February 2, 2018 Radio Commentary

English as Official Language

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, February 2, 2018 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

After several attempts to pass a law declaring English Georgia’s official language, it finally passed in the 1996 session.  Issues those days were pretty much the same as they are today, so I’ll quote the very wise Democrat Senator Steve Langford, who co-authored that 1996 bill and, during the debate, explained in three short sentences why English should be declared our official language.

His first point was: “If society is to thrive and communicate at an ‘optimum level,’ we must speak a common language.”  Then, he said, “Society is recognizing so many cultures that few common interests remain.”  I think he must’ve paused a few seconds, sighed, shrugged his shoulders and ended with this: “Language is the easiest interest to keep in common.”

That was 1996, but, evidently, he was aware that, already, many immigrants were avoiding America’s “melting pot” to create their own culture here.  Today, 22 years later, the United States is suffering from English-resistance and massive fragmentation under full-blown multiculturalism.

Legalizing English as our declared state language was a good start in 1996, and it’s past time to do the same in the State Constitution.  So, two bills have been introduced in the Senate to do just that.  S.R. 587 and S.R. 613 do not infringe on anyone’s right to communicate in another language, but it does require English to be used in official state actions that bind or commit Georgia or appear to present official state views. That’s already Georgia law, but it needs to be declared in the State Constitution. Continue reading

April 1, 2016 Radio Commentary

Official Language & National Popular Vote

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, April 1, 2016 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

An important bill that died this session was Senator McKoon’s S.R. 675 to designate English in the State Constitution as Georgia’s official language. Legally, it became the state official language in 1996 when Governor Zell Miller signed S.B. 519, but legislators have failed to put it in the Constitution.

The intent of S.B. 519 was to save the state money, but getting it passed 20 years ago was not easy. In 1996, Georgia’s tax booklet was being printed in five or more languages and fiscal conservatives wanted that to stop. English-only bills had been introduced four times as a cost-cutting way to operate government.

But consider the situation in Georgia today, when many government documents are printed in multiple languages. A prime example is the drivers’ license test, which is printed in eleven languages. That means, multiple interpreters must be employed to translate the test from English into those languages, then read and evaluate the completed tests.

If S.R. 675 had passed, English would have been used for local and state laws, ordinances, decrees, programs and policies, including drivers’ license tests, but local governments would have been authorized to use other languages in nine specific circumstances. Had S.R. 675 passed, voters could have decided the question in November. Continue reading