ENGLISH NEEDS NO HELP IN RICHMOND
On December 12, 2007, Woodbridge Delegate Scott Lingamfelter pre-filed a bill designed to make English the official language of the Commonwealth. Though I cannot imagine that some other language has displaced English in Woodbridge, I am certain that the introduction of Mr. Lingamfelter's bill will do nothing to improve the lives of any of his constituents.
As a native American-English speaker, I am not convinced that "my" form of English will pass muster under Mr. Lingafelter's bill, and unfortunately, I am not able to proficiently read, write or speak any other language. My grammar tends to be imperfect, and my spelling is horrendous. Will I be forced to read, write and speak my brand of "American" only in the comfort of my own house?
For the past four hundred years, English has successfully endured (and thrived) in Virginia without the intervention from insecure, fear-mongering politicians dictating how people must communicate with their friends or with their government. The wasteful and unnecessary action of Mr. Lingamfelter reinforces the perception that our leaders in Richmond have too much time on their hands.
To every xenophobe (including and especially Del. Lingamfelter) who wants to ram through majority strong-arm tactic s on language, I have two things to say:
--You have no idea how divisive and destructive you are.
--Instead why don't you tutor one or more people for whom English is a second language (or for whom it isn't a language). Lingamfelter and others like him should "put up or shut up." If they don't like it, they should bear the brunt of the volunteer hours to teach English as a second language to their fellow countrymen and women. Yes, they are here, so they are our countrymen and women. He and other such think-alikes ought to have to do something to mend the damage they are bringing to our country. I do think the primary responsibility should fall on employers who benefit from bringing immigrants to our country. However, the complainers like Lingamfelter won't so stipulate in any of their legislation, so again, he should put up or shut up.
--Show me the money. One main reason immigrants don't always learn the language can be traced to reduction in funding for such things. And no simultaneous cost-shift was made to employers who benefit from low-wage immigrants. These employers reap the benefit but pay little for their use/misuse of immigrant labor. Del. L. is so heel-bent on tax reduction he'll cut anything and everything, never once thinking that such actions have consequences. Ditto the tax-cut at all cost Congress and administration.
I do agree that we'd all be better served if everyone spoke English here. However, Matt H. raises a good point: Whose version?
But I also believe all of us (English speakers) should also learn Spanish. What would it hurt? It would even give life to areas of the brain we often allow to go dormant. You can start to learn it while working out or driving to and from work (on tape or CD). Why not a little effort to make our country better? And it would do a better job than Quebec-style language police of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Personally, I love our neighbor to the north, despite the official action by one province. I don't think this is how we wish to treat others. But somehow, where majoritarian bullies are concerned, how they treat others (Golden Rule) is not on their minds.
We show our strength in the grace we show to others, our respect for their dignity, and our willingness to build reciprocal, not one-way relationships with those around us. Maybe it's Lingamfelters inability to do those things that is showing through all of this. The chip-on-their shoulder Reagan Republicans have led us down too many dump shXX on your neighbor pathways. It's time for the more well-intended and compassionate followers of Reagan, who want a kinder life, to join with us and change the tenor of the debate on this.