Other countries around the world have their native language as the primary language so why can't we, Americans, have the same privilege?
COLUMBIA --- Prompted by fears of illegal immigration and a lack of jobs, one of South Carolina's most conservative counties has joined a wave of communities across the country considering laws to make English its official language.
Pickens County officials voted this week to require all business to be conducted in English except in an emergency. Another vote on the issue is slated for next month, and the requirement would become official if it passes.
The law would only apply to companies doing business with the county and would not affect hospitals, schools or courts, said county council Vice Chairman Ben Trotter.
"English is something that we speak," he said Wednesday. "If we went to Mexico ... you do not dial one for Spanish or two for English. You learn theirs or you're out in the cold. They don't bend over backwards for us."
The plan to make English the official language in Pickens County is just part of the ordinance. Touted as a plan to curb hiring of illegal immigrants, the ordinance also would not allow the county to employ anyone who cannot document that they can legally work in the U.S. It also require vendors working for the county to certify that they do not knowingly hire or employ unauthorized workers.
Much of the ordinance closely mirrors a state law passed earlier this year that requires all businesses to verify their new workers are in the U.S. legally or face civil fines of up to $1,000 per worker. Workers who lose jobs to illegal immigrants can sue their former employers under the new law.
But a bill that would have required all government paperwork and videos to use only English died in the state Legislature this year.
Thirty states and dozens of municipalities have laws requiring that government communications be conducted in English, according to U.S. English Inc., a group supporting a federal move to make English the nation's official language.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Another vote on the ordinance is slated for next month, and the requirement would become official if it passes.
Comments
Other countries around the world have their native language as the primary language so why can't we, Americans, have the same privilege?
Good freaking deal!!!!!!!!!! GO PICKENS COUNTY!!!!!!!
Anything less than declaring English as our official language is unexceptable. We are united as a nation under one flag, the Stars and Stripes, and one language in common, English. We have too many short-sighted liberals trying to divide this country by encouraging us to be multi-lingual. Not every native born American is able to learn, let alone communicate proficiently, in a language other than English. By having one language in common, English, we have developed this vast territory to become the great nation it is today. We do not need to introduce other languages to confuse and divide our citizens. Don't mess with success!
Time to pack and call U-Haul. What are the job and housing markets like in Pickens County. It my be the place to move to. Hope that it does not stop there. Wonder if there is any chance we could trade commissioners? Scratch that, any county that smart doesn't deserver what we have. Good job Pickens County.
I thought English was the official language in America!?!?!
Rats! I misread the headline and thought when it said "county" then Columbia, I hoped it was Columbia Co., not S.C. Who is tired of going into businesses where the employees speak in Vietamese or Mexican and barely speak to the clientele?
I agree and that's BS to even have to vote about this. English is our offical language don't like it don't learn it or leave!!!!!! I had to tell a telemarketer yesterday I couldn't understand her, her supervisor was worse.. I still don't know the name of the company!!!! I had to tell them no thank you, I can not do business with a company that has reps call me who can not speak english well.... how am I supposed to if I can not understand them??? Call me back when you have an english speaking employee!!!!!
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