Tom Tancredo: Treason Lobby Electing New (Spanish-Speaking) People In Denver

August 31, 2006

[Peter        Brimelow writes:   One of        the great things about the success of Pat Buchanan's new        immigration book,   State of Emergency, is that, through the magic of        Amazon,  it is hauling along in its wake several other        fine immigration books, notably Congressman Tom        Tancredo's In Mortal Danger: The        Battle for America's Border and Security.        I am struggling to review        Tancredo's book, if I ever get free of   fundraising,       but what strikes me about it        provisionally is the remarkable number of new        immigration war stories it provides—for example, this        case study of   Reconquista in Denver        Public Library, adapted with permission. Quite clearly,        the government bureaucracy in Denver has simply decided        to   elect a new,        Spanish-speaking, people. Equally clearly, what is        happening here—including the workforce   displacement of unilingual English-speaking        Americans—is  treason.]

In 2005, under the direction of City Librarian Rick        Ashton, the        Denver Public Library developed a        radical plan to convert several of its branches into        bilingual libraries with large Spanish-language        holdings. Spanish was to be a required language for all        newly hired staff, and new acquisitions in those        branches were to be heavily weighted to        Spanish-language materials. These changes were aimed        at serving what the library management calls Denver's "new        arrivals."

The conversion plan was supposedly based solely on        "demographic changes" in Denver, but there        were also meetings with the        Mexican consul and        Latino activist groups.

A        naive observer might assume that a "bilingual library"        is one designed to help Spanish-speaking immigrants        become bilingual—that is, to        learn English. Instead, these changes were and are        simply an effort to attract the preferred customers to        the Denver libraries: Spanish-only speakers.

Ashton and the other library bureaucrats consistently        justified the movement to bilingual libraries as a        response to "changing demographics." Their proof:        a September 2001 study commissioned by the library, Demographics of Immigration in Metro Denver and        Colorado, 2001: Implications for Public Library Services.        [PDF]        The study concluded with this assertion: "The library        has a civic responsibility to serve all its constituents        and to reach out to everyone in the community, especially the newest arrivals and those who speak        languages other than English. We must make every        effort to attract the newcomers … and make them regular        customers." [emphasis added]

None of the demographic data summarized in the report        explained why the "new arrivals" needed        to be served in Spanish, why they were        likely to become library patrons, or why the library        should prefer them as customers when it meant        reducing services to other library customers.

The significant piece of information found in the report        that was virtually ignored: "A recent nationwide        study of home language use by Hispanic students found        that 57% speak mostly English at home, 25% speak mostly        Spanish, and 17% speak both languages equally."

If 74 % (total) of Hispanic students speak English at        home, where is the imperative to expand Spanish-only        holdings?

The item        cited most often was that "over 20% of Denver        families now speak Spanish at home."

But three-quarters of those families also speak English        at home! The important distinction here is that library        management decided to focus its plan, not on its        Hispanic customers, but on Denver's new arrivals—namely,        the illegal aliens who do not want to learn English.

So, how important was it for the Denver Public Library        to serve        illegal Hispanics who do not want to learn English?        Important enough to result in a commensurate decrease in        services to other residents.

It all comes down to the irrational ideological        commitment of the library management to bilingualism.

Ashton [send        him mail] and several other        library employees are members of Reforma, a national        organization of professional librarians who have adopted        an        activist bilingual agenda. Their        program is described on the group's Web site (www.reforma.org).

"REFORMA has actively        sought to promote the development of library collections        to include Spanish-language and Latino oriented        materials; the recruitment of more bilingual and        bicultural library professionals and support staff; the        development of library services and programs that meet        the        needs of the Latino community; the establishment of        a national information and support network among        individuals who share our goals; the education of the        U.S. Latino population in regards to the availability        and types of library services; and lobbying efforts to        preserve existing library resource centers serving the        interests of Latinos."

After Ashton's and his colleagues' association with        Reforma were discussed on a Denver radio talk show, the        Reforma website suddenly hid its membership list. But        the Denver Public Library is still listed as an        institutional member.

Several Hispanic organizations in Denver actively        supported and lobbied for the move. The weekly        Spanish-language newspaper La Voz Nueva regularly        featured front-page stories promoting the library's        expansion of Spanish-language services. An August 24,        2005, front-page story announced, "MOP [MOP is        the        Metropolitan Organization for the People.] Wants        Library Help for Latino Families." According        to the newspaper, "MOP released … a portion of a        larger research produced by the University of Denver        about the need of library services for monolingual        Spanish-speaking families."

That is "monolingual Spanish-speaking families" –        not all Hispanic families or even        all low-income Hispanic families. They demand        bilingualism in government institutions like schools and        libraries, but see nothing wrong with Spanish-speakers        remaining monolingual.

With the vocal support of many of the city's Hispanic        organizations and the nodding acceptance of the city's        political leadership, the conversion of many branch        libraries to        "Language and Learning Centers" , with large        Spanish-language holdings replacing English-language        materials, continued.

Shortly after announcing his retirement, in November        2005, Ashton addressed the        City Club of Denver:

"During the past        year, we have been testing some new ideas for service        models.... Families with kids, single adults, English        language learners all have differing needs and come to        us for different things in different ways."

This single reference to the language changes is        strangely vague, given the public controversy his plan        sparked. But the striking thing is this: Ashton        characterized the large population of "new arrivals,"        who gave impetus to the library transformation, not as        monolingual, but as "English learners," tacitly        admitting that his plan could not survive close        scrutiny.

Ashton has never explained to anyone how his plan will        help "new arrivals" become more successful "English        language learners." Ashton wanted to convince        Denver's business leaders that he was helping bring        Spanish-speaking immigrants into the mainstream through        English education. That Ashton's plan will        remove incentives to learn English was never        discussed at a single library commission or city council        meeting.

He did, however, complain about how "opportunistic        politicians and media figures" attack the library "for        our exploration of the library service needs of        Spanish-speaking Denver residents." Adding, "Amidst        the hubbub was buried the not-so-subtle, exclusive idea        that the freedoms and privileges enjoy in this great        city should somehow be withheld from many immigrants…who        have come most recently [to our city]."

In Ashton's view, anyone who believed as I do, that        Hispanics and all Denver        residents are better served by resisting bilingualism, was simply against immigrants and against freedom.        Ashton never acknowledged that there are honest,        principled reasons for opposing bilingualism. Speaking        English is a skill all immigrants need in order to        advance economically in our country and to become full        participants in civil life.  Poor language skills are a        consistent correlation to school dropout rates.

Does the library management feel any responsibility to        assist the public schools in fighting        illiteracy and        scandalously high dropout rates? How can it claim to        be a part of such an effort while converting branches in        Hispanic neighborhoods to institutions where English        need not be spoken?

Perhaps the public officials who continually pander to        the bilingual lobby in search of        Hispanic votes and ethnic-based awards are the true        "opportunistic politicians."

A        key long-range goal of the Denver library system's plan        is to get a new library district and a mill levy        approved by voters in order to create a source of funds        separate from the city's general fund. This would give        the city librarian more freedom from city council        oversight.

Ashton and his team had a plan for three new branch        libraries to be funded by the mill levy—if they could        have gotten the levy and approved by the voters. Two of        the new branches were slated for areas with rapid        population growth, but the third was the        creation of a predominantly Spanish-language West        Denver branch (the "Latino Legacy Project").

Library management hoped to generate a huge Hispanic        vote in support of this part of the project. If the        Legacy Project became a focal point for cultural        separatism as the heart of an all-Spanish branch        library, it would have been a divisive force and a        symbol of institutional collapse.

In his City Club speech, Ashton described the process of        "public outreach" his advisory committee utilized        through focus groups and community conversations. He        said that the process was listening to "what people        actually tell us they need."

But the records show something different. Of the        meetings that were planned, some were cancelled, some        had zero attendance (including the one conducted in        Spanish) and none showed anything more than a mixed        public response to the plan

But ignoring public opposition, the library system        proceeded in the following ways:

• It now conducts         classes for Spanish-speaking residents on how to get         a         home loan through the         Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation. You do         not have to be a legal resident of Colorado or have         a valid Social Security number (or even a library         card) to participate in the classes.

• Library management         has recently announced that it will implement "after-hours         computer labs" for Spanish-speakers, who can use         the ten to twenty library computers to communicate         with family and friends. [        PDF]         These are not "English classes"—they will not         promote increased proficiency in English. They are         simply a service for Spanish-speakers, added while         hours for the general public are reduced.

• The written policy         requiring proof of residence is not followed for         Spanish-speaking customers seeking a library card.         No passport, SS# or proof of legal residence is         required.

• Management has         sought ways to skirt a 2003 state law prohibiting         the acceptance of the Mexican government's " matricula         consular" card as identification for any         publicly supported service, including access to         library cards. The city attorney declined a request         for opinion regarding this library policy.

• Employees are         instructed not to ask questions of patrons with a         Mexican driver's license; they are to "just         take it." Since no attempt is made to verify the         authenticity of a foreign driver's license, anyone         can take a driver's license to get full access to         all library books, videos, and other materials.

• A senior library         manager announced to employees that she wanted to         use part of a $500,000 federal grant to send staff         to Spain and Mexico to learn Spanish.

• No one who cannot         speak Spanish is being interviewed for any job         opening at any of the twenty-three branches if the         job involves contact with the public. Promotion         considerations         require Spanish fluency.

• A policy decision         was made to discard all other foreign-language         holdings and concentrate solely on Spanish-language         materials.

(Large quantities of books and materials in English were        thrown out to make room for Spanish-language books and        materials. While it remains official library policy that        all discarded books are first offered to schools and        nonprofit organizations or saved for the library's        biannual book sales, this is not how things are actually        being done. After the Denver weekly Westword caught the        library ditching books into dumpsters in 2003,        methods were changed. Many books are now stored in        locked "trash" boxes, picked up surreptitiously        to be disposed of after hours.)

In July, 2005, Denver radio talk-show host Peter Boyles        revealed that the libraries were spending thousands of        dollars annually to purchase        comic-books that graphically portray        sex and violence against women that were easily        accessible to children.

The library first denied the charge, and then tried to        minimize the extent of the holdings. An investigatory        library commission determined        that ten of the fourteen fotonovela series were unsuitable, and recommended their removal. The        branch library staff had complained for years about the        materials and were ignored. More than 6,000 booklets        were purchased with tax- payer funds over thirteen        years.

Major sections of branch libraries were converted to "reflect the language makeup of the local community"—but        only in Spanish-speaking communities. You don't need        to speak Spanish to serve        a Vietnamese patron.

As a result of Ashton's autocratic management style,        many library employees left Denver for suburban        libraries where bilingualism is not yet an issue, where        traditional library services are still given top        priority, and where volunteers are still welcomed and        appreciated. There are no Mexican fotonovelas in        the libraries of Aurora, Golden, Lakewood, or Littleton.

So, the library management skews statistics, wastes        taxpayer funds on controversial books, literally throws        out perfectly good non-Spanish-language holdings        (English or otherwise), and offers extra services to        illegals that aren't available to legal Americans— all        to initiate a fanatical ideology of Spanish        monoligualism.

And yet no one, Democrat or Republican, has had the        courage to challenge it. The city council has been        silent. Citizens ought to be alarmed, but instead they        have been lulled to sleep by sophomoric euphemisms about        "new arrivals" and "language-learners".        Denver's two daily newspapers have supported the        conversion process, first by ridiculing my criticism as       "alarmist" and then by covering the story        superficially. [Contact        the Denver Post;   contact Rocky Mountain News.]

The city's watchdogs have not barked while this vital        educational and cultural institution has been morphed        into a "bilingual" institution serving a        political agenda and balkanizing a community.

Such is the power of political correctness among        Denver's        political, civic, and media elites.

[VDARE.COM        note: The Denver Public Library website provides        no obvious way to contact its new City Librarian, Shirley Amore, or the        President of the Library Commission,       K.C. Veio,   reportedly a partner in        the Denver law firm of Brownstein Hyatt & Farber.       But the library's Public        Relations Manager, M. Celeste Johnson, can be emailed here.]