George Rebane
Only lightly camouflaged conspiracy theories come to mind when I hear the latest reports of the government abetting efforts to again minimize the role of English as the prime unifying force in this wonderful polyglot that has always been America. The disunity and political strife in multilingual countries has been the norm over centuries of human conflict. The latest effort to cultivate this disease at home comes from the Obama justice department as reported by the U.S. English Foundation -
The state of Alabama, which passed an Official English law in 1990, is now being investigated by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) for failing to provide court interpreters in civil cases for people who cannot speak English, regardless of their legal status.
In an effort to force multilingual policies on states wherever they see fit, officials at the DOJ are suddenly enforcing Title VI of the Voting Rights Act of 1964 and claiming Title VI should apply to limited English proficient speakers in America – and if they succeed in Alabama, at least 40 other states could be forced to comply as well.
Title VI of the Voting Rights Act of 1964 provides that no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin, however, the umbrella of national origin is increasingly being extended to cover limited English proficient people in America. As a result, Title VI is now being inappropriately interpreted and applied to force states to provide documents and services in languages other than English.
And all this is becoming an issue with the DOJ a mere 46 years after Title VI was enacted. And the timing of attempting to hamstring the states with this enormous increase in all litigation costs is occurring when the states are looking at over one trillion dollars in unfunded liabilities that are coming due. The mullahs in Teheran could not come up with a more sinister plot to poison our already fragmented body politic in a time of economic crisis. And we are to believe that this is being done by our own federal government at a time when it itself is in a state of historical disarray.
I interpret this DOJ action as of a piece with what has been coming out of Washington for the past year. Our first post-American president is clearly busy planning for the post-American world. The Progressive movement has been at it already for the past century. It shivers me timbers to think of what will be left of the America so many of us remember and still love when the post-American era comes to pass. For the sake of my children, I don’t want to hasten that day.
(The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria. Amazon describes the book –
"This is not a book about the decline of America, but rather about the rise of everyone else." So begins Fareed Zakaria's important new work on the era we are now entering. Following on the success of his best-selling The Future of Freedom, Zakaria describes with equal prescience a world in which the United States will no longer dominate the global economy, orchestrate geopolitics, or overwhelm cultures. He sees the "rise of the rest"—the growth of countries like China, India, Brazil, Russia, and many others—as the great story of our time, and one that will reshape the world. The tallest buildings, biggest dams, largest-selling movies, and most advanced cell phones are all being built outside the United States. This economic growth is producing political confidence, national pride, and potentially international problems. How should the United States understand and thrive in this rapidly changing international climate? What does it mean to live in a truly global era? Zakaria answers these questions with his customary lucidity, insight, and imagination.")
" The latest effort to cultivate this disease"
George, let's say you're traveling in the EU. You are arrested a case of mistaken identity.
You go to court, no one is speaking a language you can understand. Who you going to call, Ghostbusters? The American Embassy?
" The mullahs in Teheran could not come up with a more sinister plot to poison our already fragmented body politic in a time of economic crisis."
Wait I thought the right always compared Obama to Hitler Maoist and Stalin?
" Our first post-American president is clearly busy planning for the post-American world."
I would certainly hope so. As opposed to just sitting on his rear end complaining about how having a translator in court is one of the many causes of the downfall of America in the next century.
Zakaria, he is one smart guy.
Zakaria wrote in Feb. 2008 that "Conservatism grew powerful in the 1970s and 1980s because it proposed solutions appropriate to the problems of the age", while- in contrast- "a new world requires new thinking".[10] He supported Barack Obama early during the primary campaign and then for president over John McCain. In January 2009 Forbes referred to Zakaria as one of the 25 most influential liberals in the American media.
I ordered his book, you can read it when I am done.
Posted by: Tony | 23 February 2010 at 07:53 AM
Then I can donate it to the library.
Posted by: Tony | 23 February 2010 at 07:54 AM
Tom - you intentionally skip the point made about multi-lingual countries' many social problems. Interesting how some want to discard that which made America great and implement historically failed ideas. Maybe you really want America to fail. Your ideas for its success have already been tried. American republican style democracy is an on-going exception to the historical tyranny of government. Progressives seem very uncomfortable with exceptionalism. Sad. I believe most Americans are increasingly ready for the post-Obama America to begin this November.
Posted by: Bob Hobert | 23 February 2010 at 08:20 AM
"multi-lingual countries' many social problems"
"some want to discard that which made America great and implement historically failed ideas"
"Maybe you really want America to fail."
"Your ideas for its success have already been tried. "
"Progressives seem very uncomfortable with exceptionalism."
And guys named "Bob" seem to make wide-sweeping assertions, assumptions and generalizations without actually saying anything of substance. Apparently, they don't love America. LOL
Posted by: Nuff said | 23 February 2010 at 09:08 AM
Bob signs his name.
Posted by: Bob Hobert | 23 February 2010 at 11:01 AM
Zakaria, he is one smart guy.
He supported Barack Obama early during the primary campaign and then for president over John McCain.
maybe not so much - just say'in
Posted by: Dixon Cruickshank | 23 February 2010 at 12:34 PM
Tony, we all know that legal tourists in Alabama being tried on mistaken identity is not what is being litigated. This country is flooded with illegal aliens that bleed our country financially dry with costs incurred in the various public supported institutions. As far as a new world needing "new" thinking. Ha! Human nature has not changed one iota in ten thousand years. Rational thought is still the way to go. If you think China and India are so wonderful, I would ask why they still have large segments of their population starving? And the mullahs are quite a bit like Hitler and Stalin. What is the problem with comparing them? Denial of basic human rights. Lack of open and diverse thought. No freedom of the press. Sound familiar? If you think that all countries are the same, I would submit to you that when America is no longer a dominant world power, we will slip into a dark age the likes of which have never been seen.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 23 February 2010 at 09:02 PM
I would submit to you that when America is no longer a dominant world power,we will still be a force in commerce and arms to be reckoned with at some peril.
To ignore that possible future is to abandon your children to it. Better to think about it and prepare than to quail at the thought and cling to One superpower mindset.
" flooded with illegal aliens"
They would not be here if W. wasn't so soft on immigration. The housing builders of the last 10 years and the Centeral Valley farmers demanded it.
"maybe not so much - just say'in"
Hey, he backed the winner. You backed the loser. Just laughin'
Posted by: Tony | 24 February 2010 at 02:42 AM
I would submit to you that when America is no longer a dominant world power,we will still be a force in commerce and arms to be reckoned with at some peril.
To ignore that possible future is to abandon your children to it. Better to think about it and prepare than to quail at the thought and cling to One superpower mindset.
" flooded with illegal aliens"
They would not be here if W. wasn't so soft on immigration. The housing builders of the last 10 years and the Centeral Valley farmers demanded it.
"maybe not so much - just say'in"
Hey, he backed the winner. You backed the loser. Just laughin'
Posted by: Tony | 24 February 2010 at 02:42 AM
Tony as it turns out we're all the losers - not laughing
Posted by: Dixon Cruickshank | 24 February 2010 at 09:10 AM
Agreed: "Tony as it turns out we're all the losers - not laughing"
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
Posted by: MIkey McD | 24 February 2010 at 09:42 AM
Ah - it's all Bush's fault again. He controls everything even before he was pres and now even Barry can't get away from his evil power. Power abhors a vacuum. I would rather my children live in a world where the US is the dominant power. If not the US, then another will step forward. Probably China. What sweeties they are. You'll have a job, just don't try to post on a blog like this, or you're in a labor camp. OK with you? Just askin'.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 24 February 2010 at 08:17 PM