Say it again, Will

George Will had a great write up in JWR today about learning English. The summary of his thoughts went like this:

What makes Americans generally welcoming of immigrants, and what makes immigrants generally assimilable, is that this is a creedal nation, one dedicated to certain propositions, not one whose origins and identity are bound up with ethnicity. But if you are to be welcomed to the enjoyment of American liberty, then America has a few expectations of you. One is that you can read the nation's founding documents and laws and can comprehend the political discourse that precedes the casting of ballots.

1. Attorney General Albert Gonzales said, on "This Week", that he is not in favor of prohibiting bilingual ballots.
2. Senate Minority Harry Reid brings up racism when the subject is approached to prune the Voting Rights Act.

If one has to have 'help' in filling out a ballot, cannot understand English to make an intelligent choice, why would they be participating in voting? If they 'love' our country enough to want to come here and work and live, what is wrong with asking them to learn English, so they have a better understanding of our language? This is, after all, mostly an English-speaking nation. But, as of late, it makes you wonder if it's becoming more Mexican than American, as you see all the things that are now being required in spanish.

If we were to go to Mexico or any other nation that has their own language, then we would be expected to learn that language in order to have a life there or work. But, 'only in America' will you find the government bowing down in favor of illegal immigrants' "rights", when, in fact, they don't have any rights, other than to be treated like humans. But, 'only in America' do we give illegals anything they desire, and right now, it's the very things that only American citizens should be afforded. There is no 'right to vote' - it's a privilege, in being a law-abiding citizen of America. So, why the need of a bilingual ballot sheet?

America is truly a 'melting pot'. But, there has to be a common ground for a melting pot to work - thus, learning the English language.

Hence, if someone needs a ballot written in a language other than English, that need proves the person obtained citizenship only because the law was not enforced when he or she sought citizenship. So one reason for ending ballots in languages other than English is that continuing them makes a mockery of the rule of law, including even the prospective McCain-Kennedy law that pro-immigration groups favor.

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