Official English plan clears Oklahoma Senate panel

If feel this would be a great thing. When traveling to other countries I have to speak that countries tounge. Why not when others come to this country should it not be the same. I feel this should be a federal law also.
Why do we worry so much about those coming to our state or country. Others do not worry about us when we travel to their countries. Other than ways to get our money. Stop bending over backwards for non-residents. Let's take care of our own first. This does not reject freedom of speech. Those that say it does are those that want what we have but do not wish to meet the criteria to have it. People again wanting and not giving anything for it.
This country has a language. This state has a language. IT IS ENGLISH! If you do not want to speek our language, then stay in your own country. Same as what they would expect of us if we went to live in their country. Our Local, state, and federal legislators are so taken by those coming to this country which is not the way it should be. We elected these people, it is time they represented us the majority, not the minority.

Language and national origin are indissolubly linked. But don't take my word for it. Read the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lau v. Nichols. I quote from Wikipedia: "Lau v. Nichols [...] was a civil rights case brought by Chinese American students living in San Francisco, California who had limited English proficiency. The students claimed that they were not receiving special help in school due to their inability to speak English, help which they argued they were entitled to under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because of its ban on educational discrimination on the basis of national origin. Finding that the lack of linguistically-appropriate accommodations (e.g. educational services in Chinese) effectively denied the Chinese students equal educational opportunities on the basis of their ethnicity, the U.S. Supreme Court in 1974 ruled in favor of the students, thus expanding the rights of limited English proficient students around the nation. Among other things, Lau reflects the now-widely accepted view that one's language is so closely intertwined with one's national origin (the country someone or her ancestors came from) that language-based discrimination is effectively a proxy for national origin discrimination."

By the way, the good people of Oklahoma could not reinstate slavery or abolish voting rights for women, etc., even if every last voter and his horse were to vote yes. I mention this because some of you don't seem to understand how the federal system works.

The legal difference between the single person who speaks classical Latin and the multitudes of legal immigrants who speak Spanish (among other languages) and little or no English ought to be obvious: a single person does not constitute a class. American civil rights laws protect CLASSES of people against discrimination based on their religion, ethnicity, national origin, disability status, etc. Because language is an identifying characteristic of ethnicity and national origin, and because the Civil Rights Act prohibits not only intentional discrimination but also practices that have the effect of discriminating, federal laws would not require a Latin interpreter but absolutely do require a good-faith effort for government to communicate with citizens who belong to protected classes... Many of you may despise these laws. I myself detest affirmative action. But there is a huge difference between a government that grants special advantages to certain groups and a government that simply communicates with citizens in language they can understand. And even if there were no difference, if you really want to establish English as your state language, you must first change federal laws. Otherwise, be prepared to spend millions on legal costs and judgments.

Some people never learn. The Oklahoma Supreme Court has already ruled on a similar English-only measure: "Proceeding was brought to determine validity of initiative petition for English-only law. The Supreme Court, Hodges, J., held that the English-only law would violate state constitutional rights to freedom of speech and petition for redress of grievances, would be void for vagueness under the state due process clause, and would delegate legislative authority to agencies in violation of the nondelegation doctrine." (Supreme Court of Oklahoma. In re Initiative Petition No. 366, State Question No. 689, April 2002). With that kind of precedent, this initiative simply will not stand. So wave your flags and sing your songs all you want. Resistance is futile.

The next step in Oklahoma is to eliminate wheelchair ramps and signs in Braille. That would save tons of money. (Does anyone have any idea how much it costs to make buildings, official forms and even web sites accessible?) And why should we feel obliged to cater to anyone but the physically fit?

"forget that there is a federal constitution and federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on national origin" - Laughable stuff from a predictably laughable source. There is no "discrimination" inherent in requiring people who want to do business with the state or local governments to do so in English. By that moronic standard, I could demand that the Highway Patrol dispatch an officer fluent in classical Latin to deal with me if I got pulled over. Looks like your wife and kids are going to have to get up to speed on English if they want to live in our country, savant. I can recommend a good tutor...

"This won't change a thing. After it wins by an over-whelming margin, will all the spanish speakers suddenly speak English?" - One could make the same argument about speed limits. I mean, did the imposition of speed limits on Oklahoma's roads stop all speeding? And if not, why have speed limits? Haul down those signs! That's the logic of your position. - "Kevin is right, we should focus on more pressing issues" *** Then concentrate on them, Lennox. To me and many others this is a "pressing issue," and I'll thank you and Kevin to go about your business with those things you're concerned about. If you don't like this proposal, vote against it when it comes up for a vote on the ballot.

To hell with English--what we need is a bill that makes OKIE the official language here.

Illegals can immigrate legally through joining the military. There are thousands each year that come to this country legally. Why should we cater to those who try to move around the system. I have no problem with legal immigration. It's the illegal immigrants that I have an issue with.

I must thank you, Mike, for proving my point so many times. You're completly right. Christ spent his entire life teaching the laws of humans are more important than God's. ...pearls before swine.
hint - assumations are seldom correct.

Mike, you are misinformed: non-native speakers that come to the U.S. legally are NOT required to pass an English proficiency test. I can attest to this personally since my wife and children entered the country late last year with freshly minted green cards, and none of them speaks English. The reason this is not a requirement is that Americans have never made a collective decision to enshrine English as their official tongue--in part, I presume, because doing so would require a constitutional amendment or face endless legal challenges. The fact that there is no national language means that the Oklahoma legislation, if passed, would allow a state to discriminate against legal residents and even citizens (one of my daughters is a citizen) who do not speak English. Senator Sykes may not see how the law could be unconstitutional. The senator seems to forget that there is a federal constitution and federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on national origin.

Paul, WWJD about coming into a country legally? You must think it's righteous to sneak into a country, but not righteous to stop the non-sense of bi-lingual signs and notices etc. Every non-native speaker that comes to this country legally must pass an English proficiency test. Yes.. that would include hispanics. And Armbrooke, there are multi generations here that still don't speak English. You want to make this a hate issue. You are the hater it seems. It is a legal issue that some have decided to ignore and just say "we can do it any way we want". Oh.. perhaps your logical thinking missed the point of the signs in Bethany. If there were no English signs, that would assume NO signs were necessary. No English signs, no Spanish signs.

A meaningless and primarily symbolic feel-good bill for the Mexican-haters. Why meaningless? In the real economy, outside gubmint, businesses will se habla Espanol because its smart business, and thats not changing. Hispanics will continue to be the fastest growing ethnic group in America. Hispanic people will increasingly achieve economic success in this country and with that will come increased integration into the establishment and political power. First generation immigrants will speak very little English, their children will be bilingual, and by the fourth generation, they will be primary English speakers. This will happen law or no law. So, relax people. We can afford to let the rednecks and the haters have their little symbolic racist bill. 'Cause they sure ain't got the future.

Mickey, if all the signs in Bethany’s park are in Spanish, none in English, how did it cost more? Are they posted in two different versions of Spanish? Does it take more ink to print a sign in Spanish? Bigotry is so transparent. If you insist on being so horrified by people of different cultures because you are too lazy to learn about them, have the guts to admit it. Why hide behind lies about saving money?

I plan to vote yes

Never mind sound public policy just play to emotions by golly!

Gee, and here I thought rethuglicans were all about promoting and exploiting illegals for cheap labor. So...with this bill, how are they going to communicate with their substandard wage earners?

30 states have English as their official language. I became a supporter when I visited a Bethany Public Park and the signs were in Spanish. There was not an English sign around. This will save our state a lot of revenue. I don't think it has anything to do with discriminating but rather establishing that we will recognize and conduct business in the English language.

And yes, that was sarcasm. I wish there were more of us who think like Paul, truth be told.

Come on now, Paul, you know that Jesus only loves the white folk, right?

Next to the watermelon as the state vegetable, and an official state rock song....this is one of the dumbest pieces of legislation to ever slither through the halls. When are the term-limits up on these jack-holes.

As a senior citizen Republican the Oklahoma legislature may have finally pushed me to the other side. Where are the adults????

What ever happened to Biblical values of hospitality? Are Oklahomans really that twofaced? WWJD? It is truly sad to see how the core teachings of Christ have been obliterated by so called “Christians.” The bill has nothing to do with saving money on printing. It is all about prejudice and bigotry, nothing more. If state legislators honestly wanted to save money on printing they would outlaw government officials (like Mary Falin) who print and mail out partisan propaganda (to Republican voters ONLY) around election time at (all) taxpayers’ expense.

Another piece of buffalo dung to be thrown on the trash heap. VETO coming.

Kevin, Oklahoma City - Apr 1, 2009 at 5:38 PM: Yes, saving money. The law will stop the cost of printing things in several languages.

Kevin, why did you write your comment in English?

I believe this bill is more about making it unnecessary to print documents and forms in languages other than English.

JMHO, but this is a very important issue. The only issue more pressing is how to secure our borders AND rounding up illegals and shipping them back from whence they came.

anything to screw around with the lawbreakers is good with me

This won't change a thing. After it wins by an over-whelming margin, will all the spanish speakers suddenly speak English? If so, I'll vote for it, otherwise this won't change a thing.
Kevin is right, we should focus on more pressing issues.