33 Senators Voted Against English as America's Official Language on 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 are 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 or worse.
Four of you voting agains t English as America's Official Language are Presidential Candidates: Senator Biden, Senator Clinton, Senator Dodd and Senator Obama .
Four 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 backlash 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 aboutAmerica.....it is about self-serving politics......despicable at best. It has been said:
"Never Argue with an Idiot....They'll drag you down to their level!"
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- MN) (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) (Tried to be president)
Kohl (D- WI)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (I-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-MI)
PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or Hanged!!!
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
15 comments:
Wartime or not, English should be the official language of the USA. I just don't understand where the people who voted against that are coming from. And I'm one of those stinking liberals!
I'm not surprised to see Barbara Mikulski's name on this list--is there a more liberal senator in the history of Maryland ? By the way, another reason to not vote for Frank Kratovil--she not only endorsed him but attended one of his fund-raisers.
United States was an Indian Reservation, White man brought slaves over and being a big bully as usual brought in his culture. If anything it should be voted down.
The United States doesn't need an official language. People who speak English are no more entitled to become a part of our country as those who do.
This country was founded on FREEDOM. We're reminded of this every time conservatives need to start a war. "FIGHT FOR FREEDOM!"-This call has echoed on innumerable occasions as we expend absurd amounts of lives, money, and moral capital on wars (such as Iraq) we have no business fighting.
Instead of invoking "Freedom" in such unsavory contexts, we should embrace the freedoms we have as citizens of one of the greatest countries on Earth. Why would reasonable citizens want to remove an additional layer of freedom in this country?
Preserve the right to choose your language. Resist efforts to forcibly homogenize the country, and oppose bills to create an "official language." America is a country for the world, and that is its greatest beauty.
Nativism amongst uneducated 'Middle Americans'-The Sarah Palin's of this country- is both racist and self-defeating.
Immigration is not a leech upon the citizens of this country, it is a necessary component of our nation's growth. 99.32% of the people living in this country (legally) either came here themselves as immigrants, or is a descendent of someone who did. Today, our nation draws its greatest strengths from its ability to embrace millions of people of varying backgrounds.
As one of the few countries without an official language, we signify to the world that we are a country of all people; the best, the brightest, and the hardest working from across the world are welcome here. We must preserve this symbol.
Sean Butler
While I agree with the sentiments recorded here, the date that this occurred is in dispute. On June 6, 2007, Senator Sarbanes was not in office, having retired at the end of 2006.
"Just as languages other than English have always been a part of our history and culture, debate over establishing a national language dates back to the country's beginnings. John Adams proposed to the Continental Congress in 1780 that an official academy be created to "purify, develop, and dictate usage of," English. His proposal was
rejected as undemocratic and a threat to individual liberty.
The ACLU believes that "English Only" laws are inconsistent with the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. For example,
laws that have the effect of eliminating courtroom translation
severely jeopardize the ability of people on trial to follow and
comprehend the proceedings. "English Only" laws interfere with the right to vote by banning bilingual ballots, or with a child's right to education by restricting bilingual instruction. Such laws also interfere with the right of workers to be free of discrimination in workplaces where employers have imposed "speak English only" rules. In 1987, the ACLU adopted a national policy opposing "English Only" laws or laws that would "characterize English as the official language in the United States...to the extent that [they] would mandate or encourage the erosion" of the rights of language minority persons.
The American Civil Liberties Union
Briefing Paper #6
Who's going to pay for making english the official language? The cost would not be insignificant.
Don't we have better things to spend money on?
"Hang em high"
English as our official language would be another point of inclusion into our society. Just like people from all over the world have to live by our laws, not the country they come from, language would be another tool to keep our country unified. As seen by the large numbers of Spanish speaking people, if while being an American citizen, people are encouraged to keep their native tongue, they then want to keep everything that they had in their native country. Our country was founded on the basic principle of people from all over the world coming together in unity for freedom. In being unified, we should encourage the use of one language to make the communications between the people fair.
Just like we welcome all religions to be able to practice their religion, we still unify our citizens by professing that we are created and given these right by God. This God doesn't have to be the same GOD as everyone else, but we acknowledge that most religions do have a singular God.
Every group of immigrants that has come to this country have learned to speak english. Now in todays politically correct world we dont want to impose on anyone or hurt their feelings. We spend billions of dollars on bi-lingual signs and printings of instructions. One post mentions the ACLU. That really draws a lot of compassion on most fronts. English should be the official language and anyone not wanting to learn it should not come here and if they are already here and still not wanting to learn english should go back to where they came from.
@12:53.
You say "Every group that has come to this country have learned to speak English."
For the most part, I agree you (obviously not EVERY group has learned). What you may not realize is that in that single sentence you make a remarkable case for not instituting an official language.
The millions of people whom you reference DID succeed in learning English. Eventually, their families and children integrated smoothly into popular American society. The key here, as you point out, is that they did this without a law mandating an 'official' language.
If immigrants want to succeed in this country, and capture the American Dream, they must eventually learn English, and adapt to many of our cultural mores. However, we do not need to restrict the liberties of both our citizens and guests by forcing any one language upon anyone.
I live in an Italian neighborhood in New York City, and when I go to the grocery store, items are labelled in Italian, and many of the employees/customers are speaking it. Does this offend you? I would think not.
Much of the distrust/intolerance of spanish speakers is simply racism. To a degree, this is natural. Most of the spanish speakers in this country are quite different from the average American.
They have different skin colors, different cuisines, different priorities, and different interests. This is not a bad thing. Their children will grow up speaking both English and Spanish, and as their families melt into America, we will be stronger than ever.
You say we spend "Billions of dollars on bi-lingual signs and printings of instructions." I assume by "we" you mean the U.S. Government.
I must admit, I don't know how much the government spends annually on signs in Spanish, but I am confident that number is nowhere near billions of dollars. Imagine! How many signs would have to be printed to account for "Billions" of dollars in spending? Quite clearly, millions. That's simply not happening.
Mardela,
As you say,"Our country was founded on the basic principle of people from all over the world coming together in unity for freedom."
Yet, you want to take away the freedom to exhibit preference in language? This is a startling contradiction. Perhaps you are not as committed to freedom as you think.
You also say, "we still unify our citizens by professing that we are created and given these right by God". We do not. The word 'God' is not mentioned a single time in The Constitution of the United States, or any of its amendments. This is the document that provides the basis for our government and legal system.
While The Declaration of Independence of the United States does give a solitary to mention to 'God" this is not a document that has no power, legal or otherwise, to 'unify' our citizenry. It is an antiquated document passed for a single, long expired purpose. It was not authored by the Government of the United States of America. The purposeful exclusion of God from this country's constitution is the truly unifying symbol. It declares, that we e will not compromise freedom, under any reasonable circumstances. That we will not restrict individual rights whenever we can afford to, and that we will collectively fight to protect these rights should they become endangered.
You suggest the United States as a country should, "encourage the use of one language to make the communications between the people fair."
How could we be more fair! Each individual is free to conduct private business in whatever manner/language they see fit. Individuals interacting with or through the government are given the very fair accommodation of language help.
Sean Butler
Ill bring the arial truck.
"CRIMES AGAINST THE STATE"
This wartime bullshit is growing tired.
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