Thread: Nashville - English As Official Language On Council Agenda

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=5712234

English As Official Language On Council Agenda

Nov 21, 2006 10:07 PM CST


NASHVILLE- A controversial bill declaring English the first-recognized language in Metro government moved forward during a second vote at Tuesday night's Metro Council meeting, despite some objections.

The vote was 21 to 10 in favor of Councilman Eric Crafton's bill that would require most government communications, publications and telephone answering systems to be in English.

One bill would declare English as Metro's official language. If approved for a third time, it would require all government communications, publications and telephone answering systems to be in English except in instances involving public health, safety or welfare as well as federal law.

Two other bills addressed hiring and renting to illegal immigrants. If approved, landlords and business owners would be penalized for renting or hiring undocumented workers.

Metro Council bills must be approved three times to become law.

http://www.fairviewobserver.com/apps/pb ... 321/MTCN06

Wednesday, 11/22/06

English bill step away from being Metro law
Council proposal called unfriendly to immigrants

By MICHAEL CASS
Staff Writer


A controversial proposal to make English the official language of Nashville passed the Metro Council without a vote to spare Tuesday. It needs council approval again next month to become law.

The council approved the measure by a 21-10 vote, with five members abstaining and four not voting. Twenty-one votes is the minimum number needed for passage on the 40-member council, and opponents said they would be lobbying aggressively to change some minds.




"We're disappointed it passed tonight, but there's plenty of opportunity, plenty of work for us to do," said Jose Gonzalez, executive director of Conexion Americas, a nonprofit agency that helps Hispanic people assimilate.

But some council members who supported the bill said their constituents were overwhelmingly in favor of it.

"It's really common sense,'' said Councilman Michael Craddock of Madison. "This country's immigration and naturalization laws say you have to be able to construct sentences in English to become a citizen."

The bill would make English the official language of Metro and require all government communications, publications and telephone answering systems to be in English, except in cases involving federal law or "public health, safety or welfare."

The "English-first" legislation started as a proposal to make English the only language of Metro, but city attorneys said courts could find that unconstitutional. The newer version, though less restrictive and mostly symbolic, still has drawn the condemnation of many people and organizations.

They say it would punish law-abiding residents, send the wrong message about Nashville, hurt tourism and economic development, and drive away people who would like to immigrate here legally.

"It's bad for business," Councilman Adam Dread said after the vote.

Some critics also said Craddock's argument about citizenship requirements missed the point.

"Do they not realize there are millions of lawful permanent residents who are in that process" of obtaining citizenship, said Stephen Fotopulos, policy director of the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition.

"If you're in that process, that's when you're learning English, and during that time you're interacting with the government."

But supporters of the idea said making English the city's official language would encourage residents who don't speak it to learn it. Councilman Eric Crafton, the sponsor, said ignorance of the language puts people at a severe disadvantage.

"We have to take responsibility for our own actions," Crafton said during the meeting. "Let's allow them the dignity to take responsibility for their actions."

Shizue Nomura, a Japanese woman who has lived in Nashville for six years, said she worries that other Japanese wouldn't find the city as appealing.

"The Japanese community is very dependent on something stable," Nomura, an operating room nurse at Southern Hills Medical Center, said outside the council chamber. "If they know they have places to go and get help, it's so much more attractive."

Nomura was among more than 100 people — Japanese, Colombians, Kurds, Somalis and more — who turned out to protest three immigration-related bills. The other two bills would punish landlords and employers for renting to or hiring illegal immigrants.

The council deferred both of those proposals indefinitely. Councilman Jim Gotto, the sponsor, said he wants to see the outcome of a lawsuit involving a similar law in Hazleton, Pa.

Gotto said he was not bowing to pressure from opponents. •