'Pro-English' Group Targets Patrick Anderson

Republican Senator Patrick Anderson of Enid's opposition to English-only legislation is being targeted in a radio commercial that began airing on Enid stations over the weekend.

He's among those who disagree with Rep. Randy Terrill's "official English" plan.

Sapulpa Republican Senator Brian Bingman was targeted in a full-page newspaper ad in Sunday's edition of the Sapulpa Herald.

The State Chamber of Oklahoma has distributed a memo opposing Terrill's resolution, claiming it will deter trade, commerce and tourism.

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Driver's Test Only In English Under House Measures

Lawmakers on House committees voted today to require that driver’s license tests be provided only in English and to also make English the official language of Oklahoma government.

“As our common American language, English and the ‘melting pot’ process it supports has made the United States the most successful multi-ethnic nation in history,” said Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore. “Unfortunately, the recent drive to linguistically Balkanize our nation makes it harder for legal immigrants to assimilate while also creating potential hazards for other Oklahomans."

House Bill 2252, by Terrill, eliminates the current requirement for the Department of Public Safety to provide driver’s license tests in Spanish.

Terrill noted the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s regulations require drivers engaged in interstate commerce to “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries and to make entries on reports and records.”

Action now moves to the House floor.

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Lawmakers Try Again On English Language

Lawmakers will again seek to make English the official language of Oklahoma government this year.

Reps. Randy Terrill, George Faught, Mike Christian and Senator Anthony Sykes today said they are filing legislation to send a proposed constitutional amendment to Oklahoma voters that would make English the state’s official language.

“As our common American language, English and the ‘melting pot’ process it supports has made the United States the most successful multi-ethnic nation in history,” said Terrill, R-Moore. “However, that success has been threatened by politically correct multilingualism that divides America into separate communities with little in common except geographic location. Our legislation will promote cohesion and end the divisiveness.”

“Our government should encourage legal immigrants to assimilate so they can access the American dream, but current law actually discourages that process,” said Faught, R-Muskogee. “Impeding efforts to help people become fluent in English condemns them to a low-income life in the shadows of our society. We need to help legal immigrants join American society, not ostracize them.”

“Making English the official language of state government is not only the humane thing to do, it’s also cost-effective,” said Sykes, R-Moore. “Right now, Oklahoma taxpayers can be forced to pay for government materials to be printed in up to 300 different languages or even pay for individual translators in every language. We are already seeing large sums spent on Spanish-language driver’s manuals no one uses while facing a shortage of English manuals. It’s time to eliminate that waste and be efficient with taxpayer funds.”

“This is a common-sense idea that’s time has come,” said Christian, R-Oklahoma City. “There is no compelling reason for the state to waste money printing documents or manuals in languages seldom or never used in Oklahoma.”

More than 30 states have already approved official English laws and so have more than 50 nations around the globe.

Under the provisions of the legislation, which will be very similar to last year’s Senate Bill 163, private individuals and businesses will still be allowed to use whatever language they choose. Only government activities would be affected.

The bill will also contain exemptions for the languages of Oklahoma’s 39 federally recognized Native American tribes and allows the use of both Braille and sign language in government services. The legislation also contains a number of other specific, narrowly tailored exceptions for things like public health and safety, as well as trade, commerce and tourism.

The bill’s authors cited three main reasons to make English the official language of Oklahoma government.

First, the bill will prevent the state from being compelled to provide taxpayer-subsidized services in any language other than English. Terrill noted that issue has become more urgent thanks to a federal government investigation of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety over allegations the agency violated the civil rights of two Iranian immigrants who were not provided written driver’s license exams in Farsi, the chief language of Iran.

Second, making English the official language avoids all of the cost, burden and conflict associated with bilingualism and multilingualism.

Most importantly, the lawmakers said making English the official language of state government would promote assimilation for all immigrants.

If approved by voters, the official English law would have three main impacts. First, there would no longer be any bilingual or multilingual driver’s license tests. Second, when citizens call a state agency, they will no longer be greeted by a “press 1 for English” prompt. Finally, there will no longer be any official state forms or signage in any language but English, unless covered by one of the specifically enumerated exceptions previously noted.

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Tribes Officially Oppose English-only Bill

From www.tulsaworld.com ~ A joint council of Cherokee tribes today spurned English-only legislation that is moving through the Oklahoma legislature.

The Cherokee Nation and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians passed a resolution opposing the would-be law during a meeting at the Cherokee Nation Casino and Resort in Catoosa.

"(T)he Official English policy brands Oklahoma as intolerant, closed-minded, hard-hearted, mean-spirited and oppressive to minority groups..." the resolution stated.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith, who was barred from speaking during state committee meetings regarding the legislation, blasted the proposed law during the standing-room only meeting Wednesday.

Read this entire story at www.tulsaworld.com.

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Terrill Readies English-only Amendment

Rep. Randy Terrill of Moore said Tuesday he will propose an amendment making English the official language of Oklahoma.

He said he will offer the "official English" requirements in an amendment he plans to file to a Senate bill. It could be heard in a House committee as early as next week.

Terrill says the plan would require that all official state government business be conducted in English and would prevent the state from having to deliver taxpayer services in a language other than English.

The proposal would create a new constitutional amendment and would have to be approved by voters in a statewide referendum.

The measure provides exceptions for American Indian tribal languages. English-only legislation died last year after it was opposed by tribal officials.

Terrill's proposal comes shortly after U. S. Senator Jim Inhofe introduced new federal legislation to make English the national language of the United States. Answering continued calls for Congress to unite the country under the common language of English, Inhofe introduced S. 2715, the National Language Act of 2008, on March 6.

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