Beware the Language Vigilantes

The Supreme Court decision to hear an appeal that seeks to make English the sole language for “all government functions and actions” revives an absurd debate. This is an Arizona case of little importance, but symbolically it reflects a disturbing trend toward xenophobia in the states of the Southwest.

The issue arose in November 1988 when Arizona’s voters approved a measure stating that all business in public schools and government offices had to be conducted in English. Maria Kelley Yniquez immediately challenged the law in court. Kelley, then a state employee, was proficient in two languages. She spoke in English with those who needed information in English, and Spanish with Spanish-speaking people who had business with the government. In those cases, obviously, it made sense to speak Spanish.

Kelley won her suit, and the federal judge who heard the case invalidated the measure. When the Arizona governor refused to appeal the ruling, a group called Arizonans for Official English filed an appeal instead--and lost. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court ruled the law failed in the face of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech. The English-only group finally appealed to the Supreme Court.

Beyond the decision by the Supreme Court, whatever that may be, the case raises some common-sense questions like why would anyone want to punish instead of reward someone who can serve the public in two languages? Why would any public servant, or private citizen for that matter, refuse to do business with someone who speaks another language? Who are these language vigilantes who designate themselves public defenders of limitations?

America was not built, nor can it advance, on insecurities like this.