Diaz: Rep. David Stringer wants immigrants like me to assimilate. Funny, I thought I was

It’s encouraging how swiftly Arizona’s top Republicans called on Rep. David Stringer to quit after his warning of an invasion from immigrants who don’t assimilate to America’s culture.

The Prescott Republican is fighting calls from the state’s Republican Party Chairman Jonathan Lines, Gov. Doug Ducey and others to resign.

Stringer came under fire because he said in a speech earlier this week that immigrants pose an "existential threat" that will change Arizona and the nation. He mentioned that the majority of public school students are minorities and “that complicates racial integration because there aren't enough white kids to go around."

Criticism has emboldened Stringer

And it appears the uproar over his remarks has only emboldened Stringer, who reiterated his warning against the unassimilated minority invasion.  

“Arizona and our country as a whole are in the throes of a rapid demographic change,’’ Stringer said in a statement rebuking his critics. “My comments about school integration were factually accurate and were intended to illustrate the challenge facing successful integration when white students are a rapidly declining percentage of the whole.”

He wants us to be 'indistinguishable'

So, what does assimilation mean? Clearly, different things to different people.

To Stringer, it means immigrants who in a generation melt into white America without foreign accents and don't visit their ancestor’s country of origin, as per an extensive article by Howard Fischer of Arizona Capitol Media.

“It’s been a melting pot for people of European descent,’’ he told Fischer. “So, if you’re a Swede, a Norwegian, an Irishman and a Frenchman, after the second or third generation, your kids are all alike.’’

He further explained, “They don’t have any accents. They’re indistinguishable.’’

Bingo. Assimilation to Stringer means just that – European immigrants who can become “indistinguishable.”

Stringer is voicing the prevailing white nationalist agenda to protect America from people like me with a foreign accent or my daughter, the lawyer without an accent but who happens to be dark-skinned.

My accent makes me un-American?

What does assimilation to the American culture mean to the rest?

You tell me.

Experts say grown-ups can pick up second languages, but not without an accent because of brain functionality. I always knew I'd have a foreign accent, and to people like Stringer that makes me un-American.

ROBERTS:Even GOP thinks David Stringer's comments are racist
MONTINI:David Stringer's comments DO have a place in the GOP 

I’ve never stopped reading in my native Spanish and, yes, I started my journalism career with Spanish-language public radio. But from the beginning, I also plunged myself into reading English literature.

As soon as I could comprehend enough English, I began devouring books in that language. Friends and school counselors recommended I pick an author and read as least three books before moving onto the next.

That’s exactly what I did.

Among the first ones were John Steinbeck’s "The Grapes of Wrath," "East of Eden," "Tortilla Flat," "Of Mice of Men" and "Cannery Row."

Other favorite authors include Fyodor Dostoevsky, Alexandre Dumas, Leo Tolstoy and Franz Kafka.

So, am I 'assimilated?' You tell me

Does reading those authors and many others mean I began to assimilate early on in America?

Not according to Stringer. Why?

Because despite my insatiable reading in English, I also kept reading the likes of Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Mariano Azuela and Carlos Fuentes in Spanish.  

I’ve always gone back to my native Mexico to vacation or stay with family. And the worst of all sins – I speak Spanish with my siblings and my daughter.

Never mind that I improved my English enough to earn a master’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley or that I’ve reported or edited for mainstream media for more than 20 years.

I dream and think in English, but my Spanish is impeccable, too. My friends represent the rainbow coalition – literally. I get my groceries from Trader’s Joe, Sprouts and Ranch Market.

So, am I assimilated to “American culture?”

You tell me.

Elvia Díaz is an editorial columnist for The Republic and azcentral. Reach her at 602-444-8606 or elvia.diaz@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter, @elviadiaz1.

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