English only?

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Ohio House passes 'English only' bill
STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

COLUMBUS ? The Ohio House passed a bill Thursday requiring that government business, such as meetings and public records, be in English.

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Bob Mecklenborg, R-Green Twp., passed by a vote of 54-42 over the objections of lawmakers who argued that the bill contradicted the country?s heritage as a land of immigrants. It still needs Senate approval.

Mecklenborg said earlier that the bill ?sends a clear and concise signal to all those who want to participate in our state as citizens that there are responsibilities, as well as benefits.?
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?This bill is forward looking and will ultimately promote the similarities that unite us,? Mecklenborg said. ?It will further promote economic success and result in more productive and involved citizens.?

Rep. Steve Driehaus, D-Price Hill, voted against it, calling it ?yet another unfunded mandate aimed at dividing Ohioans rather than uniting them.?

It was also opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, which said the bill will lead to litigation and make it difficult to attract innovative companies.

?English-only policies are misguided and divisive,? said staff attorney Carrie Davis. ?People want to learn and improve their English, but the demand for learning classes outpaces their availability.?

Proponents of the bill said it would improve efficiency in government offices if they only have to conduct business in one language. Over the years, Ohio lawmakers have tried to pass an ?English-only? bill without success.

According to U.S. English, a group that lobbies for English-only laws, 30 states have made English their official language, including Kentucky in 1984.

?As the number of Ohioans who struggle with English grows, the government must react swiftly to ensure that these newcomers are on the road to learning English and becoming Americans,? said Mauro Mujica, chairman of U.S. English.

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It's a good thing that former generations didn't have to learn English.

GAE went to a rally:

http://bp0.blogger.com/_BLlJwLdIRpk/...l+Language.jpg

Well, if you can't see the photo:

http://bp0.blogger.com/_BLlJwLdIRpk/...l+Language.jpg

<font color="#CC6600" size="1">[ May 23, 2008 09:29 PM: Message edited by: LanDroid ]</font>

What is wrong with English only?

I know you like to pick on me, just because I have super secret mod powers, but really, Lan. What's wrong with the idea that we conduct our business in English?

Hie thyself out of the country -- say to the middle East -- and demand that they accomodate you.

One day I will tell you story of the folks at the corner store, and their amazement that an old white woman (that would be me) not only understands their conversations in French, but replies in kind. However, they speak to the customers in English.

Imagine that.

I was mainly having fun with the sign.

Are there any Government meetings that are not conducted in English?

Texas Town Adopts Spanish As Official Language
EL CENIZO, Texas (Reuters) - The border town of El Cenizo, whose population is heavily Hispanic, has adopted Spanish as its official language and declared the community a safe haven for illegal immigrants, officials said Friday.

The ramshackle town of 7,800 people is located just south of Laredo, Texas, across the Rio Grande River from Mexico.

Mayor Rafael Rodriguez told Reuters that he and most of the town's residents speak only Spanish.

Council meetings in Spanish
Santa Ana begins offering headsets with simultaneous translation at its regular meetings.
By AMY TAXIN
The Orange County Register
Comments 0| Recommend 0

SANTA ANA The City Council on Monday night began offering a simultaneous translation of its regular meetings in Spanish, a move that at least one council member said he hopes will increase residents' involvement in Santa Ana.

Mayor?s Committee on Integrity and Trust
in Local Government

Town Hall Meeting

Palo Alto College
January 8, 2002 7:00 P.M.

Committee Members Presiding:
Dr. Ana M. ?Cha? Guzman (chair); Wayne Alexander; Bob Ross; Dr. Charles Cotrell;
Carlos Montemayor; Diane Cortez; Reverend Charles Johnson.
Meeting Convened:

On January 8, 2003 at 7:00 P.M., Dr. Ana M. ?Cha? Guzman convened the Town Hall
Meeting of the Mayor?s Committee on Integrity and Trust in Local Government at the
Palo Alto College Performing Arts Center. Dr. Guzman welcomed the public and made
opening comments, explaining the work of the Committee and the procedures for the
meeting. Dr. Guzman stated that several members of the Committee were bilingual and
that people could give their statements in Spanish if they wished. She repeated this
information in Spanish.

Manitos

Manitos, a Spanish derivative of ?little brother, little sister,? is a group consisting of Sacramento-area men and women over 60 years of age who, for the most part, speak only Spanish. Manitos? members come from Mexico, Spain, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Panama, Costa Rica, other Spanish speaking countries, and the United States. Manitos provides its members with access to valuable information as well as experiences that contribute to each member?s sense of wellbeing.

Manitos? members gather for companionship, activities, and conversation in Spanish every Wednesday and Friday. Manitos? meetings provide a venue for distributing information that is usually not available in Spanish. Representatives from government agencies, public utilities, health organizations, and non-profit agencies regularly attend the groups? meetings to deliver information that is valuable to the group. Manitos also works collaboratively with outside agencies. Manitos partnered with UC Davis Medical Center to create Viva La Salud, a collaborative effort that addresses health issues important to the groups? members.

ELECTION 2002
Governor candidates
spar in Spanish
Texas Democrats question each other's Hispanic pride in debate

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Posted: March 05, 2002
1:00 am Eastern


By Jon Dougherty
? 2008 WorldNetDaily.com

Possibly reflecting the region's rising Hispanic population, a pair of Democratic gubernatorial candidates in Texas have verbally sparred in Spanish during one of their debates.

Dan Morales and Tony Sanchez, both vying for the Democratic Party's nomination, exchanged heated words over affirmative action, their Latino heritage and their past records in business and government, the Dallas Morning News reported.

SPANISH TRANSLATION OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS

The City of Long Beach is proud to provide live Spanish language translation of weekly City Council meetings for meeting attendees and Channel 8 viewers.

Members of the City Council meeting audience can request a headset to listen to the meeting in Spanish. The Spanish translation is also transmitted via a secondary audio program (SAP) channel to television viewers.

This service greatly enhances the ability of Spanish speaking residents to understand and participate in City government.

The Spanish translation of City Council meetings began at the July 18, 2006 meeting. Currently in a testing phase, the translation services should take a few weeks to work out any issues