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Apologies in advance. Ranting about Nashville’s English Only will begin shortly
If you are not from Nashville — and my stats tell me the grand majority of you are not — then I need to beg your forgiveness in advance.
I will begin lobbing angry barbs in this space at those who are promoting a ridiculous and costly and xenophobic amendment they call “English First.” Everybody else calls it “English Only” because no Metro business will be done in any language but English if this thing passes.
OK, what is so wrong about that? Well, a government serves its people, regardless of the language they happen to be speaking and the current need for translators is ridiculously small here. And if you read the comments in message boards and on the local paper’s site, you’ll see this is really an anti-Latino, anti-Mexican, anti-illegal immigrant bomb.
The proponents say we need a law to proclaim English is the language of the land. Well, it already is. That one passed a long time ago and um, this is Tennessee. In America. I think most of us who are not on anti-psychotics know that. Even the Mexicans who can’t habla el ingles know that.
And proponents say we also need a law that bans translation services Nashville doesn’t really even offer. Why? Well, because we really just want to point out really, really loudly and to the whole world that we’re pissed about “those people.” Like, really pissed. Pissed despite the fact that other than asking “those people” to build our McMansions, mow our lawns and cook our fajitas, we don’t really know “those people.”
And, proponents want to proclaim “English First” despite the fact our city is a major resettlement site for refugees. Plenty of “those people” who would be adversely affected by this amendment are here legally from countries in strife — Vietnam, Laos, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Cuba.
How much would it suck to be a refugee plopped (legally plopped, remember) into the middle of a city that says “Suck it. Speak English or we can’t help you. Yeah, yeah, you’ve been in some hell hole commie country, or you’ve been in a refugee camp for five years. Whatever. Didn’t you have time to learn English before you got here?”
While I mostly keep my rantings to afternoon calls with friends and caffeine-fueled Facebook status updates, I decided to use this platform because I can and because I know the self-absorbed whacks who are promoting this divisive idea have lots of Google Alerts on themselves. (Oh, Phil Valentine and Eric Crafton, you know you do…) So, while I do not wish to clutter the Boonie Blog with angry crazies, I need to spill it because, well, I do.
I can’t vote in this election because I no longer am a Davidson County resident, so a loud-mouthed girl with a blog and command of the English language has to do what she can.
So, it is Sunday night and I should be vegging with the DVR, but this guy, Valentine, who spews hate every chance he gets, set me off today worse than ever. Read his column and especially enjoy this oh-so-wrong nugget.
“It’s an undisputed fact that people who don’t have a working knowledge of English are either non-citizens or are illegal immigrants. How do I know? Because you are required by law to speak, write and understand English to become a U.S. citizen.”
Yes, Phil you’re either a non-citizen or illegal. Nothing in between. Not a tourist, or a foreign exchange student, or a refugee grandma whose never gonna get it, or a bride arriving legally from overseas to join a mate. He’s so wrong on so many levels in spirit and fact. There are exceptions to language understanding to become a citizen and we all know plenty of citizens who don’t command the language. But, I’ll come back to Phil and facts when I’m not fuming.
Be sure to read the comments by readers too. They’ll scare the pantalones off of you.
My main point: People do learn English. Eventually. It isn’t up to you to set the timeline or cut them off because they haven’t gotten it yet. And, the children of immigrants — whether arrived as small children or born here — we learn English too. We are Americans. We are America.
If you care about the background, you can find it in several spots:
English First (the people I want to chancletear.)
The Tennessean
The local paper, council members, university presidents, civic leaders, ministers, rabbis, business owners — all have come out against this. It’s bad juju, it’s bad business, it’s bad manners.
Nashville has been voted “The friendliest city” and truly, it is a lovely place to live. Lovelier for me, personally, as the diversity has increased. Back in 1991 when I arrived, there were plenty of people who thought I was a “ferner.” So, with luck all these friendly people will outnumber the whacks at the polls on January 22.
Until then, I will write some more. I have a few stories to tell.
Vote No on English Only.
And again, if ya ain’t from ’round here, sorry. I will get back to boberias soon enough.
It’s 5 AM Central time as I write this. Sometime after 7 am today (1/5/08) Council Member-at Large Meagan Barry will be on Liberadio, on WRVU 91.1.
It’s also on the internets if you’re a safe distance from Vanderbilt.
I don’t mind reading your “rants.” Once I subjected a group of teens who happened to be stuck in a van with me to a full-on rant about this sort of thing. One of them had made a tiny comment that certainly needed to be addressed, but perhaps my ten minute full-volume speech was excessive…
I’ll admit I saw your tweet, noted “nashville” and steeled myself for an unpalatable rant. As someone who’s experienced perfect strangers screaming at me to “speak english”, I was expecting something else. Unbelievably, a US citizen once screeched this at me in MEXICO! Thank you for your support.
Rant away! Estoy de acuerdo.
You need to do more of this valley writing!
Muy bien dicho! I am the proud owner of a bumper sticker that says “Crafton es un tonto” so that tells you where I stand.
Please continue to rant on any subject you like. I enjoyed it!
Well, muchas gracias for being with me. I was a little worried that this section would be filled with the same ugly I have seen on other message boards and in the paper’s comment sections…
More to come!
Estoy contigo mujer!!!
This is a topic very close to my heart, as I’m a bilingual ed teacher and am doing my part and my best to raise my kids up to high expectations. Some of these are: to respect eachothers’ differences, work hard and have goals, learn English, and never, ever let go of your native language!
A sign on my classroom door: El que sabe dos idiomas vale por dos…