to public access. The finding means the town can close the park to out-of-towners, a proposal to be taken up early next year.

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Posted by: kwflatbed

Finlay Rothhaus is a smart man. Learn english or get the F out of the country.

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