Comment & Debate
USEnglish.org. “Why is Official English necessary?”: “Official English is common sense government. The designation of official English will eliminate the needless duplication of government services in multiple languages. It is not the responsibility of the government to provide services in the 322 different languages spoken in the United States. It is the responsibility of each individual to either learn English or to find a friend or family member to translate. The money formerly spent on multi-lingual services can instead provide immigrants with the assistance they really need-classes to teach them English. […] Official English legislation recognizes the need for common sense exceptions permitting the use of other languages for emergency, safety and health services; judicial proceedings; foreign language instruction and tourism promotion. Of course, because official English is only a limitation on government, it does not affect the languages spoken in private businesses, religious services or private conversations.”
“N.J Supreme Court creates constitutional right for D.U.I. tests in native language.” US English. July 14th, 2010: “The New Jersey Supreme Court this week created the first ever constitutional right to receive D.U.I. testing in the native tongue of the accused as it overturned the conviction of a man who refused to take a blood-alcohol test because he did not understand the warnings in English.
As noted by the New Jersey Attorney General’s office, “This ruling effectively provides an immunity claim in a prosecution for violating the refusal statute for any drunk driver who speaks a language that the officer is unable to indentify or translate.” With national implications, this ruling goes beyond D.U.I. testing and could begin the process of burdening police officers with the responsibility of interacting with the public in whichever language a person chooses.
“Placing the burden on already cash-strapped police departments to interact with suspects in their native language is a ridiculous requirement in a state where over 150 languages are spoken,” said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of U.S. English, Inc. “By requiring language translations for any encounter with an individual who does not speak English, New Jersey is literally issuing a “Get out of Jail Free” card for those who don’t speak the operating language of our roads- English.”
This first-in-the-nation ruling could logically be applied to any interactions between the police and the public, creating costly translation mandates and requiring that police officers be able to interact with suspects in their native language. New Jersey currently requires driver’s license exams to be provided in nine languages other than English. Police officers are provided access to a website to obtain official written and audio statements in those languages in case of interacting with a person who does not speak English.”