Chris Peden, the LST-backed Friendswood city councilman, wants to make English the official language of that community:
City Councilman Chris Peden said the proposed measure would be a safeguard for Friendswood and compared it to the city’s ordinance prohibiting sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of places where children gather.
“We do not have, in my opinion, an illegal immigration issue in the city of Friendswood, but I don’t want to pass legislation after we get one,” Peden said.
“What I will ask is that our charter review committee put on the ballot that our charter include a clause stating that English is the language of the city of Friendswood,” he said.
And of course, the usual suspects are standing in the way:
But Mayor David Smith said he has no interest in considering ordinances targeting illegal immigration.
“When we talk about representing the citizens of Friendswood and sending a message to Washington on a particular issue, I think we have to be careful,” he said. “We have to be cautious about that, because we represent everybody in Friendswood.”
That would be the same Mayor David Smith who opposed a tax refund for the hard-working citizens of Friendswood earlier this year.
John LeCour, another LST-backed councilman (and BrewHaHa attendee), is on board:
Friendswood City Councilman John LeCour said he might be interested in similar laws for Friendswood.
“(Our borders) need to be controlled, and maybe it’s something we can start here, a movement here that the state and the federal government should see that the citizens are serious,” LeCour said.
Go get ‘em, guys!
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67 Responses to “Friendswood councilman seeks English-only bill”Search
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What is so freakin’ wrong to establish one unified (and unifying) language for official city business? If I were to move to Mexico or Germany or Spain or Italy or Malaysia or anywhere else I would expect that I would have to conduct business in the language of that country. How freakin’ arrogant do you have to be to move another country and expect them to cater to your desire to not be inconvenienced? Why don’t I just move into the mayor’s home and expect him to cook food to my taste, give me a bed with sheets of my choosing, and provide my favorite brand of toilet paper? Would he get the message then?
lol
Chris & John are fantastic.
When I was Galveston County GOP Chairman I backed them whole heartedly for City Council and was proud to do it.
Together with the recent additions of Councilmen Hill and Horecky, things are changing fast for the better in Friendswood. (Friendswood is getting friendly again.)
They have fought through a truly conservative agenda on Friendswood City council.
Other issues have been Tax Cuts, Tax Refunds and eliminating certain outdated ordinances.
Why is it everybody wants to cater to “ILLEGAL” aliens?? What about the “LEGAL” citizens of their city?? You know, the ones who actually get to vote “LEGALLY” for those who are supposedly making these decisions on how their tax dollars are spent. Official language means city documents and forms, where taxpayer dollars are not wasted printing in a multitude of different languages, are printed in “English” only. You want to be a legal citizen, then learn to be one!!!!!!
But Mayor David Smith said he has no interest in considering ordinances targeting illegal immigration.
“When we talk about representing the citizens of Friendswood and sending a message to Washington on a particular issue, I think we have to be careful,” he said. “We have to be cautious about that, because we represent everybody in Friendswood.”
This quote is very interesting. I recall back during the early part of the Iraq war that many small towns/communities were issuing city council statements/positions about opposing the war to give Washington a message. I wonder if Friendswood was one of them. It always gets me that these smaller towns (or any town) tries to get involved in Federal issues. Of course ideas and plans start best on the small scale and get utilized after we see them work. But if you get down to it most towns should concentrate on basics: infrastructure and “basic” services. Just how many illegals does Friendswood or any other community in Texas pay for (up front or through contracts) for lawn, road, uniform, food delivery, etc. Stop supporting the businesses that use them and you will not have to worry about any being around. And if any city council has the time/money to generate new ordinances/laws you would think they could get employment data from internal or external sources. English speaking only is great but you need some muscle behind it for it to do any good (no calls recieved or service requests unless you call in English).
中文阅读选择哪里?请把我的母语.
Four Alarms
Why would I want your mother’s tongue?
Simple
Visualize the scene from American Vacation that takes place at Cousin Eddies. Two girl cousins conversing while on a teeter-totter.
- “I’m going steady… And I French kiss.
“So, everybody does that.”
- “Yeah, but daddy says I’m the best at it.”
Did he really equate the guys who mow my lawn to sex offenders? Isn’t that going a little far?
9
Well, if Kennedy and Durban can call our troops war criminals and equate them with Pol Pot and such, why not???
I think the State of Texas needs to consider an English-Only bill. We also need a State law requiring Employeers/landlords to verify legal status and submit same to State officials for action. If the Fed does not want to get serious about ILLEGALS then the State should.
All official business wtih the gov’t fed/state/local should be conducted in one language…. English.
fontaine is right.. this part is a little over the top:
“the proposed measure would be a safeguard for Friendswood and compared it to the city’s ordinance prohibiting sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of places where children gather.”
How?
I don’t think it’s over the top.
It doesn’t say he compared the heinousness of it. He compared laws respecting the cities ability to pass geographic restrictions for the safety of their citizens when it comes to crime and criminal offenders.
IMO, this like voting for a state flower. Economics rule, economics will dictate language used. It always has. Follow the money. To think we can push this fifty thousand ton barge with a 18 foot skeeter is just sillyness….but then again politicos have a knack for sillyness.
11. Sure I am so sure Rick Perry is working on it. lol
Normal_fault, I think you’re misunderstanding the measure. It won’t affect commercial transactions. No one is saying a private business (Home Depot, dentist’s office or whatever) must exclusively use English.
The proposal will affect the functions of city government.
Yes, businesses will still be able to proclaim “Se habla Espanol,” and as an economic libertarian, I don’t have much of a problem with that. But I do have a problem with government at all levels catering to people who don’t want to assimilate into a society, but still want to draw benefits from that society. This measure will help in that regard.
English-only is very politically correct, if you ask me. India, for one, designates English as its official language (as well as Hindi). It has recognized that it needs a unified language to conduct business in a country where a multitude of languages and dialects are spoken. If multi-culturalism is to be embraced, then English as the official language makes sense and should be embraced. The government only has finite funds to conduct its business, after all (even if and after the Dems tax us up the wazoo).
I am wondering if have a gutsy councilman in Katy? I am sick of being bombarded with spanish! Infact the jobs that no one wants, I guess include customer service, sales, and reception positions, because over 50% of them are biligual! I am supposed to spend a couple hundred to learn spanish but they can go to HCC and get english for FREEE!!! On my Tax Dollar! Let them do it! :((
Maybe we should send them this video link!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_AxvW-XPbo
13
“It doesn’t say he compared the heinousness of it”
OK… had to reread it. Makes sense. I digress.. not over the top.
#15
I doubt Rick Perry is working on it, but he should be.
Jean
#19
That was funny! Where do I apply to become an ilegal alien? I am tired of paying car insurance, health insurance, and medical services and out of state tuition. I want my credit cards, home mortgage, welfare, free schooling, free school breakfasts and lunches and I want the American taxpayer to pay for everything. Then I want to file a tax return, get ALL of the money I paid in in withholding BACK, plus $3,200 per family. Then, I want to increase all of this because I will have 5 or 6 additional children who will automatically become citizens! Where do I apply?
#15
Hey Tejano! Imagine you hear commenting on illegal alien/English only post!
Re my #23
Should have read “you here” d’oh!
Neo- I hear ya.
I’m more interested in the LULAC aspect of this story than anything else. If you look at LULAC a bit you will find that it’s difficult if not impossible for them to operate on individual public donations from the average Joe (Jose?). They are involved in various things such as housing where they own housing projects, vehicles for transportation, etc.
Most of their money appears to come from us, the taxpayer. They have programs like “Project Amistad” that interfaces with the Social Security Administration and handles Social Security and various Medicare/Medicaid benefits. They obtain money from FEMA and other federal agencies for various things. See:
http://www.projectamistad.com/
After looking at numerous IRS 990 filings by various LULAC entities using guidestar.org it appears that their largest organization is “LULAC National Education Service Center” which provides scholarships. In the last reporting period they took in $5.4 million. $3.8 million of that was from government grants (you and me). They have a large number of companies like Wal-Mart, 7-11, Coca-Cola, Coors and Chrysler that provide numerous small amounts for hispanic students. Of their larger scholarships I did not see one university that any of their hispanic students were going to that was “spanish speaking”. They all had to know English to get in to the schools I saw. Well, well…
Overall, LULAC is tiny. They really don’t have that much money and I find their threats to sue Farmers Branch or Friendswood more bluster than anything else. I read the LULAC charter and I don’t see where they can initiate such a lawsuit because the Friendswood ordinance would not apply to “constitutional political rights” which seems to be the only thing in the LULAC charter that might give them cause to sue. I think that any decent attorney for any city could tear LULAC apart if LULAC sued. It would give them an opening to dissect LULAC itself. I bet LULAC does not want that to happen. But maybe Rick Dovalina, the LULAC lawyer wants to give it a shot. It might give him something else to do besides divorce cases.
By the way, to be a member of LULAC you must be a “resident of the US, or US citizen living abroad, be 18 years of age and older, and a person whose loyalty to our country is unquestionable”. This is in article IV of their “constitution, By-Laws and Protocol”. So, LULAC itself has in it’s own constitution language that discriminates against illegals. See:
http://www.lulac.org/publications/lulaccbp.pdf
On the illegal issue I can see why LULAC would want illegals to be “legal”. It’s very self-serving. They would have more people they could use to handle more of their programs that rely on government money. That’s the only way LULAC can grow because the average hispanic isn’s sending LULAC donations. No way. Not wih the numbers I’ve seen.
LULAC might be better served by AGREEING with Peden. If more hispanics were able to speak English they would make more money and maybe they’d be able to put some of that money in LULAC’s pockets. But I doubt that they would send LULAC and money because it appears that they never have before. They would spend it on their families instead. Plus, LULAC’s programs depend on poor hispanics. They deal in low income housing, people on Social Security, people on medicaid or medicare, poor students that need a few bucks for school, etc. All of these things are government subsidized so it’s really not in LULAC’s best interest for hispanics to get richer. Which means it does not appear that LULAC will be supporting conservatives or Republicans.
francisbaken
Thanks for the research. Only problem here is that LULAC will team up with the ACLU and other hispanic groups. The ACLU charter is communist and always has been since it was founded, yet the government gives them our tax dollars to operate. Nonetheless, it is our tax money fighting ourselves which is nothing new.
That goes both ways now. There are now groups that will fight against the ACLU along with defendants.
And Internet time changes everything. The ACLU cannot continue to get away with what they have in the past. People are better informed.
The ACLU usually pushes against people that can’t easily push back financially. That might not be the case if they go after a Texas municipality. They might find that Farmers Branch and/or Friendswood do not stand alone if pushed legally. Most Texas cities do not stand alone on certain legal matters. I doubt that the TML wants to see any Texas city pushed around by the likes of the ACLU.
The ACLU won’t find the same reception in the courts in this neck of the woods as they might in the northeast.
I disagree. The ACLU is suing Farmer’s Branch, TX and Hazelton, PA and many other municipalities and counties for enacting such ordinances. The ACLU will not let this go by. Their usual modus operandi is to pick and choose a liberal Federal district court to file their suits in. The liberal judges agree with them and then they end up in appeals courts. Luckily, we have the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals for stuff like this in Texas.
Come on, fellows don’t you know we should celebrate diversity?
Multiculturalism is good!
Chuck
Multiculturalism is good for France!
#26 fb, good stuff. Not that I didn’t have my suspicions, but the confirmation is good. We need to get that LULAC Article of their bi-laws out on the net.
The one point you will never hear about is the fact that the language of your laws is the official language! Period. Do we practice law in multiple languages and rules? Of course not! English is the language of the law and it is official. Actually constitutional. End of Tune.
Buuurrrrr….
Wolf Bite
#33
Check! Didn’t think about that and I’m in the legal bidness!
Take out a dollar bill. Take out a 10 or a 20 dollar bill. What’s the language all over the bills? Other than a itty bit of a dead language it’s all english.
The same applies to any countries money. It’s always in the “language” of the country.
So, I suppose LULAC will not be filing their lawsuits in spanish and paying court fees with pesos, eh?
francisbaken
#35
You do have a point there!
#33: Got a link to being constitutional? Would love to have it. Neo and I were talking about that the other day. May I have a link please? Haven’t had time to research English as the official language, but I believe it is there somewhere..
#35: Excellent point!
Oh yeah, Neo: please remember the 33 and 35 posts for me. I suffer from CRS! This should be good talking points for these stupid lawsuits!
I wonder how much money would be saved by an English-only law in Friendswood? How much ink and paper saved? How much in “translation” costs? How much in filing and transporting and storing all that additional paperwork? And wouldn’t this prevent lawsuits by Chinese/Germans/Saudis requesting government paperwork in their native language?
It looks like a clear cost-saving measure for the people of Friendswood.
23. What? Where you referring to me? Did you mean “here” not hear? LMAO maybe you should take and ESL class (or two).
26. How about them doing it because they believe its the right thing?
LULAC has a building at 3004 Bagby:
http://www.lulac60.org/
Looks like they are getting sued by the City for not paying taxes:
http://www.tax.co.harris.tx.us/propertytax/deltax/DelStatement.asp?Account=0132250000003
I wonder why you guys never report on this?
http://breaking.tcm.ie/2006/04/07/story252945.html
http://www.irishlobbyusa.org/
It appears you just “reported” it:)
Duh! This is truly a sad sight. I thought liberals were the wackos and they were the biased. Unfortunately the misreporting comes from both sides.
#46
Please grace us with an explanation of what the heck you are talking about.
48. No it’s evident what I am talking about. I don’t even feel like getting into it.
Mr. Defender
Re: 43 44 46
Did you happen to notice your source? Not real high on most of our watch lists nor is it MSM which most of us pull our stories from.
Your snarky remark about non-reporting is uncalled for thank you very much.
Tell you what, create your own blog and keep up with the thousands of different stories and commentaries out there and then come back and criticize.
Squawkbox
RE: #48
It’s not evident to me. Are you saying Irish people that are allowed permanent residency equate to the City of Friendswood requiring employees to speak English? Or are you saying that 50,000 Irish folks are the same as 20 million Mexicans?
No, “what you are talking about” is not “evident”. If you can’t make it so you are just wasting space here.
49. lol, yet you guys critisize the liberal media. Does that not make you a hypocrite for doing the same thing?
Mr. Defender
Once again you are making a blanket statement calling people hypocrites. There is no hypocracy going on here. The issue of the Irish Lobby has not crossed our path. Your assumption is off base.
Nice try on the trolling though.
Squawkbox
Tejano,
Maybe you should proof your own comment before you critize me on mine. “WHERE you referring to me?”
I guess ESL classes didn’t work out too well for you.
52. Please! What is the main argument about the war in Iraq? The Liberal media shows only the negative, thus giving the impression that the U.S. is losing the war.
You are applying the same low tactic here so that makes you no different from them. That is what I am saying.
53. OOOOPPPPSSSS my bad! Were!
I guess those classes didn’t pay off after all… lol j/k
Maybe it was because we had alot of “illegals in our High School? lol
I think the massive amount of illegals coming here caused this cold front! Those darn illegals!
Defender
No what you have done is gone from implying that addressing illegal immigration makes everyone a racist. Now not reporting on some obscure story and interest group you are implying we are hypocrites.
So what I am doing is calling bovine cahcah on you. Same M.O. that you have demonstrated through your four name changes.
The only reason I responded to this is out of pure boredom. Most times you are not worthy of reply much less my extremely valuable time.
Squawkbox
56. Not worthy or you are afraid to be proven wrong?
I dont care what explanation you give, you are no better than Dan Rather and the other liberal idiots!
Not worthy
Sure Squaky!
TheDefender,
You didn’t respond to #50. Plus, what “tactic” in #54 are you referring to? Are you referring to media negatives about illegals being compared to media negatives about the war in Iraq and that some people have a problem with illegals and Iraq because of the media slant on each topic? If so that’s a stretch.
Frankly, so far you’ve made little sense here.
Do you understand that one of the issues with Friendswood is that some people in Friendswood want city employees to be able to communicate in english? And that one of the options may be to help them LEARN english. So they can improve their lot in life. Do you get that? That some of us want legal citizens that work for the city not to be stuck with the same crap job because they cannot speak english? And the desire is to lend them a hand UP? That’s one of the things both Mayor Pro Tem Peden and Councilman LeCour have spoken about.
Pretender
Are you kidding me? Afraid to be proven wrong? You just proved my points.
You asked questions I gave answers. No matter what I say you don’t care ….. so why bother.
Nice liberal tactic you got going on there. Throw out the accusation and the name calling.
I do believe I have made my point. You are not worth my valuable time (except when I am bored). Yawn.
#37 southerntragedy:
I have never searched for court cases as such. I believe I heard it in school referring to the law and it’s interpretation. He said a good law can be understood by everyone with a reasonable understanding of the language. His test was; “if five people read the law and understand it is good law, on the contrary, if the five people do not understand it and can’t come to the same conclusions the law is bad.” And this was from 35 years ago. Yet I can’t remember where I left my glasses. Go figure.
50. Nope 50,000 Irish are not the same to “20 millions Mexicans” per your statement! Proof it is about race!
Of course they are not the same, their color is different, and that make all the difference in the world in this country.
60. Bottom line is that Republicans complain about the Liberal Media and their slanted negative coverage over the Iraq war. Yet when Republicans refer to the immigration debate they pull the same stunt out of their rear end. Everything is negative, every illegal is a criminal rapist, murderer, etc etc. That is what I was talking about.
As for the Friendswood issue, I can care less about it. I dont really care if they make English the official language, actually I am for that. I agree all govt. docs should be in English.
61. lol so now I am a Liberal? sure sure! I see you are still running away.
Post #60
I never made any statement at all regarding comparing 50K Irish to 20 million Mexicans. I asked you a question. You now respond that you say it’s about race. Which is asinine, of course, but if that’s what you think you have every right to think that way.
Personally, I have a problem with the math part but you apparently think that 50K = 20 million.
As far as you being a liberal? I don’t know about that. My observation is that you have the mental acuity of a John Kerry because it took you 64 posts to say something specific to the discussion at hand.
66. 50k=20million! First of all there are no solid numbers! I have hear 8 mill, 10 mil, and 12 mil, but no real figure. Yet you continue to use those figures.
Second, what happened to illegal is illegal? What now it’s ok, since there are only 50k (or more)? Oh no it has nothing to do with color. lmao yeah right.
Sorry but I have made my point over and over! People just seem to forget rather quickly. So I guess that gives most here the mental capacity of Dan Rather.