English Only

Last night, John Oliver exposed a truth about the English-only crowd. While interviewing Collin Hanna, a fervent supporter of English-only in all public or government facilities, including hospitals, Oliver started with the assumption that even if the doctor was not permitted to speak in anything but English, you could mime your problems. He and Hanna acted out a few examples. Heart attack? Point at your chest. Broken arm? Grasp it and cry out. Pain in the side? Point and grimace. All well and good... "Now give me, 'I'm allergic to penicillin.'" Hanna just brushed it off.

Also telling was the exchange where Hanna "explained" that many laws and referenda were badlly translated, so people were "actually voting on different things." "Example, please," requested Oliver. Dead silence, then "None comes to mind."

The fact is, studies show that 80% of immigrants try to learn English in formal, structured lessons, and virtually all immigrants learn enough to get by just as quickly as they can. Most immigrants report problems in finding classes, and many have problems finding the time to pursue their studies while trying to earn a living at the sort of wages they make, not knowing English. It's simply ridiculous to claim that immigrants "don't want to learn English".

The answer isn't to ban all other languages; the answer is to help immigrants learn.