The state of Alabama currently offers its driver’s license exam in 14 languages. Sounds progressive, great, and really inclusive, right? Well, now in the heat of this political cycle with impending elections, Senator Beason from Alabama has suggested that the exam now be restricted to English. This proposal would make Alabama one of only 6 states which offer the language only in English. I think this is a terrible idea. There’s really no reason whatsoever for this proposal.
Beason claims that his proposal is based upon safety concerns. He suggests that if people don’t know English then they won’t be able to read road signs, which would cause all sorts of problems. However, he fails to realize that nearly all road signs are universal and so English is hardly a prerequisite for understanding them. The question of safety isn’t really what’s at the heart of this issue. The Anniston Star is exactly right: “It’s obvious that this proposal is not about forcing those who speak German or Japanese to take driver’s license exams in English; it’s a one-language, one-sided issue directed at Spanish-speaking legal immigrants caught up in this election’s unfair litmus test of patriotism.” This is just another politician’s misguided attempt to address the hot-button topic of immigration, particularly illegal immigration. Beason is simply trying to make normalcy even more difficult for immigrants so as to benefit himself politically, by attacking the polarizing issue of illegal immigration.
There are two ways to address the issue of immigration: Either a) we militantly object to immigrants and try to make their lives as hard as possible or b) we accept immigrants and help them assimilate. This proposal would do the former. A driver’s license is tremendously important for assimilation as a form of identification and just driving is key to many lines of work. So by restricting access to driver’s licenses to English speakers, the state of Alabama would be restricting many jobs and opportunities to English speakers.
And this proposal wouldn’t just harm immigrants. It would hurt the state of Alabama as well. Alabama has recently been building a reputation of recruiting international industries. They therefore depend upon businessmen who often have a native tongue other than English. So, by introducing measures like this one which would alienate people with native tongues other than English, Alabama is basically shooting itself in its foot.
On a side note, Beason’s proposal wouldn’t even hinder illegal immigrants as he wants. Undocumented immigrants already can’t get driver’s licenses. So, it really doesn’t have any practical purpose whatsoever. I think it’s pretty ridiculous.
http://www.annistonstar.com/opinion/2007/as-editorials-1205-0-7l04s4608.htm
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071205/OPINION01/712050316/1006
http://www.clantonadvertiser.com/articles/2007/12/05/opinion/for_the_record/3-editorial.txt
http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=7451095&nav=0hBE
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/119676015549670.xml&coll=2&thispage=2
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1 comment:
Interesting post that has agreed sentiments on other blogs. One question I have posed to others is, what happens if a non-English speaker is pulled over by a cop? Are the cops supposed to speak all 14 languages? How does the driver communicate there is an emergency if they don't speak English? Also, do you think instead of paying for the creation of these test in multiple languages they should instead provide classes for those speakers to learn English?
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