During hearings in Austin this week, TX State Sen. Chris Harris rudely interrupted Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition Antolin Aguirre during his testimony with his views against Texas sb1070 look-a-like Racial Profiling bill sb9.Two minutes into Mr. Aguirre's testimony, Sen. Harris, a very radical/restrictionist Republican from Arlington, rudely interrupted asking Aguirre's interpreter, "Did I understand him correctly that he has been here since 1988?" Harris asked. "Why aren't you speaking in English then?"
Mr. Augirre (an American Citizen) who immigrated to America in 1988, knows and speaks English, but as a man in his 50's, and Spanish as his native language, chose to speak in Spanish since it was his first time speaking in a legislative hearing and felt more comfortable. His interpreter immediately relayed his words, so there was never an issue for Harris or his like-minded cohorts understanding what he was saying; instead Harris chose to be abrasive and unyielding, ranting and yelling about Spanish language being insulting, very insulting to his ears.
Mr. Augirre was very polite and during his testimony who spoke very positively about America and about Texas.
It is too bad that Harris was too intolerant to listen.
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