Arkansas City City Commission voted to affirm the city's support of the new state law making English the official language of Kansas.
While this might be good politics, is it good policy? (for a discussion about HOW it was done, see James Jordan's blog on Traveler Web site)
What kind of message does it send to Hispanic immigrants whose first language is Spanish? Learn English or we won't accept you?
I agree that learning the main language of the country where you live is a good idea. But this is an individual decision. The city runs the risk of sending the message that if you don't know English, we won't help you.
First generation immigrants often struggle to learn the language, while their children pick up English and assimilate into the new culture.
So is this really about promoting the American Melting Pot, or is it fear of a culture different from most people's ancestors?
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3 comments:
Isn't it odd that there is no emphasis on the learning of English? It seems to me that to become a citizen it is required that the applicant learn english as well as history, government and the consitution.
For over a century the US has been open to immigrants from all lands, allowing them to become citizens in just a few years by learning and being tested on these basics. The illegal immigrants who skip over these unifying lessons are sneering at Americans making sure that everyone knows that they do not have to follow the rules, making them proud of being illegal.
The melting pot you referred to allowed people to bring in their language and culture but absolutely required them to blend in by learning English and about the American culture.
So it is back to you now... Shall we be the melting pot that we always have been, or shall we let these very specific "immigrants" to dash our laws and history and force upon all of us their language, and their total and complete lack of respect for our constitution?
What part of illegal do you not understand?
"What kind of message does it send to Hispanic immigrants whose first language is Spanish? Learn English or we won't accept you?"
No, David, I don't think so. No doubt, times have changed. In the "Melting Pot" you refer to, immigrants were expected to and wanted to learn english as a means of coping, prospering and even survival in U.S.A.
This generation of immigrant generally doesn't want to learn English. Almost has a bit of "in your face to it."
Been to the DMV lately? You can see the poor ladies trying to help someone get a driver's license that can't speak even a smackling of English.
On this the Commissioners, the State of KS & I all agree.
I believe that the majority of the community here will understand someone speaking broken English to them if the person speaking is truely attempting to communicate in English. However, as others have said, for the immigrants that fly under the radar,thumb their noses at our nation that says being here illegal is a crime,they are so brazen to not even try to obtain legal status, I say, why not, if we don't take a stand and enforce what laws we already have then why not expect them to be "getting by" with this illegal activity. Do the employees at Cotton Gin in Winfield have legal residnecy? Do they make it's employees show proof of residnecy? How about the Packing house? If they do, are they registering them into the nataional data base that connects all of the states, cities together to make sure that all the names and social security numbers match? Have we even tried to rid our employers of illegals? The truth? Probably not. So why not just stay here and soak up the pay and all the other perks of being a citizen if we don't enforce the laws. Making English the official language? Probably the least of our worries, but at least it was a move in the right direction.
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