exportlaw@bellsouth.net States:

Posted on 2/7/2007 4:44 pm

As someone who has been involved in international business for 30 years, the notion that foreign investors or businesses will perceive Nashville as a bad place to do business because of the ordinance is just absurd. Most countries require government business be conducted in their official language. The EU Machinery Directive even requires machinery sold in the EU be accompanied by labels and operating instructions and manuals in the local language. Legitimate businesses anticipate the need for speakers of the local language and either select employees or provide translators accordingly. The ordinance simply relieves Metro of any duty to provide translations unless required by necessity, due process or federal law. As someone who uses translation services frequently, good translators who can accurate translate significant nuances, particularly in technical literature such as operating instructions are both rare and expensive. Faulty translations can be dangerous, and liability for bad translations resulting in harm would lie with Metro's taxpayers. Let those who need translations bear the cost and risk, rather than the taxpayers. Providing translation services where not required by law is a subsidy by existing taxpaying residents for those who come here to compete against them for jobs and resources.

sfwood@vistacmg.com States:

Posted on 2/7/2007 4:58 pm

Looks to me like the Mayor can do nothing and it becomes law without his signature. That way he can say "I didn't sign it," and have it both ways as polititions love to do:

"Every resolution or ordinance shall become effective unless the same be approved or disapproved by the mayor and returned to the council at or prior to the next regular meeting of the council occurring ten (10) days or more subsequent to the date when the same was delivered to his office for consideration."

sgdemers States:

Posted on 2/7/2007 5:00 pm

Funny how all those immigrants "who helped build this country" didn't object to having to learn English - because they knew without it one would be hard-pressed to succeed in the U.S. I too don't really think it will change much, but I am glad someone was proactive to make it the official language of government so that we don't create confusion among citizens (and government workers) by requiring forms in 20 different languages (did I get the right form? Does that one do the same thing as this one? What if they're out of my form in Mandarin Chinese, but it's available in French?). English has become the de facto language of business all over the world, so this should not be a surprise or disappointment to anyone. Immigrants are still going to come here in droves, and something like this might be the wake-up call that tells them they're best chance for succeeding here is to learn the language.

miscueiam@hotmail.com States:

Posted on 2/7/2007 5:52 pm

amen. this was racist.

jzcrispgop@comcast.net States:

Posted on 2/8/2007 4:36 am

The fact is that polling suggests that 90% of Nashvillians supported Crafton. Exportlaw is correct to state the absurdity of this notion that Nashville's commerce will suffer. It seems to me that those that are agitated the most by this are those with an agenda...such as controlling the flow of information to the immigrant population. I suppose that this has become a lucritive venture and Craftons bill is probably interfering most with the commerce of those wishing to keep immigrants as a customer base.

bpieper@dsattorneys.com States:

Posted on 2/8/2007 9:21 am

Good Commentary. Studies show that immigrants today already learn English much faster than prior waves of immigration, so the "need" for this is a myth. Back then, people would live in an Italian, Polish or German neighborhood and often not learn English for a few generations. Today, the children of immigrants are completely fluent, and the immigrants themselves are much farther along linguistically than their counterparts 100 years ago. So if it doesn't serve a real need, then what is its purpose? --To simply exert some power over immigrants in order to allay the anxiety of people who are frightened by anyone or anything different. It's just to make a point about who the alpha dog is. In other words, it's motivated by zenophobic and racist fear. Some of the concerns about unregulated immigration are legitimate, but sadly the immigration debate has largely been taken over by those moved by fear and ignorance. By those who have a psychological need to make sure "them forren folk" understand their place as second class citizens (and yes, this law applies to "citizens"), as well as by the politicians who benefit from fanning that flame. The whole immigration debate has been driven by the politics of hate, rather than by the practical and real concerns that should have driven it. Well, for it's part, it sure was thoughtful of the Metro Council to do its part to bolster the recruitment efforts of the KKK. Check this out.

richard States:

Posted on 2/8/2007 10:19 am

To all, thank you for the comments. Debate is always good.

bcourtney@nashvillechamber.com States:

Posted on 2/8/2007 6:05 pm

Who is challenging English as the official language of America, Tennessee or Nashville? State law recognizes English as our offical language and I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone--even immigrants--who challenge this.

Who is requesting that governmental forms be provided in 20 different languages? And even if they did, I'm not aware of any existing law that would require or mandate Metro to do so.

So, really, why is this legislation needed?

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