The advantage of having the Senate back on track viz immigration reform is that something might actually get done about it. The disadvantage is that it’s an opportunity for everyone and their brother to toss in their own jingoistic amendments, whether out of personal conviction or the chance to earn votes.
So the Senate managed to pass this James Inolfe amendment ot the immigration bill yesterday:
The Government of the United States shall preserve and enhance the role of English as the national language of the United States of America. Unless specifically stated in applicable law, no person has a right, entitlement, or claim to have the Government of the United States or any of its officials or representatives act, communicate, perform or provide services, or provide materials in any language other than English. If exceptions are made, that does not create a legal entitlement to additional services in that language or any language other than English. If any forms are issued by the Federal Government in a language other than English (or such forms are completed in a language other than English), the English language version of the form is the sole authority for all legal purposes.
I am of mixed feelings here. On the one hand, I do believe that a common language for the land is a worthy goal, and that whatever we can do to encourage that is of value. I’ve been frustrated, at times, at seeing ballot measures being printed in fifty different languages, and at the attitude from some that it’s not just a service being provided, but a right to which a non-English speaker is entitled.
On the other hand, if this were just about being reasonable, I wouldn’t worry that much. Assuming it stays in its current form (I’m sure the House will jump all over this in conference committee and try to hammer out something even stronger), some folks will use this as a round-about way to deny services — sorry, lady, that form’s only in English, figure it out yourself — and to further separate, not unify, communities, to further establish non-English speakers as second-class residents, effectively if not statutorily cut off from government communication and services.
Now, the amendment, as it stands, does allow for translated services and communications (“unless specifically stated in applicable law”), and it doesn’t say that such translation cannot be done, only that someone doesn’t have legal grounding to demand it be done (which may face some court challenges of its own). But it still feels a hell of a lot like a Why don’t those damned furriners speak English? kind of bill.
I also worry a scosh about “preserve and enhance the role of English as the national language of the United States of America. ” That smacks a bit of “the Academy,” and conjures images of some well-meaning bureucrat trying to dictate how the language should be formed. Which never goes well.
Note that, after the Inolfe amendment was voted on, it was further amended (as proposed by Colorado’s Salazar) to change “national language” (which had read “official language” in Inolfe’s original proposal) to “common and unifying language.” Which is a subtle but distinct difference (and would be more welcome if the rest of the amendment weren’t so annoying).
Again, I think folks who come to this country should be encouraged to learn English. And most of them, in fact, strive to do so. This amendment will do little to change that, but it will give folks who don’t like immigrants in the first place a great way to say, “Non-Yankees, Go Home.”