More Anti-Immigrant Hate E-Mail Polluting the Internet

Here's another 'anti-immigrant' hate e-mail that's been floating around and my response.

THE E-MAIL:

In Case you have not seen this. 33 Senators Voted Against English as America 's Official Language June 6, 2007On Wed, 6 Jun 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're 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 warrented. Worse, 4 of you voting against English as America 's official language are presidential candidates: Senator Biden, Senator Clinton, Senator Dodd, and Senator Obama. Those 4 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 unqualifed to serve as President of the United States. If America is as angry as I am, you will realize a back-lash 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's about self-serving politics... despicable at best."Never argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ~ anonymous

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-CT) Wants to be President?Domenici (R-NM) Coward, protecting his Senate seat...Durbin (D-IL) Feingold (D-WI) Not unusual for himFeinstein (D-CA) Harkin (D-IA) Inouye (D-HI) Jeffords (I-VT) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Wanted to be PresidentKohl (D-WI) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (D-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 LeaderSalazar (D-CO) Sarbanes (D-MD) Schumer (D-NY) Stabenow (D-M)"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged." ~ President Abraham Lincoln " Amen

"Please forward to as many people as you know. WE NEED THIS INFORMATION PASSED ON TO EVERY RED-BLOODED AMERICAN!!!!!!


MY RESPONSE:

There’s plenty of evidence, both anecdotally and by scientifically conducted studies, that over 90% of second-generation immigrants in this country speak fluent English. That conclusion might sound astonishing, but it actually makes sense. The immigrant parents who come here often do not speak English and, because it’s far more difficult to pick up a new language during adulthood, they tend to learn English more slowly. Their children, however, pick up English in schools very quickly and, by the third generation, only about 10% of the 2nd generation’s kids are even fluent in their grandparent's native language.

The myth generated by the “English-Only” proponents is that immigrants, by and large, don’t want to learn English, but it’s just an urban myth. The opposite is true. A 2005 study conducted by a widely respected “conservative-based” foundation, concluded that an overwhelming majority of immigrants desired to learn English because they viewed it as a key to assimilating and gaining a piece of the American Pie. Interestingly, immigrants widely reported that social barriers were the largest hinderance in their efforts to learn English and, as a result, they relied heavily upon the use of their native language as a matter of comfort.

Several weeks ago, somebody sent me an e-mail with a gripe about non-English speaking immigrants and ended with the view that anybody who doesn’t speak English should be denied entry into the US. I believe that kind of thinking ends up limiting the gene pool – if you catch my drift – but it certainly seems to be an ever-increasing viewpoint.

From a legal position, English already IS our official language. The “bill" to which the e-mail refers does not “establish” English as anything, because English as the official language is what already exists. What the bill does attempt to do is forbid all branches of government from teaching English as a second language (which is how immigrant children best learn English in schools) and from accommodating non-English speaking people with government functions (no more Spanish pamphlets or non-English interpreters). Personally, I think that’s an ignorant idea.

English-only advocates act as if this is a major problem that has suddenly happened upon the scene; but I’ve got this sense that it is no greater problem today than it was when the Cubans, Haitians, Italians, Welsh, Irish, Chinese, Germans, Japanese, Koreans and Vietnamese resettled here. If you ask me, what really drives this issue is disdain of immigrants. Half the folks who moan about the issue come right out and say so and half of the remainder can’t write a proper English sentence. You’d think that with spell-check available, the pro-English crowd would demonstrate better grammar.