Dear Zazz: A reader complained to you about visiting fast-foodrestaurants and finding "illegal immigrant" employees who don't speakEnglish and can't make correct change.
You asked this writer to be more tolerant, and went on to preachin a politically correct tone about diversity.
In general, you're correct. But the writer had a valid point.
Recently, I went to McDonald's to buy a yogurt parfait. It isbeing touted as very healthy, but a lot of "healthy" foods containNutrasweet. I'm very allergic to Nutrasweet.
I asked if the parfait had Nutrasweet, and all eight employeesthere were unable to understand my question. They didn't evenunderstand my request for the pamphlets McDonald's offers withnutritional information.
Someone in that restaurant should have been proficient enough inEnglish to answer my question, don't you think?
L.R.
Dear L.R.: You're absolutely right. It's ludicrous to staff anentire restaurant with people who don't know enough English tounderstand your simple question. That's more the fault of themanagers and owners than the employees. By the way, if you checkout the ingredients in the yogurt parfait on www.mcdonalds.com,you'll see that it uses real sugar, not Nutrasweet.
Dear Zazz: You advised people to gently correct non-English-speaking workers when they give you the wrong change. You said they'dappreciate the help. If you think they'd be grateful when some gringocorrects them, you're wrong. They're just thankful to have a job.They don't give a hoot about the language barrier, as long as thepaycheck comes in.
D.D.
Dear D.D.: Sure, some people would resent being corrected. Butmany would appreciate the help. People know that to keep their jobs,they can't make too many mistakes. Most of us had immigrantancestors, and most of them were eager to learn. The same is truetoday.
Also, immigrants are often doing jobs that the American-bornconsider beneath them. Several letter-writers pointed out thatAmerica would come to a standstill without immigrant workers.
Dear Zazz: My grandparents came here from other countries. Theyalso struggled with the currency and language. However, they didn'tshow themselves in front of cash registers until they had enoughcommand of the language and currency to do a decent job. Nowadays,employers will use "he doesn't know English" as an excuse for badservice.
During my wedding, a young worker turned on an extremely loud ice-crushing machine. My father-in-law had to miss part of the ceremonyto complain about this. The manager told him: "Sorry, he doesn't knowEnglish."
He didn't have to speak English to know what a young woman walkingdown the aisle in a white dress meant.
COULDN'T BELIEVE IT
Dear Couldn't: Sounds like that ice-crushing employee wasclueless. You'll find plenty of clueless American-born people, too.As you wrote, his language skills had nothing to do with this.
Dear Zazz: Yes, our ancestors came from other countries. Butunlike today's immigrants, they learned English!
Today, people come here with no desire to learn the language. Theylive in communities where their language is spoken, even in theschools. I've been asked, "Why don't you speak Spanish?"
U.S. CITIZEN
Dear Zazz: When I read your response in support of foreignworkers, I was full of hope. It's nice to know there are still peopleprogressive enough to accept and tolerate people from other parts ofthe world.
Some foreign workers contribute immensely to the growth of thisgreat nation. They've formed corporations that employ millions ofU.S. citizens. They've been involved in research and development thatour nation relies on to remain competitive in the world. Thanks foreducating your narrow-minded reader, and many more who think the sameway.
K.S.
Write Zazz at Box 3455, Chicago 60654; call Zazz's hotline (312-321-2003) or e-mail (zazz @suntimes.com).
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