They Say
|
We Say
|
| "English-only Movement"
-- Label given in countless news stories |
The correct term
is "Official English Movement." People are free to speak any languages
they wish in their private lives and in private business. Official English applies
only to official government actions. |
| "More seriously, a strict
enforcement of [Arizona's official English] law would force doctors and nurses
in public hospitals to speak only English to patients, even patients who speak no
English." -- Roger Hernandez, syndicated columnist
|
This type of "horror story"
claim is often made by opponents of official English. But if they bothered to actually
read the laws they complain about, they would discover that such fears are
groundless. Arizona's law, for example, specifically provided an exception for matters of
public health and safety. |
| "The message you all are
about to give...is you don't care for people who speak other languages,
you don't care because you don't want them to speak any other language, and
in essence, you don't accept them until they speak only English." -- Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) |
Our focus is on making
sure that everyone in the U.S. can speak English. If people can speak other
languages in addition to English, we have no problem with that. In fact, U.S.ENGLISH
Chairman Mauro E. Mujica speaks several languages in addition
to English. |
| "Rep. Sam Farr, D-Calif.,
claimed English-only laws would keep officials from helping tourists who speak no English,
including the 2 million tourists at the Olympic Games in Atlanta." -- U.P.I. |
Both H.R.123 at
the federal level and Georgia's official English law contain exceptions for tourism.
Official English is not concerned with tourists; but those who come to this
country to stay must learn English. |
| "Soon you may be asked to
consider one of a number of pending bills that would, in effect, exclude many non-English
speakers from many of the benefits of citizenship in the United States." -- ACLU letter to U.S. Senators |
Non-English speakers are excluded
from many of the benefits of citizenship by the very fact that they do not speak
English. Official English encourages immigrants to learn English so they can
participate fully in all America has to offer. |
| "The only purpose of this
[official English] legislation is to exclude." --Sandra
del Valle, Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund |
The purpose of official English is to
unite our country, rather than let it fragment along linguistic lines.We want all who come
to the United States to be included in society, and the key to participating in
American society is to learn English. |
