Rep. speaks Spanish at English-only bill hearing



Rep. John Conyers of Michigan has fought discrimination and advocated civil rights since days as a freshman congressman when he championed the 1965 Voting Rights Act.


As the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday took up legislation to establish English as America’s “official” language — and deny translators to those who don’t speak it — Conyers once more raised his voice.


The Detroit Democrat did it in Spanish, politely addressing an impatient Republican subcommittee chairman with the words, “Gracias, Senor Presidente.”


Conyers continued in Spanish through his opening statement. In a translation provided by Univision, he said:


“Today, immigrants from Asia or Latin America are the targets of demonization and discrimination. One day our nation will look back on this period with shame and regret.”


The English-as-official-language bill is sponsored by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, an ultra-conservative and perhaps the loudest anti-immigration voice in the House. He has found support for his cause among freshmen Tea Party Republicans.


King is pushing the issue even though immigrants from Latin America, documented and undocumented, have become a vital source of low-paid labor for the chicken and meat processing plants of the Hawkeye State.


King reacted to Conyers’ Spanish-language statement with a “Tower of Babel” joke. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., made reference to the multi-ethnic constituency of New York Rep. Jerry Nadler, and said:


“I would ask the gentleman (Conyers) in the interests of fairness here . . . Would you repeat that in Yiddish and Vietnamese and French as well. Nothing would make the point better than if we conducted all of our debates in different languages and I suppose that makes the case for this bill better than anything else.”


And, added Franks, “My wife would certainly have understood his statement . . . I don’t.”


The legislation would have real-life consequences. It would repeal a Clinton-era rule that translators be made available to explain federal social services to those having difficulty with or unable to speak English.

Rep. speaks Spanish at English-only bill hearing | Strange Bedfellows — Politics News - seattlepi.com



I wonder if Conyer's wife is still in jail for taking kick backs and bribes. I don't understand why he is still in office since he shared in the ill gotten money.