Friday, May 19, 2006

Racist bill makes English the "national language"

The Senate passed 63 to 34 a bill that "declare[s] English as the national language of the United States and to promote[s] the patriotic integration of prospective US citizens", The bill, although it doesn't officially change other laws, it could invalidate executive orders and court rulings that promote multi-lingual government services. The real aim of the bill is to throw a bone to the xenophobic racists who want to destroy any outreach to residents and citizens of America that speak other languages and tries to destroy the history of the country as one built by immigrants. The amendment stated that:
Unless specifically stated in applicable law, no person has a right, entitlement, or claim to have the Government of the United States or any of its officials or representatives act, communicate, perform or provide services, or provide materials in any language other than English. If exceptions are made, that does not create a legal entitlement to additional services in that language or any language other than English. If any forms are issued by the Federal Government in a language other than English (or such forms are completed in a language other than English), the English language version of the form is the sole authority for all legal purposes.

The bill is hugely damaging for the U.S.'s appearance of being a welcoming and accepting country of the immigrants that come here. It is another Republican move (aided by some cowardly Democrats) to denigrate the image of America.

The Senators who voted for the bill are:
Alexander (R-TN) (co-sponsor)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Burns (R-MT) (co-sponsor)
Burr (R-NC)
Byrd (D-WV) (co-sponsor)
Carper (D-DE)
Chafee (R-RI)
Chambliss (R-GA) (co-sponsor)
Coburn (R-OK) (co-sponsor)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY) (co-sponsor)
Frist (R-TN) (co-sponsor)
Graham (R-SC) (co-sponsor)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK) (author of amendment)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kyl (R-AZ) (co-sponsor)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lincoln (D-AR)

Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)

Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL) (co-sponsor)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)

Jim Bunning (R-KY) did not vote, but was a co-sponsor

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