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Gov. Vilsack Deserves Commendation, Not Controversy, for Official English Bill

Criticism of potential veep pick unwarranted

“Pundits suggesting that Governor Vilsack should be dropped from vice-presidential consideration need to return to their crystal balls and smoke-filled rooms,” said U.S. English Chairman Mauro E. Mujica. “With the signing of the official English law and the inclusion of additional funding for English instruction programs, Gov. Vilsack deserves commendation for helping newcomers and natives stand together in our United States. More than 80 percent of Iowans stood behind his actions and eight months later elected him to another term. He should be congratulated for his pro-unity, pro-America standpoint, not kicked to the curb.”

Vilsack is not alone in receiving wide support before and after supporting common language legislation. In Georgia, Gov. Zell Miller signed the state’s official English law in 1996 and was later selected to fill an open Senate seat from the Peach State. In Missouri, Gov. Mel Carnahan signed the state’s official English law in 1998 and posthumously won a Senate seat in 2000. Perhaps the greatest example of the non-curse of common language law came from Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, who presided over that state’s bill in 1987. Clinton was re-elected Governor in 1988 and 1990, earned the Presidency with 62 percent of the Hispanic vote in 1992 and then cruised to re-election by a larger margin in 1996.

Polls indicate that these numbers should come as no surprise. According to a 2004 Zogby poll, 82 percent of Americans favor making English the official language of the United States, including majorities of immigrants, Hispanics and Asians.

“There is no question that support for common language legislation is unpopular in some circles,” explained Mujica, who immigrated to the United States from Chile in 1965. “All legislation is. But the strongest opponents of common language efforts are usually self-appointed leaders of immigrant groups. In poll after poll, Latino immigrants have supported the proposition that English should be the official language of this country. If Senator Kerry wants to appeal to a few narrow, special interests groups, the concern about language might be proper. But if he wants to appeal to Hispanics, immigrants and other voters who are still weighing their vote, past support for Official English efforts will, on balance, help.”

“Immigrants understand that for them and their children to succeed, they need to learn English,” Mujica continued. “But without a common language policy like the one promoted by Governor Vilsack, there will be no concentrated effort to help them achieve that goal. Instead, our politicians appear content to sit on their hands and hope that the problem will go away.”

Legislation to make English the official language of the United States is currently pending in House committee after garnering more than 100 co-sponsors, including 16 members of Congress who each represent more than 30,000 limited English proficient constituents.

U.S. English, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest non-partisan citizens' action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States. Founded in 1983 by the late Sen. S.I. Hayakawa of California, U.S. English, Inc. (www.usenglish.org) now has more than 1.8 million members.