English as our official language
I received the following forwarded email from a truly beloved family member:
33 Senators Voted Against English as America 's Official Language June 6, 2007
On Wed, 6 June 2007 23:35:23 -0500, "Colonel Harry Riley USA ret" wrote:
Senators,
Your vote against an amendment to the Immigration Bill 1348, to make English America's official language is astounding. On D-Day no less when we honor those that sacrificed in order to secure the bedrock character and principles of America . I can only surmise your vote reflects a loyalty to illegal aliens.
I don't much care where you come from, what your religion is, whether you're black, white or some other color, male or female, democrat, republican or independent, but I do care when you're a United States Senator, representing citizens of America and vote against English as the official language of the United States
Your vote reflects betrayal, political surrender, violates your pledge of allegiance, dishonors historical principle, rejects patriotism, borders on traitorous action and, in my opinion, makes you unfit to serve as a United States Senator... impeachment, recall, or other appropriate action is warranted.
Worse, 4 of you voting against English as America 's official language are presidential candidates: Senator Biden, Senator Clinton, Senator Dodd, and Senator Obama.
Those 4 Senators vying to lead America but won't, or don't have the courage, to cast a vote in favor of English as America's official language when 91% of American citizens want English officially designated as our language.
This is the second time in the last several months this list of Senators have disgraced themselves as political hacks... unworthy as Senators and certainly unqualified to serve as President of the United States.
If America is as angry as I am, you will realize a back-lash so stunning it will literally rock you out of your panties... and preferably, totally out of the United States Senate.
The entire immigration bill is a farce... your action only confirms this really isn't about America ; it's about self-serving politics... despicable at best.
Never argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ~ anonymous
The following senators voted against making English the official language of America: Akaka (D-HI) Bayh (D-IN) Biden (D-DE) Wants to be President? Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Cantwell (D-WA) Clinton (D-NY) Wants to be President? Dayton (D-MN) Dodd (D-CT) Wants to be President? Domenici (R-NM) Coward, protecting his Senate seat...Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI) Not unusual for him Feinstein (D-CA) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Jeffords (I-VT) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Wanted to be President Kohl (D-WI) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (D-CT) Disappointment here.....Menendez (D-NJ) Mikulski (D-MD) Murray (D-WA) Obama (D-IL) Wants to be President? Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Senate Majority Leader Salazar (D-CO) Sarbanes (D-MD) Schumer (D-NY) Stabenow (D-M)
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged."
- President Abraham Lincoln
"Amen"
First of all, I'm a bit confused. If there is 91% American support for this, then the politically expedient thing to do would be to vote for the bill. Right? So, how is it politically beneficial for any Senator to vote against it?
Next, For those who are pro-American, just keep this in mind: the English Language is from England. (Hence the name, "English" language.) There is no "American" language. We have "American English," perhaps, but even in that case you can't get away from those danged Brits!
I don't know that I am in favor of passing any language as an Official Language. America is a melting pot, so let everyone speak how he or she chooses to speak. Let freedom and diversity reign from sea to shining sea.
Why do people get so steamed about this issue????
9 comments:
America doesn't have an official language on purpose.
How the devil does this man think that we made it all the way from 1776 to 2007 without an official language?
Does he think past politicians found the designation of an official language too elusive or does he believe that they too should have been impeached for crimes against their country?
You learn something every day. I thought English was our official language.
Yea, I don't really get how this is so threatening....but I'm sure it has something to do with the evil Left!
Also, it is hard to see if he wants these politicians impeached or hanged......I'm not sure which one.....
It's a slippery slope, Jon. One day you don't have an official language the next day everyone's learning two languages or maybe three. Where does it end?
You might be relieved to know that English is the official language of Indiana... also Colorado, along with 23 other states. So we're off the hook on that learning other languages thing.
Melody said...
It's a slippery slope, Jon. One day you don't have an official language the next day everyone's learning two languages or maybe three. Where does it end?
By the by, here in South Africa we have 11 (eleven) official languages.
The debate currently is whether we should add South African sign language (for hearing impaired) as a twelfth official language.
Needless to say all government information is available in all eleven official languages, and the national broadcaster gives news bulletins and produces shows in all eleven official languages too (plus sign language).
However, we do not have to learn eleven language subjects at school - that would be a bit much! Most schools offer three South African languages, of which two are compulsory.
Ultimately we would hope for one combined language, our history mitigated against that unfortunately. At one stage during the early years of urbanization (before Apartheid laws), a combined langauge was emerging, as people from different language groups lived together.
Our eleven official languages may or may not remain in place, often boundaries between languages are fairly abirtrary in any case. We have many languages that are not official. Africa as a continent is the most linguistically diverse with over one thousand recognized languages. In a country such as Nigeria, with over 300 distinct languages, they simply made English the official language. (In addition they have three geographical languages: Hausa, Ibo, and Yoruba - but English remains the language of government, these other three languages are used for trade and general communication.)
Simpler is better? But it seems in the States that English is your de facto official language regardless of whether it is reflected in your consitution or not.
Dang. I wish you would have told me that when I was taking high school Spanish!
I think the problem stems more from fear of losing cultural identity, especially in the southern border states that are seeing large increases in the hispanic population.
Reaffirming English as the official language could allay some of these fears of being overrun by outsiders.
Raptor,
I definitely think you are on to something.
It is probably more of a psychological reaction, rather than a rational thought process.....hhhhmmm....but most political issues are just psychological reactions, aren't they???
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