Oklahoma: No compelling reason for official language

[Harold Schiffman]

There's no compelling reason for official language

A plan by an Oklahoma legislator to make English the official language
of the state is not a good idea.

Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, says he plans to seeks a constitutional
amendment that would ask voters to decide the issue.

In our opinion, his plan is not needed. It won't strengthen House Bill
1804, Terrill's anti-immigration legislation that was enacted last
year. Rather, his new plan only will serve to divide.

If his plan makes it through the Legislature and is approved by
voters, it would prevent the state from having to deliver taxpayer
services in a language other than English and avoid the cost of
providing services in multiple languages by using translators and
publishing state documents in various languages.

There is the problem with his bill. There is no law in Oklahoma now
that requires municipalities or state agencies to provide documents or
services in languages other than English. These groups can, if they
choose to, provide bilingual services and documents, but there is
nothing to require them to do so.

Making English the state's official language is not new concept. In
2002, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled an initiative petition to make
English the official state language was unconstitutional and infringed
on the right of free speech, the freedom to petition the government
for redress and upon the policy-making function of the Legislature.

And, in 2006, the city of Altus reached a settlement with Hispanic
municipal workers who challenged the city's English-only policy. The
workers had filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission that said the city did not show there was a need to prevent
them from speaking Spanish and the policy singled out a nationality.

There is no compelling reason for Terrill's legislation. We'd like to
see the plan dropped and for lawmakers to get on to other things, such
as working out the budgets for education and the rest of state
government.

http://www.enidnews.com/opinion/local_story_085000507.html

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