Bush opposes English as national language: Gonzales (AG says Bush supports 'English-Plus' concept)

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 5/19/06 | Dan Whitcomb

[NormsRevenge]

HOUSTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush has long opposed making English the country's national language, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said on Friday, the day after the Senate voted to do so.

The vote came in an amendment to proposed legislation overhauling U.S. immigration law and directed the government to "preserve and enhance" the role of English. Opponents said it could affect the status of some multilingual services offered by government organizations.

Adding to the confusion, the Senate also adopted a softer amendment calling English the "unifying language" of the United States. Senators take both versions into negotiations over a final bill with the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gonzales did not directly address Bush's position on the controversial amendment because the Senate has not yet voted on the whole bill. But he said that Bush has in the past rejected such efforts.

"The president has never supported making English the national language," Gonzales said after meeting with state and local officials in Texas to discuss cooperation on enforcement of immigration laws.

He said Bush has instead long supported a concept called "English-Plus," believing that it was good to be proficient in more than one language.

"English represents freedom in our country and anybody who wants to be successful in our country has a much better chance of doing so if they speak English," Gonzales said. "It is of course a common language."

But, Gonzales said, "I don't see the need to have laws or legislation that says English is the national language."

While visiting Arizona on Thursday to press his plan to send up to 6,000 National Guard troops to the Mexican border spoke of the need to unite Americans.

"We've got to honor the great American tradition of the melting pot," Bush said. "Americans are bound together by shared ideals and appreciation of our history, of respect for our flag and ability to speak the English language."

Intervening in a recent furor over a Spanish-language version of the national anthem released by Latin pop stars, Bush said that the "Star-Spangled Banner" should be sung in English.

The United States currently has no official language and the amendment was showing signs of further inflaming an already incendiary issue, with Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada calling it "racist."

[pissant]

Don't be an idiot.

[Crawdad]

That thread was stared Wednesday night. Dang, catch up.

[Luke21]

"Grown in office" countdown. CBS already has their polls saying everybody think "el jefe" is right on immigration.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

LOLOL!!!

I'd say you've got everything covered. ;)

[Junior_G]

English-only says to me that if Hispanic happens to be your heritage, you’re not part of the process.”

That's an unfortunate stance that the President takes...English-only really means that we want all Americans to be integrated as Americans; and not kept seperate by a refusal to learn the language.

[TomGuy]

Bush is becoming more of the problem than the solution.

[ImpBill]

Why should I? I knew one of the "fan base" would. Thanks, I can't wait for the wisdom to roll off the keyboard. That arrival will send the thread into mega bandwidth. /;-)

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

I just appreciate a lucid, rational exchange on Free Republic. /s

[Smartass]

Good grief SeaBiscuit, 22 poll points, what's next.
In a few weeks, there won't be very many left standing.

 

[Siena Dreaming]

Sen. Inhofe made it clear on the Sebate floor yesterday that this was not an attempt to make English the official language of the US.

Uh, oh...watch it, you're going to have all of FR up in arms against that RINO Inhofe. LOL.

Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense to me.

[NormsRevenge]

effectively it was grandstanding.
---
There is a whole lot of that going on these days..

Rome's burning and the Senate fiddles on..

[luvbach1]

And making an official language will stop the swarming?

Didn't say that. But we should do all we can to preserve our vital national language in the face of the aforesaid swarm. And making it the official language of our nation is one important way.

[LK44-40]

Did you happen to catch any of Rush today? He spoke very harshly about the leadership that we have today. It was not kind.

I tuned in just to check Bush's temperature of the Rushometer.

I must have hit it just right because I only listened to a few minutes but there was a brief -- only a minute or two -- set of remarks that were, as you said, "harsh." It was not full of bluster and humor. He just said that W. and Republican RINOs were Republicans but not conservatives. That is why conservatives are mad at them. They are not governing as convervatives.

It was very simple...very straight-forward.

[pissant]

I have no problem with people making fun of others. Just do it to their face.

[TomGuy]

The reason Bush is so unpopular is that he's governing from the left south --- south of the border, that is.

[ImpBill]

ROFLMAO

[taxed2death]

This is so stupid.
English as official language would save tax payers money. It would compel people from other lands to learn English in order to function well in MOST of the states. It might provide a degree of continuity and help others "assimilate" if in fact that is what they wish to do.

The thought of voluntarily moving to another country and NOT learning the prevailing language is just so moronic.

[pissant]

I'd have said the same thing to him

[Sir Gawain]

You mean this quote?

http://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/George_W__Bush_Civil_Rights.htm

English-plus, not English-only Bush firmly rejected “English-only,” which has caused problems among Hispanics. “I support English-plus, not English-only,” said Bush. “English-only says to me that if Hispanic happens to be your heritage, you’re not part of the process.” Source: Mike Glover, Associated Press Aug 6, 1999

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

NO. Wait a minute. People in GWB's cabinet are not allowed to misspeak. And any attempt to clarify is just a cover up by an administration intent on driving down its poll numbers. /s

Good grief!