Atonement
May 2nd, 2010, 12:07 PM
Tim James, an Alabama businessman who espouses “Common Sense for Alabama” as his ostensible campaign slogan, is finding common sense in his plans to make English the only language for driver’s license tests. James is running for the Republican nomination for Governor in the state of Alabama. The forty-eight-year-old son of two-term Alabama governor Fob James, Jr., claims someone recently made him aware of the multiple-language driver’s license exam. “The absurdity of it hit me between the eyes,” James confessed, adding that “It’s political correctness gone amuck.”
He believes that “What’s happening in Washington and Arizona has only amplified the people’s awareness of the issue and their wariness of government to make the right decisions.” For James, the “right” decision is to eliminate drivers license exams languages other than English, which is what he promises to do if elected governor. The exam is currently available in the following thirteen languages: Korean, German, Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Greek, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese and English. The English-only move would essentially prevent immigrants from driving until they learn English. Some, however, may then decide to drive in the interim without a license.
James recently released a campaign ad that outlines his position. In the ad, James boldly states the following:
“I’m Tim James. Why do our politicians make us give drivers license exams in twelve languages? This is Alabama, we speak English. If you want to live here, learn it. We’re only giving that test in English if I’m governor. Maybe it’s the businessman in me, but we’ll save money, and it makes sense. Does it to you?”
James says that “offering driver’s tests in 12 other foreign languages may be politically correct, but it’s not in the public’s interest to license people to drive when they can’t read traffic signs.” At first glance, the argument may seem sound. People should be able to read traffic signs. However, after speaking to a Department of Motor Vehicles office in Alabama, I was informed that any traffic signs that appear on the driver’s license exam are not translated into other languages; thus, if the test is taken in one of the other languages offered, the signs will still appear in English.
Indeed, since “this is Alabama,” perhaps residents should learn Muskogean or one of the other languages of the Native Americans in the state. They were here first. It seems that some have lost sight of the fact that America is an amalgamation of cultures, dialects and religions. What about that one statement scrolled on a tablet in the Atlantic? “Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” Did the poet forget to include “only if you speak English?”
B9ohsvJHkbY
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Personally, I think this is bogus. To hold people's driving ability if they don't speak English to the extent of legal verification format that is normal for the Department of Transportation. Now, should we encourage immigrants to learn English, I definately believe so. Though, I disagree with punishing people for not speaking it. We don't have programs set up to help immigrants learn. We have some, but enough to teach English to the masses? No. This, to me, is completely inappropriate. Nearly every single American is of some kind of immigrant descent. Some of us may have been English speaking when we came, but most were not. Did they learn English? First generation? Not too many did. To expect people to learn English is okay, but to punish them for not is discrimination.
He believes that “What’s happening in Washington and Arizona has only amplified the people’s awareness of the issue and their wariness of government to make the right decisions.” For James, the “right” decision is to eliminate drivers license exams languages other than English, which is what he promises to do if elected governor. The exam is currently available in the following thirteen languages: Korean, German, Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Greek, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese and English. The English-only move would essentially prevent immigrants from driving until they learn English. Some, however, may then decide to drive in the interim without a license.
James recently released a campaign ad that outlines his position. In the ad, James boldly states the following:
“I’m Tim James. Why do our politicians make us give drivers license exams in twelve languages? This is Alabama, we speak English. If you want to live here, learn it. We’re only giving that test in English if I’m governor. Maybe it’s the businessman in me, but we’ll save money, and it makes sense. Does it to you?”
James says that “offering driver’s tests in 12 other foreign languages may be politically correct, but it’s not in the public’s interest to license people to drive when they can’t read traffic signs.” At first glance, the argument may seem sound. People should be able to read traffic signs. However, after speaking to a Department of Motor Vehicles office in Alabama, I was informed that any traffic signs that appear on the driver’s license exam are not translated into other languages; thus, if the test is taken in one of the other languages offered, the signs will still appear in English.
Indeed, since “this is Alabama,” perhaps residents should learn Muskogean or one of the other languages of the Native Americans in the state. They were here first. It seems that some have lost sight of the fact that America is an amalgamation of cultures, dialects and religions. What about that one statement scrolled on a tablet in the Atlantic? “Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” Did the poet forget to include “only if you speak English?”
B9ohsvJHkbY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally, I think this is bogus. To hold people's driving ability if they don't speak English to the extent of legal verification format that is normal for the Department of Transportation. Now, should we encourage immigrants to learn English, I definately believe so. Though, I disagree with punishing people for not speaking it. We don't have programs set up to help immigrants learn. We have some, but enough to teach English to the masses? No. This, to me, is completely inappropriate. Nearly every single American is of some kind of immigrant descent. Some of us may have been English speaking when we came, but most were not. Did they learn English? First generation? Not too many did. To expect people to learn English is okay, but to punish them for not is discrimination.