Lewisville City Council Rejects English-Only Measures
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Patrick McGee, Star-Telegram (Fort Worth), October 7, 2008
The City Council voted Tuesday night not to change the practice of translating documents into Spanish, and a motion to make English the city’s official language failed to get a second.
The move dashed Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Lathan Watts’ hopes to promote the use of English, the language that he said is a pillar of American unity and identity.
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It was standing room only in the council chamber as both sides of the debate invoked God and country. One side asserted that a common language is needed to unify the nation, and the other said imposing one language would just divide it.
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Mayor Gene Carey said he did not want to embroil his city in the immigration debates that a neighboring community has experienced since declaring English its official language and trying to ban illegal immigrants from renting apartments in the city.
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He stressed that the city spends only $475.60 on document translation annually. By contrast, the city’s operating budget is nearly $100 million, city spokesman James Kunke said.
Watts, who proposed the English-only resolution, said the move was largely symbolic but emphasized that English has a critical place in American life.
“One of the things that allows that melting pot to melt together is common language. Without it we’re not a melting pot, we’re stir-fry, basically,” Watts said. He pointed out that all American founding documents and great speeches were written in English.
“Symbols matter. These flags behind me are just colored pieces of cloth but for what they symbolize,” he said, pointing to the American and Texas flags.
Hispanics and English
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Last month, Farmers Branch’s opponents argued before a federal judge that the city’s English-language resolution shows how the city’s anti-illegal-immigration efforts are really anti-Hispanic. City leaders have repeatedly denied that accusation.
Email Patrick McGee at pmcgee@star-telegram.com.
(Posted on October 10, 2008)
Comments
This makes me livid. I am job hunting right now and every other listing says bilingual required. Disgusting.
Posted by at 6:11 PM on October 10
There is nothing wrong not wanting those who are fundamentally different from you to be immigrating to your country. I am anti-Mexican when they are invading my country. When they stay in their own hovels, I don’t care about them at all.
Posted by Flamethrower at 6:59 PM on October 10
Belgium is falling apart, the French speaking Walloons against the Dutch speaking Flemish. My own Canada is sent into a flap every few years when the French speaking Quebec wants to separate. Communism kept the lid on the divide between the Czech and Slovak, the minute it was out, Czechoslovakia was finished, you now have the Czech and Slovak republics.The Basque speakers of France and Spain have fought a bloody fight for independence for the last 30 years. I do not suppose I even have to mention Yugoslavia where the language differences are exacerbated by by religious and ethnic differences. In short, language is very often the glue that holds the country together. Look at Africa where every tribe speaks a different language, there are some 200 different languages spoken in Africa, there are an equal number of conflicts. Allow Spanish, soon certain parts of the country will speak nothing else, give it a few generations and they will demand official bi-lingualism, followed shortly thereafter by calls for separation. As in Quebec, they will want it because they “culturaly and linguistically” so different. Once you open the stable door and the horse has bolted, it is far too late.
Posted by ciccio at 8:47 PM on October 10
ciccio wrote: Communism kept the lid on the divide between the Czech and Slovak, the minute it was out, Czechoslovakia was finished, you now have the Czech and Slovak republics. I do not suppose I even have to mention Yugoslavia where the language differences are exacerbated by by religious and ethnic differences.
I said to myself the day Tito died, “Yugoslavia’s death warrant has just been signed.” It took about 10 years before the death rattle started, but by 2006 the last vestige of the nation was gone for good.
Posted by Strider at 10:28 PM on October 10
Americans be warned. Canada has official bilingualism, and it is costly and divisive. The only thing that unifies French and English in Canada is our common white heritage.
Posted by at 10:42 PM on October 10
Anybody remember the Sunday School story of the Tower of Babel? When God decided to put a stop to it he simply “confounded their languages”. Thousands os years later, it’s still a quick and effecient way to put a stop to any organization, whether it’s a constuction project or a national government.
If the United States can’t or won’t agree on this seemingly small point we are doomed.
Posted by AngryWhiteGramma at 11:40 PM on October 10
In Canada while the french and english are busy fighting, the muslims, pakis and asians are slipping in to take over.
Official bilingualism is a huge mistake, and it was to the benefit of the Quebecers when it came to federal government jobs because most are bilingual, whereas most english are unilingual.
The council and mayor must be turfed out at the next election if there is to be any hope and a slate that is pro english must be elected and required to enact english only.
Incredible dumbness.
Posted by at 2:20 AM on October 11
A supplementary comment on the use of spanish and english at a local level.
Can you imagine if the presidential, congress and senate races become bilingual english and spanish.
Guess who has the advantage.
It ain’t the english!
English and white are going the way of the dodo bird, extinct!
Posted by at 2:22 AM on October 11
The Spanish language will eventually overtake; and do away with English. There are many more children being born into Spanish speaking families than there is white families.Demographics will ultimately be so lopsided that English speakers will becme an extreme minority. After that; Spanish will become the official language. They will not observe any “political correctness” towrds thw white people. Our Federal Government will continue to persecute the white underclass.
The historical irony will be that; at that point the very people they helped put into power will then turn on the elite whites that put them into power.
Posted by Lorin at 3:12 PM on October 11
As a Canadian I can only warn Americans that “bilingualism” is an absolute disaster and the last thing you want for yourselves, whatever lies the powers that be will tell you to the contrary.
Posted by at 8:45 PM on October 11
As best I recall, from when I studied Spanish many years ago, there were only two states where both Spanish and English were legal: New Mexico and Texas. (Correct me if I’m wrong.) In both cases I can understand and accept this, for historical reasons, and I have no problem with it. (After all, it was Maxico’s attempt to impose Spanish and Catholicism upon the Anglo settlers in Texas that forced them to revolt.)
But in the case of other states where the Mexican influence was extremely slight (and that includes California, which only had 5,000 Spanish-speaking Mexicans in 1846) or was simply non-existent, there is no justifiable reason to impose bilingualism today where it never was before.
Another thing: Hispanic culture is extremely tenacious - something like Islamic culture. It it doesn’t easily yield or assimilate into another culture. Rather, it will absorb yours into theirs.
Posted by at 2:52 AM on October 12
Time to remove the Lewisville City Council—or suffer the consequences. Why do citizens who really care, act like this is such a big deal. Organize, and get rid of the people who refuse to serve the citizens best interests.
Posted by Bobby at 7:11 PM on October 12
How on earth can you argue that imposing one language would divide people? Is having the ability to understand each other a divider?
I believe what they’re really trying to argue is that making Mexicans learn English would cause them to have even more contempt for whites than they already do. Thusly, they wish to side with the mestizos by preserving their language, in order to appease them. This is a cowardly and traitorous course of action taken by men (I use that term loosely) that are literally shaking in their boots at the thought of the Mexican invasion. We need people who are willing to stand up to our natural enemies, not men like these.
Posted by Mike at 9:24 AM on October 13
A common language is our only bond. When that is gone we have nothing but a nation of people each clinging to their own language, customs, culture and tradition. No more melting pot - just various groups who will never get together. Do we sink to the level of the invaders? We will because they’ll never be true Americans. Furthermore, we don’t WANT illegals to assimilate. We want they out of here. Then, we need a 10 year moratorium on ALL immigration in order to assimilate the LEGAL immigrants coming in. After that, immigration should be severely limited and only to those who won’t be a burden on our country. They also need to be a citizen for five years before voting. Right now, there is a drive to sign up new residents to vote. You don’t walk into a country and know the political landscape. Live and learn who and what you’re voting for.
Posted by June at 9:26 AM on October 13
$475.60 per year? That would not pay one translator for a week. The people of the town should demand to see the financial records.
Posted by Frank at 1:05 PM on October 13
We will have official bilingualism soon enough, and it will be a disaster for whites and English-speakers. Fluency in both languages will be mandatory for any government post, and most jobs with major corporations. English testing will be fairly easy or nonexistent, while passing a difficult Spanish exam will be a prerequisite for any decent job. Yikes.
Posted by at 1:08 AM on October 14
“The move dashed Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Lathan Watts’ hopes to promote the use of English, the language that he said is a pillar of American unity and identity.”
His city overrun with illegals, he never had a chance. He doesn’t realize it yet, but he’s already living in Mexico.
Posted by Gary at 3:44 PM on October 14
No we will not have official bilingualism. Let’s get serious. Most Americans have a long, looooooooooong, way to go to even master the English language, including myself. Languages are not Americans strongpoints, and Spanish will not be the exception.
Posted by Bobby at 6:49 PM on October 14
“No we will not have official bilingualism. Let’s get serious. Most Americans have a long, looooooooooong, way to go to even master the English language, including myself. Languages are not Americans strongpoints, and Spanish will not be the exception.”
Don’t be so sure. We already have unofficial bilingualism here in texas, a lot of jobs require both spanish and english. If we continue to get mexicans, then yes I can see spanish becoming official. I’m all for teaching foreign language in schools as part of a well rounded education and I’m all for learning another language as a personal choice but am totally against official bilingualism or expecting people to learn spanish because of immigration. It’s up to immigrants to a country to learn the language and it’s very “ugly” for immigrants to think those in their new country should become bilingual to suit them.
Posted by at 10:59 AM on October 15
Poster 10:59AM on October 15,
I take your point. I should have clarified that whether or not certain traitors make the nation bilingual, which your’e right is a possibility,(since most European Americans are so cowardly,)most Americans won’t cooperate much, judging from their unwillingness to even master English. In any case,as you pointed out,the important point is what will the consequences of the bilingualism be?
Posted by Bobby at 8:00 PM on October 15