Washington County town draws attention for “English only” law
The New York Times is profiling the town of Jackson in Washington County, where local officials have designated the community as an “English-only” area for all official business.
Writer Peter Applebome calls the community “New York’s small version of Arizona in the immigration wars.”
“For too long, the federal government has shirked its duty by not passing English as the official language of the United States,” said [Roger] Meyer, 76, a Town Council member and retiree who runs Chains Unlimited, a sawmill and chain saw and logging supply company. “So seeing as this law couldn’t be passed from the top down, I felt I’d start a grass-roots movement to try to get it passed from the bottom up.”
The law designates English as the town’s official written and spoken language, “to be used in all official meetings and business conducted by the elected officials and their appointees.”
Good for them! There’s no logical or legal reason not to adopt English as the official language.
I can’t wait for the US to pass an English-only law. With all the towns with Spanish names or Native American-language origin names or with German (-burg), Dutch (-kill) or French (-ville) suffixes, we’re going to have to rename 80 percent of the place names in the country. Warrensburg (German) in the Adirondacks (Mohawk)… we hardly knew ye!
This would be great.
The only reason English Only is not a law, is the fact that the Progressive Dems want the un educated to follow them as saviors. They claim they aere the ones who created , Pres 1 for English, spanish interpetations of English on department store signs, etc.
An English speaking semi educated person can plainly see what these progressive Dems are doing to our country. A non-speaking english person hasnt got a chance. They are like sheep expecting America to take care of them. Educate these people fast!!
I guess we will have to find a new name for the Adirondacks. I wonder if Doug Hoffman will jump on this band wagon. It’s the perfect issue to make his constituents even more fearful.
Oh yes, maybe we also ought to include a law making it illegal to have a name that doesn’t “sound” english.
Half the time, the right is claiming Democrats are dependent on Ivy Leaguers and other “elitists.” The other half the time, they’re claiming Democrats are dependent on the “un educated” [sic].
Then again, they also say half the time that climate change doesn’t exist and, the other half the time, that climate change is natural or not a big deal.
I don’t care what absurd argument people make, just pick one and stick with it.
Don’t tell me Mr. Meyer wouldn’t pay a French Canadian logger or chainsaw wizard under the table if the guy would do an honest day’s work. Even if he couldn’t speak English. Or is the Town of Jackson only picking on Spanish speakers?
Wow, and I get accused of creating “Strawmen”? Give me a break. Comon guys, you are all smart enough to understand adopting a language as the Official Language doesn’t mean undoing place names or sir names or anything like that. Those are just silly arguments.
Forgot to add- there are already Federal Laws in place that mandate certain people be able to read and communicate effectively in English.
This isn’t about the English language. It’s about an old, small town, white guy who is afraid of brown people. We all know that.
The dumbest thing about this law is that it is impossible to argue a legal case in court without using Latin and since they appoint the town attorney they are in violation of their own law.
Odd, I don’t fear brown, black. yellow, red, blue, green or gay people. I’m also not old, yet, IMO. But I see no reason tp not adopt Americas traditional and historic language as the official language in these small towns. Why burden small out of the way towns with bi or tri lingual requirements? And when you come down to it, it’s a political move. If this is wrong, then so were all those towns “boycotting” Arizona, passing decisions against the Bush administration or anything else like that. It’s political speech. It’s their choice. If the Village of Canton or Saranac Lake wants to adopt multilingualism as their official choice, so be it. That’s no more right or wrong than this move.
And here I was thinking you were all liberal thinkers. For shame….
Bret the idea that english is “Americas traditional and historic language” is completely false. In Albany many people spoke Dutch well into the 20th century, the Pennsylvania Dutch spoke (and still speak) German, in the Adirondacks many spoke French, in the southwest people were speaking Spanish long before the Pilgrims ever landed, in Alaska there are still communities of people who speak Russian and that is all to ignore the languages of the native peoples. English is merely the lingua franca of the US.
PNElba, its ridiculous to think we would have to change names of streets or towns. It all comes down to money. Its cheaper to provide instructions (to whatever) in one language than it is to provide it in several. I don’t think its too much to ask that we communicate in the same language. The more we celebrate our differences the less we celebrate our similarities. Are we all Americans?
Bret, the guy that pushed this law is 76. That is old. It’s odd that your ego allows you to think that all comments are directed at you. And where is it mandated that other languages be used in small towns in the USA? More unsupported fearmongering. I guess that’s what wins elections though.
Turd, I’m fairly sure that 99% of instruction in this country is in English, maybe some Spanish for those just learning English.
BTW, the language of science, worldwide, is English. I don’t the language is going to die in the near future, whether scared old, white guys think it is or not.
Bret, it’s unfortunate you take yourself so seriously that you can’t recognize something that was quite obviously (to everyone else) tongue-in-cheek.
Knucklehead- What is the predominate language in the US? Dutch? Russian? Navajo?
TS- Well said.
PNElba- I offered a comment and that others are creating strawmen as I get accused of doing. That’s not ego. That’s a comparison of standards of proof for the comments made.
Where is it mandated that English be used in small towns (and elsewhere) in the USA? In the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Truck drivers are required to be able to communicate effectively in English. I would bet there are other venues in which it’s required also. I believe the Federal Aviation Administration requires English be used also.
Just as in most international science conferences, I believe English is the de facto language used in commercial aviation worldwide. No matter, I still believe the issue is not about the english language.
Your probably right, as I said I also believe it’s political. Is it wrong for a Town to make such a move? Was it wrong for all those Towns that passed resolutions against President Bush? I believe several of them were in Vt. IIRC. Those were strictly political moves. Is it right or wrong for a Town, Village, City or State board or legislature to make such a political statement?
I don’t think so, even in cases where I disagree with what they do, like the cities protesting the State of Arizona over their immigration reform. They have that right, do they not?
Bret I wish you would read what I say before you ask questions that have already been answered. When I said that English is the lingua franca that is an acknowledgement of the importance of English in our society.
I understand what you said and that was that my statement was “completely wrong”. I disagree. Perhaps we should say “American English” which includes the many phrases and terms gathered from other languages. But that would really be accurate since much of the English language is made up of French and German words and of course Gaelic and Celtic words that have been Anglicized?