| In no particular order, here are ten things to consider | | | | $110,000.00 Metro spends per year on the translation |
| if you consider yourself a Nashville Republican and | | | | hotline, over 97% of its usage is by Title VI affected |
| support the English Only amendment to the Metro | | | | programs. That means we are spending up to half a |
| Charter. | | | | million dollars on an election that will save us, at most, |
| 1. The official language of Tennessee, and all of its | | | | $3,100.00 per year. It will take over 100 years to |
| governmental entities, including its political subdivisions, | | | | realize the nominal savings from holding this election. |
| is already English. | | | | 8. Nashville's documented non-native born population |
| 2. The English Only charter amendment is premised | | | | tripled from 1990 to 2000, from 12,662 to 39, 596. It |
| on a fear that Metro government meetings will some | | | | is estimated that it has potentially increased by |
| day be ambushed, and held in a non-English language. | | | | another 5,000 to 6,000 since then. These people will |
| The only person who has ever done this (and who | | | | eventually vote, and are learning English. Immigrants |
| did it while also knowing English), is the amendment's | | | | accounted for 45% of the city's population growth. |
| chief supporter. In short, it is addressing a problem | | | | English Only sends a message of exclusivity that is |
| that neither exists nor is imminent. | | | | unnecessary, and will be politically disastrous for us as |
| 3. The English Only amendment will do nothing to | | | | a party. We should be welcoming new Americans |
| stem illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants already | | | | (and voters). |
| come here, knowing they do not know the language. | | | | 9. It has been admitted by English Only's chief |
| Legislating English "only" will work as well as gun | | | | supporters that it is largely symbolic, and even they |
| control, and is based on the same false belief that | | | | admit they don't know what its actual effects will be. |
| just because you pass a law, it does not mean | | | | This should be concerning. When Republicans |
| people are going to follow it. | | | | advocate excess legislation, we rightly get angry with |
| 4. English Only also affects legal immigrants. Millions of | | | | them. In this way, we ought not be supporting |
| people during the existence of our Republic have | | | | legislation that has no actual, positive effects. |
| legally arrived on our shores knowing only their native | | | | 10. No major city has passed such an amendment. |
| language. Today is no different. Studies today still | | | | Clarksville, Tennessee, the home of Ft. Campbell, has |
| show that the second generation becomes fluently | | | | rejected an English Only bill. However, other, smaller |
| bilingual, and by the third generation, the native | | | | cities have adopted it, such as Inez, Kentucky (pop. |
| tongue is lost altogether. | | | | 466), Landis, North Carolina (pop. 2,996) and Hazleton, |
| 5. Everyone reading this is an immigrant. Many are of | | | | Pennsylvania (pop. 23,329). We as a city must choose |
| German descent. There was a fear in the latter part | | | | what league we want to be in. The contention that |
| of the 19th century in Pennsylvania that the German | | | | this is "cutting edge" is actually the opposite. |
| language would "take over" because 1/3 of the | | | | Well, I have one more, actually... |
| population spoke German. That did not happen, and | | | | 11. The group pledging resources to English First, the |
| the percentage of Spanish speakers in Nashville is | | | | local group promoting the English Only amendment, is |
| significantly less than 1/3. | | | | called ProEnglish. ProEnglish is an offshoot of FAIR |
| 6. The English Only amendment is too broad to | | | | (the Federation for American Immigration Reform). |
| affect just illegal immigration. The amendment could | | | | Both groups were founded by John Tanton. Tanton |
| have been tailored to deny government services to | | | | was on the population control committee for the |
| those who cannot show proper documentation of | | | | Sierra Club in the early 1970s, and is opposed to all |
| their residency. This would have been effective, | | | | immigration. His group, FAIR, of which ProEnglish is a |
| non-duplicative, and would have garnered my support. | | | | part, has been connected to various sundry groups |
| What we have instead is the equivalent of using a | | | | (an Anti-Defamation League report on FAIR can be |
| bulldozer to perform brain surgery. | | | | found here). FAIR has knowingly accepted money |
| 7. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Executive | | | | from the Pioneer Fund, described by the editorial |
| Order 13166 requires that any local government | | | | board of The Wall Street Journal as a |
| department that receives federal money must | | | | "white-supremacist outfit devoted to racial purity |
| provide its services in multiple languages. Of the | | | | through eugenics. |