Thread: ENGLISH ONLY IN NEVADA?

Nevada An English Only State?
Feb 4, 2007 08:02 PM PST
Last year there was much controversy surrounding an English only ordinance in Pahrump. That ordinance has since been repealed.
Now, state lawmakers could consider a similar proposal in the upcoming legislature making English the official language of the Silver State. In Nevada, bilingual business is booming, especially for restaurant and shop owners like Gilbert Gonzalez and his Dos Amigos store. And with long lines at lunch, it's profitable to welcome customers who speak Spanish. Gonzales said, "Some Mexican people that come in here aren't as fortunate as I was to learn the language at a young age."
After emigrating to the U.S. from Mexico when he was eight, Gonzalez became a police officer, owned a construction business and now runs Dos Amigos. But he needed help to learn the language, and he says the government made the transition easier. But that may change.
"We're one of the few countries that doesn't have an official language, although we really do. And I think it's about time we put into law," Gonzales continued.
State Senator Bob Beers is proposing a law to make English the official language of Nevada.
"You would eliminate some of the costs of providing government services in multiple languages," said Sen. Beers, (R) Clark County.
Some of these costs include Spanish sections of Web sites. Those areas act as outreach for immigrants. And if passed, Gonzalez thinks the bill could have serious consequences to the immigrant community at his store and across the entire state.
"Because if they don't get treated decent or right, they're going to go somewhere else," he said.
Beers, though, deflects critics saying an overwhelming majority of the country speaks English and the bill shouldn't been seen as an attack on immigrants.
"You know now that we're into the next century, generally the only time I hear people yell out "racist" is when they're racist," Beers stated.
But back at Dos Amigos, it doesn't matter where you come from or what language you speak, as long as your money is green. And maybe that principle is what makes all Nevadans American.
Gilbert Gonzalez, Dos Amigos owner, said, "What makes this the greatest country in the world is everyone pulling together."
The 74th session of the Nevada Legislature gets underway Monday, Feb. 5.
Email your comments to Legislative Reporter Jonathan Humbert.
Channel 8 Eyewitness News has a crew in Carson City and will have live reports every day throughout the session

http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp ... =menu102_2

I say when is Mexico do as the Mexicans do, but when you are in American, do as the Americans do. Speak English.

All other immigrant groups that came before LEGALLY THAT IS, did'nt think it was racist to speak, read and write in ENGLISH.

If you have a problem with speaking English, maybe you should leave and go to a spanish speaking country!

Because if they don't get treated decent or right, they're going to go somewhere else

SOUTH TO MEXICO WOULD BE GOOD!! :P

And if passed, Gonzalez thinks the bill could have serious consequences to the immigrant community at his store and across the entire state

Wonderful news...bring the consequences on!!!

We all know that these businesses are catering to the illegal Spanish speakers. Supposedly legal hispanics for the most part know how to speak English. No state or our federal government should be catering to illegals, above all. Our country's language is English and I say to all immigrants, SINK OR SWIM!

Why? Why? WHY do they cater ONLY to the illegal Spanish speakers?? What do they have that we don't? What do they have that other legal immigrants don't? No wonder they do so poorly in school. If they learned English in the first place before coming here, they wouldn't have so much trouble catching up. This is just another incentive for Mexicans to keep seperated. If we do English only, they'll claim it's because they've been discriminated against. Hey, we're not discriminating if you already know this is an English speaking country in the first place @#$!!!!! THEY put themselves in that situation, not us!