Thread: LA RAZA BLASTS PASSAGE OF INHOFE ENGISH-ONLY AMENDMENT

http://www.athensecolatino.com/othernews.html
THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA BLASTS PASSAGE OF INHOFE ENGLISH-ONLY AMENDMENT
Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., today blasted passage of an “English-only” amendment offered by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) which would deny a wide array of information and services to millions of U.S. citizens who are not fully English proficient.
“We were deeply disappointed that the Senate approved this mean-spirited, completely unnecessary legislation,” stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “Supporters of the Inhofe Amendment claim that it will help people learn English and will unite our nation. The fact is, more than 90% of Americans already speak English. This amendment is so poorly conceived that it would cause serious harm to millions of Americans while not helping a single person to learn English.”
The Inhofe Amendment could weaken the government’s ability to provide information and services to immigrants and U.S. citizens alike. The amendment could make it more difficult for agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to respond to a pandemic flu, another hurricane disaster like Katrina, or a terrorist attack. The amendment could make it more difficult for schools to provide language services to children under the No Child Left Behind Act. The amendment could also place patients and health care workers at risk due to unnecessary miscommunication.
“The Senate should be focusing on enacting legislation that solves our broken immigration system,” continued Murguía. “Instead, the Senate has approved legislation that has nothing to do with immigration or with helping immigrants learn English.”
Murguía concluded, “The Inhofe Amendment jeopardizes the broad support this legislation has earned, especially in the Latino community. We call on the Senate to reconsider this ill-advised proposal and keep the immigration debate focused on responsible, effective immigration reform rather than on ill-advised policies that harm Americans.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00242.html
But immigrants-rights groups say their support is teetering. "This is devastating," said Raul Gonzalez, legislative director of the National Council of La Raza, after the English-language vote. "For us, this is a tough issue to bring back to the community."


I hope this will mean EVERYTHING will be in English, signs, ballots, that stupid press one for Spanish, etc.

Senators Go Own Ways On English Bill

http://news.tbo.com/news/nationworld/MGB8023GFNE.html

By KEITH EPSTEIN kepstein@tampatrib.com

Published: May 20, 2006

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WASHINGTON - On the politically thorny, emotionally divisive question of whether to make English the "national language," Florida's U.S. senators have taken strikingly different approaches.

One stepped right into the fray, alienating some longtime friends.

The other left town.

Bill Nelson, aggravating immigration and Hispanic rights groups, parting ways with all but nine of his Democratic Party colleagues - and perhaps playing politics - voted twice Thursday to make English the official, "common and unifying" U.S. tongue.

Dan McLaughlin, a spokesman for Nelson, who is defending his seat in a re-election campaign, said campaign considerations - such as appealing to more conservative voters - had nothing to do with it.

"He voted his conscience," McLaughlin said.

Meanwhile, bilingual, Cuban-born Mel Martinez - a conservative Republican and key crafter of compromise immigration reform - left Washington, missing the pair of votes on his party's amendments to his legislation.

"The senator had a longstanding family commitment," the weekend wedding of his son, John, said Martinez spokesman Ken Lundberg.

Martinez, whose term does not expire until January 2011, flew back to Florida midafternoon on Thursday.

Lundberg said his boss would have voted in favor of both amendments.

Professional political specialists offered other theories.

"I'm sure he felt cross-pressured," said University of Central Florida political science Professor Aubrey Jewett. "He has tremendous support in the Hispanic community, but he's also voted consistently as a conservative. On this, how do you please both?"

University of Virginia political science Professor Larry Sabato described the language amendment as a "no-win, heads-you-lose, tails-you-lose vote for Martinez." He added that "it's not unusual for senators to find schedule conflicts on roll-call votes in this circumstance."

Nelson Disappoints Activists
The developments distressed some activists who are usually more well-disposed to both senators.

But it was the vote of Nelson - ordinarily regarded as an ally to Latino and immigrant issues - that came as the biggest and most disturbing surprise to some activists.

"It shows me he doesn't really have his finger on the pulse of the Hispanic community - or if he does, he doesn't care," said Gabriela Lemus, director of policy and legislation for the League of United Latin American Citizens, which convenes a state conference in Tampa today.

Nelson's vote, along with a few others in the run-up to re-election, suggests an occasional turn toward the center.

Since 2005, he has voted with Republicans on the confirmation of a controversial attorney general, bankruptcy regulations, the Terri Schiavo case, Amtrak funding and, on May 11, $70 billion in tax cuts.

Such positions may appeal to more conservative voters capable of tilting the election toward Katherine Harris, who has accused him of being "more liberal than people realize."

Among political observers, Nelson's vote proved particularly noteworthy for what it suggested about his election strategy.

"He clearly feels totally secure with Democrats," said the University of Virginia's Sabato, and "must be going after more conservative, Panhandle voters who would strongly favor 'English-only.'"

"Baloney," responded Nelson spokesman McLaughlin. "Nelson voted the way he believes. This is our language."

The two language amendments, advanced by Republican Senate leaders as a largely symbolic gesture potentially beneficial to them in midterm elections, ignited fierce passions from the moment it arose Thursday night.

Nelson's fellow Democrat, Minority Leader Harry M. Reid of Nevada, termed the national language designation "racist."

Effect Of Measures
The measures, if adopted by the House and signed by President Bush, would remove from people any entitlement to government communications or services in languages other than English, except for specific "existing rights" required by law.

Despite his absence, Martinez has made no secret of his view on the importance of English.

"I hope people respect the fact that I might speak in Spanish, but I don't intend that that should be the language of this country," he said.

Alayne Unterberger, director of the Florida Institute for Community Studies, which offers Hispanic teenagers in Tampa an educational safe haven from drugs, said actions of both senators disturbed her, not only because of the distortion of the immigration debate but because of larger, overlooked issues such as war, energy costs, and government spending. "I'm embarrassed for my country," she said.

This amendment is so poorly conceived that it would cause serious harm to millions of Americans while not helping a single person to learn English.”

AGAIN.....there are tons of churches and libraries and schools offering FREE adult classes!!!!! There isn't a place I've lived that the community hasn't bent over backwards to get them to learn ENGLISH!!!

I posted this yesterday under the heading "Email La Raza: English as Official Language," I also included email links to write to La Raza about their views.

Originally Posted by swtncgram

http://www.athensecolatino.com/othernews.html
THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF LA RAZA BLASTS PASSAGE OF INHOFE ENGLISH-ONLY AMENDMENT
Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., today blasted passage of an “English-only” amendment offered by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) which would deny a wide array of information and services to millions of U.S. citizens who are not fully English proficient.
“We were deeply disappointed that the Senate approved this mean-spirited, completely unnecessary legislation,” stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “Supporters of the Inhofe Amendment claim that it will help people learn English and will unite our nation. The fact is, more than 90% of Americans already speak English. This amendment is so poorly conceived that it would cause serious harm to millions of Americans while not helping a single person to learn English.”
The Inhofe Amendment could weaken the government’s ability to provide information and services to immigrants and U.S. citizens alike. The amendment could make it more difficult for agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to respond to a pandemic flu, another hurricane disaster like Katrina, or a terrorist attack. The amendment could make it more difficult for schools to provide language services to children under the No Child Left Behind Act. The amendment could also place patients and health care workers at risk due to unnecessary miscommunication.
“The Senate should be focusing on enacting legislation that solves our broken immigration system,” continued Murguía. “Instead, the Senate has approved legislation that has nothing to do with immigration or with helping immigrants learn English.”
Murguía concluded, “The Inhofe Amendment jeopardizes the broad support this legislation has earned, especially in the Latino community. We call on the Senate to reconsider this ill-advised proposal and keep the immigration debate focused on responsible, effective immigration reform rather than on ill-advised policies that harm Americans.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 00242.html
But immigrants-rights groups say their support is teetering. "This is devastating," said Raul Gonzalez, legislative director of the National Council of La Raza, after the English-language vote. "For us, this is a tough issue to bring back to the community."


I hope this will mean EVERYTHING will be in English, signs, ballots, that stupid press one for Spanish, etc.

sorry bark somehow I missed it....

Hey--I know of a whole country just south of our border whose official language in SPANISH!!! If any La Raza hacks need any directions, feel free to e-mail me.

:P

Hey--I know of a whole country just south of our border whose official language in SPANISH!!! If any La Raza hacks need any directions, feel free to e-mail me.

:P

Some people have a way with words...

Rem: LaRaza is a COMMUNIST FRONT organization.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Re ... sp?ID=1880
http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/3763/1/172
And the next President of the United States
grovels and panders to La Raza!
as described here:
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005 ... 1712.shtml
and here:
http://www.nationalvanguard.org/story.php?id=6890
and here:
http://www.nationalvanguard.org/story.php?id=5535

NCLR = National Council of [Communist] La Raza

There are my 2 esteemed senators again. If Nelson things voting yes for English is going to save him he is sadly mistaken and Martinez thinks he can wimp out and vote neither way so he does not look bad. Well too late you looked bad way before this.

I can't believe some of the senators voted no? Am I misinformed?

If they must live in a country where Spanish is the spoken and
written word I say return to Mexico ASAP.