I was at my neighborhood coffee house this morning and the guy at the adjacent table was grumbling to a mutual friend:
I've been voting at the same precinct for 40 years. My voter's pamphlet came in the mail the other day and it was the Chinese version. Can you believe it?I can believe it. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at October 24, 2005 10:56 AM | Email This
I really see no reason for us to have to accomodate non-English speakers in our elections. Lots of my ancestors didn't speak English when they came to this country, and nobody accomodated them!
Posted by: Libertarian on October 24, 2005 11:29 AMWhen are our legislators going to declare English as our official language?
Posted by: susu on October 24, 2005 11:29 AMSo why then is it neccessary to mail out chinese language pamphlets to voters who are able to speak english? (yes, that is a sarcastic, rhetorical question)
Posted by: Mike H on October 24, 2005 11:36 AMa period of continuous residence and physical presence in the United States;
residence in a particular USCIS District prior to filing;
an ability to read, write, and speak English;
a knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government;
good moral character;
attachment to the principles of the U.S. Constitution; and,
favorable disposition toward the United States.
If it is a requirement to "read, write, and speak English" to become a naturalized citizen, the only logical reason to offer US residents voting materials in a foreign language is to encourage illegal voting. I challenge anyone to provide another reasonable explanation for non-English voting material. This should be illegal.
Is that art work from the Chinese language version of the voters pamphlet?
If so it is a great example of "revolutionary" art.
Posted by: JCM on October 24, 2005 12:06 PMVoters pamphlets should not be printed in foreign languages at taxpayer expense. There are many ethnic groups and organizations that could have these translated, and sell them to cover the cost, if necessary.
Posted by: dl on October 24, 2005 12:13 PMAnd, if you are over 75 or 80, you can become the english and history process waived. This was done to help the elderly, etc. Fine by me. But for overall government issues, use English. When in Rome...etc. If people go to live in another country (let's say Mexico ), nothing will be in English, Spanish is it.
Could it be to enlarge a certain voter base ? I'm for support of immigrants (legal that is) and for providing help where necessary, but there should be a limit. I learned English and so did my children. While we don't forget our background, the US is my home now and I'm proud of it...and we speak the language of our home. Posted by: FG on October 24, 2005 01:00 PM
Welcome to America. What you observed of others shows this is just part of a bigger problem. I can understand waiving the requirements for grandma if she's immigrating with the rest of the family, but it's appalling that folks can go through the process with translators as aids. Don't you have to be a resident alien for a number of years before you can apply for citizenship? Did they not learn english in that time? If not, why not? Why aren't they being encouraged to learn the native tongue of their new home if they plan on applying for citizenship? They won't have translators as citizens when they go to the bank or supermarket... how do they expect to function and [gasp] intigrate into this society? (I know, wanting folks to intigrate into American society is so culturally insensitive)
Posted by: Mike H on October 24, 2005 01:20 PMThe question of functioning. Yes, exactly. If you live in your own cultural community and everyone speaks your language (spanish, chinese, russian, swaheli, etc.. ) you will be fine from a day to day operation..but what chances do you have ? Moving to a better job ? College ? etc...
none...
But my believe is that this is what many proponents of this want. For one, it keeps electorates controlable, and for the other it keeps them beholden to you. I want nothing of this...it's a free country, but we have to make sure it stays free. Oppression can happen by force (as we've seen so many times in other countries ) but also by ignorance.
Posted by: FG on October 24, 2005 01:34 PM
Testing to see if voters can speak and read English? It's another d@mn@d poll tax all over again, and that disenfranchises those unfortunates who don't read too good yet! They have a right to vote however we, the party that LUVS them, tell them, since they can't really read enough to make up their own minds yet!
Oops...I guess I just gave the game away. Sorry about that. Posted by: pseudotsuga on October 24, 2005 03:21 PM
Perhaps it is time for Tim Eyeman to circulate an initiative petition on this subject.
Posted by: bwana on October 24, 2005 04:35 PMI'd be curious to know how much extra money for DOT projects the State of Washington might have if it did not spend money translating publications into foreign languages?
Posted by: Kevin on October 24, 2005 05:58 PMOf course then DOT can say it needs to add multi-lingual signage to correspond with the drivers exams. Posted by: Roscoe on October 24, 2005 06:55 PM
Posted by: FG on October 24, 2005 10:39 PM
why bother with English and assimilation anymore? tail wags dog; our country's original culture gets diluted and soon disappears; we become a Pangea of babble standing for nothing; how sad... Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on October 24, 2005 11:33 PM
Thank God I have Sound Politics to report "the real truth" and defend my God-given right to Judeo-Christian ballots!!!! In fact, I demand all ballots be printed using the King James edition. That way, we can ensure all those Chinese people won't pull the famous Sharkansky/Vance "double vote."
To take it one step further, I think everything on SP should be based on some kind of silly snapshot analysis. If an Asian person cuts me off on the road, I say "ban all Asian people from driving!"
Keep it up, clowns. It's a lot of fun to watch your seemingly endless train wreck!
Posted by: AmazedByRithtWingHate on October 25, 2005 12:15 AMYou completely missed the point. Pull you head out of whatever orifice it's in and pay attention. It's not that folks don't want Chinese to vote, it that folks don't want Chinese (or any one else for that matter) who aren't US citizens to vote. If you are a US citizen, you ought to be able to speak the native tongue. If I moved to Holland and become a citizen, I ought to be expected to know Dutch. All printing a Chinese voters pamphlet does is enable non-citizens to vote... which I believe is a felony in this state.
Kevin -
Is it a bit contradictory when a previous post arguing for English proficiency failed to capitalize the e in English and misspelled proficiency?
No, just evidence I went to an art school.
Actually, I wasn't sure if English as a language was capitalized or not, (as opposed to the nationality), plus I've always just been a lousy speller.
And yes, I do find humor in my gramatical errors given the subject matter (I'm sure I misspelled gramatical as well)
Posted by: Mike H on October 25, 2005 12:41 AMSince the leftists like you confuse feeling good to what is legal Ohhh! It feels so good to let everyone vote. Never mind the law or trivial issues like that, after all laws are by dead white guys and designed to disenfranchise the poor, minorities, non-citizens.
It is a very simple logical progression if you can follow:
Competency in the English language is required to become a citizen.
Citizenship is required to vote.
Therefore proficiency in English is required to vote.
Ergo it is unnecessary to print anything regarding voting in any language other than English.
It wastes money.
It implies English is not necessary to vote.
It implies that citizenship is not necessary to vote.
It therefore encourages voter fraud.
In fact, I demand all ballots be printed using the King James edition.
Awesome! What a concept!
Cast thy ballots, and re-use thy name. Or if thou wilt not, render thine ballot unto me and I'll no longer be a Capulet.
Posted by: huckleberry on October 25, 2005 10:45 AM
Besides, as the NYT does, you can just forget about what happened in the past, because you can just make up your own history and call it so. The same for our elections.....Gregoire won in a landslide because the republicans are evil and stopped people from voting...Sims is the best for KC because his past doesn't matter, just his vision of tomorrow.
Posted by: Dengle on October 25, 2005 11:44 AMDo any other countries make the accomodation to foreigners we do?
Posted by: Walter E. Wallis on October 25, 2005 12:18 PM
James
aka Guns and Butter
aka The Asianist
This English only idea's time has come. Government spends big bucks on translaters for people wanting state services. They get forms in a variety of languages. It would be interesting to know how many millions of $$ are spent by State Govt. alone on this PC boondoggle.
Perhaps it is time for Tim Eyeman to circulate an initiative petition on this subject.
Posted by bwana at October 24, 2005 04:35 PM
now--reverse the players; you go to Mexico or E. Europe; try to get free benefits while not working; try for a free English interpreter; we are the only stupid government catering to any whim of any non-citizen; and we wonder why we look like Rome in its decline?! i fear it's too late... Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on October 28, 2005 10:12 PM