Friday, January 23, 2009

English-only ballot initiative loses in Nashville!

Nashville voted down a ballot measure requiring all government business to be conducted in English.

All I can say is: Thank God!

The South already has a reputation and history of bigotry. Why must this stuff constantly pop up to remind everyone of the backwardness of many people here?

Here's the utter hypocrisy of the measure.

It was proposed by a Republican, someone who trumpets fiscal restraint. But, the measure cost the city over $350,000.00, just to put it to a vote. Also, if enacted, the cost of changing the government to an English only system would have put a greater burden on the city's coffers. Revenue is down and we can ill-afford such a ludicrous expense for a bigoted law.

The politician who advocated this measure, Eric Crafton, attempted to make good on a campaign promise. That promise, having at its heart an anti-immigrant animus, will haunt Republicans.

Some even argued, an I agree with them, that the measure violated the Constitution and possibly anti-discrimination law. If true, then it shows the sponsor as a bigot. Republicans are already fighting for their political lives with Hispanics and then bozos like Crafton do stupid things like this. Chip Saltsman made the mistake of sending out a CD containing an insensitively title song while running for the chair of the RNC, so it seems that Tennessee Republicans are a font of bigotry and stupidity.

For far too long the Republican party has relied upon pretexts and code words to signal their constituents of the racist aspects of their agenda without having the balls to openly proclaim their true feelings. It high time they get called on the carpet for this stuff.

Thank God this measure didn't pass.

Those of you who know me understand my irritation with politicians who use code and offer pretexts for doing things that they wouldn't openly do because of the public outrage.

Crafton pushed an initiative that was bigoted in its purpose and the consequences should fall directly on his head for it.

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