On LI, reaction among Latinos mixed

BY RICK BRAND and BART JONES | Newsday Staff Writers

May 3, 2006

A proposal co-sponsored by Rep. Peter King urging that the national anthem and Pledge of Allegiance only be sung and spoken in English sparked mixed reactions among Latinos and politicians across Long Island last night.

"I think it's crazy," said Lilliam Juarez, of the Work Place Project in Hempstead, an advocacy group for Latino workers. "If we are singing the National Anthem in Spanish and doing it correctly without mocking the song ... I don't think we are offending anyone."

But Julio Hernandez, a Salvadoran businessman from Huntington, applauded the move, saying it was "a disgrace" for anyone to sing the anthem in Spanish. He said he had to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" in English as part of his test to become an American.

"When I became a citizen, I had tears in my eyes singing the national anthem," he said.

Others said Rep. Peter King's support for the resolution amounted to a crassly political effort to distract people from his down-the-line support of President George W. Bush's policies.

"It's just pandering - it's a non-issue," said Patrick Halpin, a former Democratic Suffolk County executive. But he added that lawmakers "will trip over themselves to vote for it."

Nassau County Legis. David Mejias, a North Massapequa Democrat, said that although he believes the anthem should be sung in English, King "is giving a platform to the hate groups and people who have an agenda other than a patriotic one."

Ray Wysolmierski, of the Greater Farmingville Community Association, which has battled illegal immigration in the area, backed the congressional resolution, saying Mexicans would have the same reaction if Americans went into their country and tried to sing the Mexican anthem in English.

"What we have here is rage against multiculturalism and diversity gone mad," he said.

But Allan Ramirez, a Latino activist and pastor of the Brookville Reform Church, called King's support for the measure "laughable."

"People say he's an old boxer and I think this shows he got punched one too many times," Ramirez said.