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English Only should fully disclose its finances
When it comes to the battle over whether Metro government should make English its “first” and official language, the players pushing and opposing this referendum should put all of their cards on the table.
That means a full and timely disclosure as required by law of where each effort has found its financial resources to wage their respective campaigns.
The folks opposing what has come to be called the English Only measure up for special election this month have pledged they will file the full campaign finance disclosure required by law. The deadline for filing is today.
However, the team of politicians and political operatives pushing the passage of the English Only referendum would not answer the question when asked if they intend to file in time for the public to know who has backed their political actions with cash. We know firsthand as our reporting staff put the question to the English Only team this week and could not get an answer.
In addition, we found Metro employees in the Election Commission office who said an organizer with the English Only effort has supposedly called their offices asking about the potential penalties for not filing a disclosure on time.
Whether it is a campaign waged by candidates or a nuanced, complicated public referendum like this one, how campaigns are financed is something the public has a right to know. The voters also have a right to have that information in a timely manner as it could impact their level of trust or opinion of either a candidate or an advocacy group with a cause like English Only.
During the course of this campaign there have been allegations that national pro-English and anti-immigration forces aiding the English Only effort are tied to hate groups based on a charge levied by the Southern Poverty Law Center in Alabama. If these groups have substantially funded the media campaigns for English Only, the public that is paying for this referendum has a right to know.
Campaign finance abuses have been the root of so many problems in modern politics, from Washington, D.C. scandals down to the lowliest board of mayor and aldermen. The English Only group has argued that their cause is just and fair. If that is the case, then they should follow the existing laws on the books before they try to make new laws at the polls. A failure to disclose their finances suggests English Only has something to hide from Nashville’s voters.
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This article focuses on persons proposing the English Only initiative as being people we wouldn't care for. Why not say the same thing about the detractors? In fact, if we are concerned with disclosure of contributors, it is plain that the detractors are the people with the financial gain in mind -- coddle a voting bloc by forcing citizens to finance lingual services, and use that bloc as a cheap labor source, displacing current citizens. It should be obvious that most contributors to this cause just don't want to pay for these services, lose their jobs, or have their salaries depressed by a waterfall of competition.
But are they willing to have their names publicly listed on the group's website. The people supporting Nashville for All of Us have gladly added their names to the list that anyone can see at any time.www.nashvilleforallofus.org
The 'detractors' include Vanderbilt University, healthcare companies and large corporations as well as others concerned with the image and success of Nashville. In that I guess they do 'have financial gain in mind'.The SPLC is not some fringe group barking in the wind but an important, long established group with an impressive track record. If they think something smells bad, they are probably right. If Crapton is purposely hiding the participation of hate groups in the financing of his nonsense proposal and it can be proven, he should be removed from office. Wasting the taxpayer's money to stroke his ego is one thing, flaunting the law to get his own way is another. And if the Republican Party is listening, they might want to look for someone else as their point man in Nashville if they ever want to be taken seriously here.
I hope that the politicians on the anti-resolution side were held responsible for duplicating their public comments into all the necessary languages.
I would imagine any person or organization supporting English or immigration reform is instantly added to the SPLC list of hate groups and supporters of hate groups. They get a nickel for every person they list. Wonder if that list is in English only?
JeffF,A new day is dawning. Deal with it.
Let the sun shine in. The vote will finally open the curtains. The people will finally get the help they need in the light of day instead of being held hostage by the prejudice of low expectations.
JeffF -- How are people finally going to get help in the light of day? I must have missed that part of the text in the amendment.Please provide one example of how English Only will encourage people to learn English.This amendment has nothing to do with the prejudice of low expectations, but nice try to fake the noble route. People will still be able to receive every service they need in any language they need. English Only changes nothing. If you can tell me how it does otherwise, I would love to be enlightened.
Jeff is the typical Nashville bigot. Unfortunately, they are becoming the norm.
Keeping the immigrant poor under the heel of their former language is bigoted. It is just cloaked in compassion.Thankfully this country was built by the immigrants who themselves were helped by the need to learn English. Free the poor non-English speakers from the harsh prisons the Compassionate have built for them!
Putting people on-point and responsible for the quick acquisition of a needed skill (learning English in an English speaking country for example)is the basis for my belief. What is the basis of your belief in allowing these people to stay ignorant?
Immigrants DO learn English. And, they should! I asked how English Only does anything to encourage learning of English. Do you have an answer? How will holding Metro Council meetings in English make immigrants need a "quick acquisition of a needed skill"? Do you really think immigrants can't get by in this city without knowing what is said at a Metro Council meeting? Again, every relevant service (health, police, education, safety, etc) will still be offered in any language needed. It's required by federal law. And, the English Only amendment itself states that it will in no way conflict with existing state and federal law.
I imagine immigrants who learn English and expectantly tune in a Metro Council meeting will be surprised to find they speak better English than the sponsor of 'English Only!'Nice try, Jeff. "Showing prejudice against you will deliver you from oppression!".
I am still trying to figure out how providing services in the non-native language will help people learn in English. Sure isn't freeing them from bondage yet. When things are going badly, do something different, don't defend the status quo.
The special election is a waste of taxpayer's money and should have been a part of the November ballot. I personally am not influenced by Karl Dean, Phil Bredesen, or any of the other top dogs who are campaigning for the against vote. Phil Bredesen hasn't mentioned stopping work on "his bunker