THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid called a proposal to make English the official language “racist” on the Senate floor yesterday.
“This amendment is racist. I think it’s directed basically to people who speak Spanish,” the Democrat said during the already tense debate over immigration reform.
Moments later, the Senate approved the measure on a 63-34 vote. Virtually all Republicans were joined by 11 Democrats to approve the largely symbolic amendment. Immediately following that vote, the Senate approved a second amendment, declaring on a 58-39 vote that English is the “common and unifying language.”
Such proposals enjoy overwhelming support among American voters.
A poll by Zogby International earlier this year found that 84 percent of Americans say English should be the official language of government operations. The same poll found that 77 percent of Hispanics agree.
And it’s a bipartisan issue, according to the poll, which found that 92 percent of Republicans and 82 percent of Democrats approve making English the country’s official language.
Mr. Reid’s charge of racism caused a stir of whispers in the Senate chamber and gallery, and Sen. James M. Inhofe, the Oklahoma Republican who offered the amendment, was clearly offended.
As Mr. Reid continued his floor speech, an aide passed him a note on a folded sheet of yellow legal paper. After reading the note, the Nevada Democrat tried to clarify his remarks.
“Even though I feel this amendment is unfair, I don’t in any way suggest that Jim Inhofe is a racist,” Mr. Reid said. “I don’t believe that at all. I just believe that this amendment has, to some people, that connotation — not that he’s a racist, but that the amendment is.”
It’s certainly not the first time that Mr. Reid has used stark language in the debate over immigration.
“Our federal wallet is stretched to the limit by illegal aliens getting welfare, food stamps, medical care and other benefits without paying taxes,” he said in 1993. “These programs were not meant to entice freeloaders and scam artists from around the world.”
Earlier this year, Mr. Reid confessed on the Senate floor that his anti-immigrant fervor “mostly lasted about a week or two” before his wife brought him around to the more open position he holds today.
But nearly a year after his “freeloaders” statement, Mr. Reid was on the Senate floor criticizing immigrants again and worrying about their cultural impact.
“We must reduce the annual admissions of legal immigrants to more moderate levels in order to provide for a better country — both environmentally and socially — in the years to come,” Mr. Reid said, according to a June 16, 1994, report by States News Service.
When Mr. Inhofe took to the floor yesterday, he didn’t address Mr. Reid over his charge of racism but did defend his proposal.
“I think it’s an insult to Hispanics to say that we are not going to have English as the national language because you’re not capable of operating and speaking and succeeding in a country like this,” he said.
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Wild Thing’s comment……
Gee, imagine that. Wanting to make English the official language of an English speaking nation. What are these guys thinking? By default, dungy Harry is calling English speaking people racist. Almost every country on the earth except us has an official language. It is not racist to have an official language. Is China racist to impose Mandarin Chinese as its official language, Franch has French as their official language as well.
It’s the language our Constitution was written in. Oh and it’s the language the Atomic Bomb was invented in too.
If Harry Reid gets his way we will have:
Press #1 for English
Press #2 for Spanish
Press #3 for Farsi
When I was a kid, growing up in America, we’d visit my grandmother who lived in the Bronx.
One day, during a visit, while the adults were talking, I found a set of notebooks.
Inside were pages and pages of writing in a shakey scrawl.
These were my granny’s notebooks, my mom explained. When My grandmother and grandfather had immigrated to America, my grandfather took citizenship courses which would lead to his (and his family’s) being awarded U.S. citizenship.
My granny, however, did not want to become a citizen as an add-on. So she had signed up for the courses also… and these notebooks were from her English courses. When I asked her why, she told me “I wanted to be a REAL American.”
Sigh
Are those days gone forever?
Dry Bones
Israel’s Political Comic Strip Since 1973
Vaakov, good to see you. It is sad, so sad and makes me angry, but I do think those days are gone forever. I hope it turns around, I pray it does.
I loved your story about your Grandmother and her notebooks and what she said. How very dear and what a wonderful person.
My grandparents on my mother’s side emigrated from Italy (Sicily), my grandmother working as an interpreter for other immigrants. My grandparents had 6 children and none of them were taught Italian. My grandfather refused to teach or allow them to speak Italian. My mom said grandpa would say “you’re in America and you will speak American”. To the Italian immigrants, speaking English was speaking American. When he and grandma argued, they would do it in Italian so nobody else knew what they were saying.
Here is the link to Rush’s website where he talks about Dingy Harry and his remarks in the Senate. I listened to the sound bites and to listen to Read is actually sickening; his voice is very effeminate.
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_051906/content/anchorman_2.guest.html
Also, here is the link to the Drudge Report which has Reads 1993 Immigrating Bill which he tried to get passed. Like Rush says, this is the bill which should be in the Senate now. Read sure did a 180 on his stance on immigration.
http://www.drudgereport.com/flash1hr.htm
Reid is not the crux of the problem but he is a result of it. These folks in the Senate don’t live in our world and very few, if any…and not just Reid and his minions…give a “Rats Happy Keester” about our concerns or our lives.
If they were to end illegal immigration, “who will pick the cotton”?
Sorry, wrong century. That question was being asked by plantation owners prior to freeing of the slaves. The correct term nowadays is, “who will pick do the jobs nobody else wants”. I should add “for wages nobody else will accept”.
Reid, like most lefty Donks, has the Big House Master mentality. A condescending soft bigotry which consists of the lowest expectations and pandering sentimentality toward minority groups. Just say it, Harry, you slithering scumbag. Tell them you expect nothing from them because they’re incapable of it in the first place.
Lefties don’t even rationalize this anymore, because it provides the cheapest of moral thrills. Every religion has injunctions against this kind of thing except the religion of leftism.
English is both the language of business and diplomacy today (no longer French). The opportunity to participate in an English-speaking culture is a blessing. Slags like Reid will never understand that.
It will never happen, but I continue on with my harping for term limits. When these elitists grow old in government, they become so far removed from reality, they make day care kids seem worldly
O’course, maybe that is what the DC in Washington DC stands for – day care
BobF,
My father-in-law issued the same screed about who will do this or that, our economy can’t take it, etc.
I blew holes through it and explained some basic economic facts, but he didn’t want to hear it. It’s real simple – we don’t buy products where illegal aliens produce the product. We don’t don’t provide jobs for them, benefits, anything. Nada, zip, nuthin’. When the handouts end, so will illegal border crossings.
Bob I loved reading about your grandmother. How precious they have been to us, our grandparents,and so special to America too. Thank you Bob.
Thank you for the links. I agree with you about Reid’s voice too.
“The opportunity to participate in an English-speaking culture is a blessing.”
It sure is Rhod.
Sierrahome I would hate to be them and be like that.
Tom that would help I hope they do that.