Still trying to nail that coffin shut

Instead of expending ink on real news like what's actually in the stimulus package, the circus that is Obama's cabinet appointments or Washington's response to the serious situation in Kentucky due to weather the Tennessean has decided to try and close Councilman Eric Crafton's political coffin--again.

Tucked in between the opinions of Crafton's missteps and demise by familiar political names is this comment from one the one lone citizen interviewed:

Gordon Patchell, an Inglewood resident who is retired from the aerospace industry, said he appreciated Crafton's efforts to make English the city's official language.

"I don't know a thing about him," Patchell said. "But I did like what he was doing. He was doing what he thought was the right thing for his country." Tennessean

I don't know Mr. Patchell but those who so desperately want Crafton out of the picture need to remember that point of view. If Crafton decides to run for anything again, I'll be happy to remind folks that he took on the political progressives with every tool he had available to ensure that the citizens of Davidson County had a right to vote on the issue. Let me repeat that---to ensure that the citizens of Davidson county were allowed to vote on the issue.

Similarly, political liberals in this town used every tool at their disposal. They happily used the Democrat controlled Election Commission, a judge, Mayor Karl Dean and one of his top aids, immigrant 'advocates', immigrant employers, every Vandy employee available, their co-workers at the Tennessean and unfounded accusations of hate and xenophobia to ensure that they won.

I'll also be willing to point out that it was within the power of those that currently run this city to avoid the special election and its cost by allowing it on the ballot with the already scheduled presidential election but that the anti-English folks deliberatly kept it off and away from voters by hook and by crook. To include the unprecedented tactic of having only one early voting location downtown nearer the lib voters.

Sadly, the Tennessean didn't examine why the anti-English folks lumped together both amendments. The truth is they wanted to ensure the amendment process remained the same because at some point they're going to be thrilled to only have to gather a couple of thousand signatures instead of 10 times that number to amend the charter. They're going to be only too happy to require a special election when the time comes.

And the time will come. All those new downtown condo residents will likely lean left and the folks in Bellevue, Donelson and Goodlettsville will find their influence in Council matters getting smaller and smaller. Suddenly we'll have a major change to the charter on the ballot via a couple of thousand signatures gathered by community organizers in this city that didn't grow up here, don't know anyone who did, think Nashville's history began at the lunch counters, and don't have real jobs to keep them honestly occupied with a balanced perspective of life. They only know what kind of world they want and will stop at nothing to ensure what they call peace and justice. It won't matter to them if voters didn't get justice. The end justifies the means.

For x 4 x 2 = 8 votes

We're back from voting. I hate waiting until actual voting day but the Election Commission made it very inconvenient by breaking precedent and only holding early voting at their location downtown. That and the expected wait in line kept us home until today. Thankfully, it didn't snow today, it wasn't too cold, the car worked and no one was sick.

I've pointed out in several posts why I voted FOR English as our government's official language and following the "English as Official Language" link below will call them up for your review. I am concerned about the unintended consequences of bad translations. I am concerned about the division accommodating various languages will create in what has been our 'melting pot' society.

Regarding Amendment #2 I also voted for it because it will create clarity in the process and bring stability to the number of names needed on a petition to change the charter. As it stands now the number varies widely as it is determined by the number of people who voted in the last election. Timing a petition just right could mean the difference between 2,500 signatures and 25,000. Seems to me that higher and more consistent bar based on registered voters is wiser.

Interesting side note...our electricity went out while I was writing this post. Reporting it to NES meant I had to "Press 1 for English". So that's twice today I've pressed a button FOR English.

Exactly who is "us"?

I just got a polite phone call from a woman saying she represented "Nashville For All of Us" and she wanted to let me know that early voting had started on two Metro Charter Amendments and I could vote against them at the Election Commission Office. I reminded her that we could also for FOR them and that's when the conversation came to an end.

I checked on the phone number that showed up on my caller ID: "931-698-1533 Columbia, TN". Her "Nashville for All of US" support might mean more if she actually lived in Nashville. The number is also linked to the rowing club at Georgia's Berry College.

Please remember that the only place to vote early is at the Election Commission downtown. I don't know why the decision was made to not have early voting out in the county as usual. When I look at who lives and works downtown the cynic in me suspects it's intended to be inconvenient for all but the committed against voters.

Davidson County Election Commission
Metro Office Building (next to Howard Office Building)
800 2nd Avenue, South
Election Commission site for the actual amendments and hours of voting.

Along this same line MNPS BOE member Karen Johnson (District 6-Antioch) has posted to her blog that she is against the charter amendment making English the official language of Nashville.

Voting begins Friday

From this morning's Tennessean regarding the upcoming Charter Amendment to make English the official language of Metro Nashville business:

"I would defy you to find 5 percent of Hispanics in favor of this," [Tom Negri, general manager of the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel] said. "This is a disheartening ordinance for major firms who may want to move in with diverse employees. Now is not the time to build an imaginary fence."

1. Many more than just Hispanics will be voting on this and many more languages than Spanish are on the line here.
   
2. Could it be that Mr. Negri's hospitality staff is his highest concern?
   
3. Show me a 'major firm with diverse employees' that wants to move into Nashville. Just show me one who is seriously considering taking Nashville out of consideration based on Nashville requiring its official business be conducted in English. Just one. I'll wait...

Further Mr. Negri statesVanderbilt University history professor Edward Right-Rios states "But there are some people who fight assimilation."

Precisely. And why should the taxpayers foot the bill for their unwillingness to assimilate?

Again from Mr. Negri Mr. Right-Rios: "My guess is that the ones who are supporting (English-only) often are the entrepreneurial immigrants frustrated with their compatriotas [compatriots--fellow countrymen] who seem to be lagging."

And so we should overlook their frustration and accommodate the laggers? Maybe they realize that the laggers are endangering themselves and reflecting badly on their home country? Maybe they realize that learning English isn't all that hard. Maybe they're tired of taking flak and prejudice created by these laggers? Maybe it's time for the laggers to stop lagging.

And again from the article: "Fourteen percent of people in Davidson County speak a language other than English at home..." This is not a vote on what language people speak in their homes, in their private business, in their personal communications between friends and neighbors. It's ONLY about the official business of Nashville government. Councilman Eric Crafton gets the final word in the article:

"What I've been saying 100 times is that this charter leaves us with the ability to control what services we provide and don't want to provide," he added. "Our job is really easy to convince people that a community is more united, more efficient under one common language."

Early voting starts on Friday for two amendments to the Metro Charter. I'll be voting yes on both. Take advantage of early voting and don't let an unexpected event (illness, bad weather, life) keep you from voting. http://nashville.org/vote/

Hijacking our representative government

My thanks to Metro councilmen who aren't afraid to have citizens actually vote on how their government should be run. I'm appalled at the lengths some of these councilmen, election commission members, our mayor, a judge and others have gone through to keep we the people from actually entering into the process. The latest trick was to break the law and attempt to withhold money to provide for a special election for two charter amendments. Money that wouldn't have to be expended at all if the Democrat controlled election commission hadn't decided to misinterpret the time frame provided for in law in a trick to keep the people from voting.

Here are the names of the councilmen who fully understand who has a right to be in charge of their very own government:

Buddy Baker
Karen Bennett
Carl Burch
Phil Claiborne,
Sam Coleman
Michael Craddock
Eric Crafton
Duane Dominy
Robert Duvall
Jim Forkum
Randy Foster
Jim Gotto
Frank Harrison
Jim Hodge

Pam Murray
Rip Ryman
Bruce Stanley
Charlie Tygard

And with the notable exception of Jerry Maynard who had the guts to vote NO and earns respect for at least stepping up to the plate, the rest abstained from voting. Oh...that's leadership.

And speaking of that English as Official Language charter amendment David Briley (former councilman at large, mayoral candidate and grandson of a former mayor) has penned an email blast that is remarkably offensive. Looks like name calling is about all this lawyer could come up with to defend his point of view on this issue. That doesn't speak well for Briley's debate skills to be sure.

Briley calls supporters of Nashville's business being conducted in English unwelcoming, backwards, right-wing reactionaries, right-wingers, and states that we're "hijacking our representative government". EXCUUUUUUUSE ME? You've got to be kidding. Supporters have been all about letting our representative government work as it's supposed to. If anyone's been doing the hijacking it's the opponents to the charter amendments who are in such great fear of we the people that they've expended a great deal of effort and political favors in seeing to it that this amendment is kept from the voters.

The only tactic they have left to them is to try and not offend unwelcoming, backwards, right-wing reactionaries to the point we're inflamed enough to rush to the polls come hell or highwater and hope that we forget that there is an election while opponenets of English as our Official Language carpool every available voter to the polls to vote against it.

This screen shot from http://nashville.gov/vote where the Democrat controlled Election Commission mentions when early voting ENDS but fails to mention when it BEGINS.

Early voting starts Friday, January 2, 2009.

The last day to vote early is Saturday January 17, 2009.

Election Day is THURSDAY, January 22. Don't forget. Vote early so that inclimate weather, unexpected illnes or something else doesn't get in the way.

Here are links to the actual amendments, as well as where to vote and when.

• January 22, 2009 Referendum Election on Proposed Metropolitan Charter Amendments Sample Ballot
• Find Where I Vote
• Early Voting Schedule

2008-12-15 Roundup

Nail in the NOW coffin: Women outearn men at top business jobs.

A Carnegie Mellon University study has concluded that women executives out-earn their male counterparts.

The study, which examined 16,000 executives over 14 years, found that women at the top of the business world bring in a bit more than men and are promoted at the same rate, countering the popular notion that women earn less than men for the same work. (snip)

The largest empirical analysis of the top echelons of publicly traded companies determined that women earned about $100,000 more per year than men of the same age, educational background and experience.Via Post Gazette

Mayor Deans calls for obeying Open Records Laws: Well, that's not the headline in the Tennessean but it should have been. Ben Cunningham points out that the new 'rules' Dean set for open records request are minimal and he could, and should, go much further if he really wants to do the job right. Since Dean is also acting as Superintendent of Schools I'll add to Ben's list "ditto for MNPS". Prosperity Project has more. One of Ben's suggestions is:

- Assign staff to review each department's records and determine if important records can be digitized for easy online access by citizens.

For me, getting the full MNPS BOE agenda packet online didn't happen until I talked with the Board Secretary and we realized that the photocopier she was already using to copy the agenda to create the Board's hard copies (being delivered by courier, btw) could also create pdf documents. I suspect there are very few documents that couldn't be digitized. The question will be how to get the system into the habit of doing so. This is where the clerical staff can be our friends.

I'll add to the list that I'd like to see proposed budget documents released in Excel format also so that others can move the numbers around during the discussion of where the money should go.

Did the mayor bring an interpreter or was that Crafton? Rex also comments on the recent celebration of the Japanese emperor's birthday where Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Councilman Eric Crafton met. Rex found it ironic considering they are on opposite sides of the English as Official Language charter amendment. Rex should have mentioned that of the two gentlemen only Crafton could express best wishes of the day to their Japanese hosts in fluent Japanese.

Goose/Gander: Can someone explain to me how the Faith Leaders for All of Us (Really? ALL of us?) can use The Bible to influence public policy but Two Rivers Baptist or Cornerstone Church can't? What's the difference? Oh, that's right...they're not LEFT-wing fundys.

And one more on left-wing fundys unable to MoveOn: Someone torched Gov. Sarah Palin's church over the weekend. Let's hope they were unaware that the church was occupied at the time or else let's call this attempted murder and lock 'em away for their lives. Donations can be mailed to: Wasilla Bible Church, 1651 W. Nicola Avenue, Wasilla Alaska 99654

2008-12-13 Roundup

I've got 83 Firefox Windows of interesting stuff I need to clear out. So here goes. No, I didn't count the windows. Firefox has an add-in for nearly everything.

I'll start with a huge THANK YOU to Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker (R). While I'd rather taxpayers not bailout or subsidize or loan money to any private entity and take a risk of losing my tax money what he did manage to do was highlight the absolute fact that the UAW isn't one bit concerned about saving the auto industry. It's only concerned about saving their own benefits. Why their membership continues to believe that they can kill a company and still stay on the payroll is beyond me. It's an alternative planet than Planet Reality where workers who've been fired still receive FULL compensation four (4) years after being fired. Fox Business has the video of Sen. Corker explaining why the bailout failed. Those three words were 'a date certain'.

You want a clue about how many chains are on that UAW anchor to free enterprise? Check out this 22 lb, 2,215 page Year 2007 agreement with Ford. Will workman's comp cover you if you throw your back out putting it on the table to read?

The UAW is so upset that they didn't get what they wanted that they've nearly initiated another 'War of Northern Aggression'.

Festering animosity between the United Auto Workers and Southern senators who torpedoed the auto industry bailout bill erupted into full-fledged name calling Friday as union officials accused the lawmakers of trying to break the union on behalf of foreign automakers. AP via Yahoo News

Unfortunately for them, the south of 2008 isn't the south of 1860.

Educational transition: The Obama's are sending their girls to the very exclusive Sidwell Friends school in the DC area. Ben Cunningham points out that the PTA meetings could be very interesting considering the number of well placed DC insiders with children also attending. I'm wondering if Sunshine Laws might be violated with a group like this. But I won't worry too much about that considering the ever vigilent national press is also very well represented in this parent group. Here's the full Washington Post article.

Further the Obama's will be homeless for their first couple of weeks in DC. Apparently, historic protocol for the incoming presidential family is to stay across the street from the White House at Blair House beginning 5 days before the inauguration. However, the Obama's want to get the girls settled in time for the new school term. They're trying to avoid, I assume, the mobility issues that so many DC students (and students in Nashville) experience when they're homeless. What is curious to me is why they just don't cut out the middle move and ask George and Laura Bush to move out of the White House immediately to accommodate the girl's schooling schedule. MSN.com

Clarksville is planning ahead...but based on what? From the Cheatham County School Board Watchdog:

"Commissioner Wood and McCannless stated at previous board workshops that due to huge residential developments in Pleasant View there needed to be a NEW high school built. (Interesting enough is that all these new families would only have HS students - don't you think?)"

They also have an on-line poll going on now. If you're in Cheatham County you might want to stop by their blog.

iTunes U: Dr. Tim Webb of the Tennessee Department of Education introduces folks to their Electronic Learning Center.

According to their press release:

"Students currently can access curriculum-based lessons in language arts, and study skills, with math to be added this month. Educators can view training sessions on Tennessee’s new academic standards, School-wide Positive Behavior, reading and other teaching resources. Additional podcasts will be developed and added on an ongoing basis."

Pity they've linked these podcasts to iTunes instead of just linking to the video files and letting folks pick their own media player. There is one that's an 8 minute primer about Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) which parents might appreciate but it took a couple of attempts for it download. And the production is basically a PowerPoint presentation with audio. I would have expected better. Maybe the others are.

Certified ≠ effective: There are several pieces that crossed my browser this week about teacher quality and effectiveness.

"...between 2003 and 2007 students in states with a real alternative pathway to teaching gained more on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (a federal standardized test) than did students in other states. (snip)

The study undermines the arguments from colleges of education and teachers unions, which say that traditional certification, which they control, is the only process that can produce quality teachers. The findings hold up even after controlling for race, ethnicity, free-lunch eligibility, class size and per-pupil state spending. (snip)
President-elect Barack Obama has expressed guarded support for education reforms like merit pay and charter schools. Yet he chose Linda Darling-Hammond to head the education policy team for his transition. Ms. Darling-Hammond, a professor at Stanford, is a union favorite and vocal supporter of traditional certification. She's also been a fierce critic of Teach for America and other successful alternative certification programs.
Via the Wall Street Journal (Hat Tip: Rep. Stacey Campfield)

More from the study authors at the Hoover Institute.

Unfriendly Feds: Ben Cunningham points out how unfriendly the Federal government is toward 'undocumented students'. Seems the State of California will give an illegal immigrant in-state tuition but not legal citizen from, oh, say, Nevada. The Federal Appeals Court has said that has to stop. Documented students are looking for tuition refunds.

Speaking of unfriendly. Councilman Eric Crafton has had a lot of irrational and over the top heat directed his way for initiating a charter amendment in Nashville which would require our city's official business to be done in English. Some have suggested that he should be removed from office. However, they may want to rethink that when he's also sponsoring a change to the Metro Water fees which have prevented some of the very local restaurants that these same Goo Goos insist are essential to the vitality of their neighborhoods (and their community organizing efforts--they gotta meet somewhere). Seems the fees are so huge it's a financial strain on even seasoned restaurateurs and are preventing the next new round hot spots from opening. I don't want citizens footing the bill for these risky endeavors but we don't need to make it impossible to even attempt the effort either. Next hearing on the bill is this Tuesday evening.

Rude Guests: One more comment on this charter amendment. How is it that a Honduran immigrant comes here to escape her own bad government and then demands the right to derail our electoral system? CM Crafton has this absolutely right:

She alleges this would be hard for her to communicate, yet she knows enough about our constitution that she knows what unconstitutional is. She knows enough she can hire an attorney and file a complaint.” via City Paper

I'm of the mind she was actually a recruited pawn however, it's galling that any non-citizen should have any standing to keep legal citizens from voting on any issue. If she truly wants to reform any political system---she and her recruiters should start with the Honduran one. This isn't a battle about English, this is a battle against our republican form of government by folks who would rather we submit to rules and regs by unelected officials rather than the vote of the people.

BlagObama: Does anyone seriously believe that Illinois Governor Blagojevich didn't ask his outgoing Senator Barack Obama if he had an opinion on who should replace him? No. Most of us would consider it a dereliction of duty if Blagojevich didn't ask or Obama didn't suggest. The sin isn't in the asking or suggesting. It's in offering it to the highest bidder.

Tennessee makes another Pork Report. This time Sen. Tom Coburn reveals it (page 22) not the TCPR. Apparently, there's an airplane shaped gas station in Knoxville---

It is an airplane that cannot fly and a gas station that has not pumped gas for nearly half a century, but the Powell Airplane Filling Station has just landed a $9,000 federal grant.(95) It is an old airplane‐shaped building that once served as a gas station, liquor store and used car lot, though is now an eyesore on the side of a busy highway. A few local residents have rallied around the old filling station in hopes of turning the tiny airplane into leased office space. Tom Milligan, who has been instrumental in the effort, said, “I was coming up through here one day and I seen they had two bulldozers on the front and I thought they was fixin' to wreck the place. [I] knew we were going to have to have quite a lot of money to fix it.”(96) Rock Bernard, another local resident, added, “If you ask 100 people in Knoxville, I bet 80 will know where it's at.”(97)

I think the $9,000 would have been better spent on grammar lessons. Apparently, Matthew Lesko is right---you can get government money for just about anything. Better yet, gents, use your own money.

Last minute Christmas Shopping at Terry Frank's place. If you truly want to shop local and green check out her one of a kind 'Tennessee Treasures' gift ideas. My favorite is this 'Flip Your Lid'.






I'm down to just 67 tabs and there are cookies to be baked. More later.

Do the callers have to be bilingual?

The Nashville Peace & Justice Center is hosting a phone bank against the Metro Charter Amendment requiring English to be the official language of Metro Nashville. No real surprise there. If it's left leaning--NPJC is usually involved. According to the announcement they sent out they'll be calling people every Monday and Thursday night until January 22.

Fellow tenants at their 4732 West Longdale Drive leftist mail drop facility include:

ACORN: Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
No-Spray Nashville
Interfaith Alliance of Middle Tennessee (apparently they've recently moved)
United Nations Association Nashville

Back in 2003 syndicated radio talk show host Phil Valentine found the Communist Party and Democratic Socialists of America as fellow tenants in the NPJC's former office space.

Below is the NPJC's list of member organizations from their website. Oddly, their 990 for 2007 lists income from 29 member organizations but they currently only list 22.

1. Americans United for Separation of Church and State
2. BURNT: Bring Urban Recycling to Nashville Today
3. Common Cause
4. Cumberland Greens
5. Earth Matters
6. Emma Center ("The center is dedicated to the memory of Emma Goldman, 20th century feminist and anarchist..." and the contact is Chris Lugo)
7. First Unitarian Universalist Church: Social Concerns & Actions Committee
8. Friends Meeting (Quaker)
9. Greater Nashville Unitarian Universalist Church
10. Interfaith Alliance
11. MidEast Peace Coalition Middle TN Presbyterian Peace with Justice Committee
12. Nashville Homeless Power Project
13. Peace Roots Alliance (at The Farm in Summertown, TN)
14. National Organization for Women (NOW) (No local listing. Here's the national gang.)
15. Progreso Community Center
16. Radio Free Nashville
17. Tennessee Coalition to Abolish State Killing (TCASK)
18. Tennessee Equality Project (TEP)
19. Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) (a subsidiary of LaRaza)
20. Veterans for Peace
21. United Nations Association
22. War Resisters League

The chart here is from the NPJC's 2007 990 and shows their officers and directors then. They include Ginny Welsch, Karl Meyer, Elizabeth Barger, Gigi Gaskins, Keith Caldwell and Tamara Lossel. Line 93a says they got $4,425 in rent from their partners in social reform. Line 93b says they collected all of $410 for the sale of English language study books.

The NPJC 990 also lists over $16,000 in program expenses for "Hispanic Program-Progreso Community Center: See attached" but there is no attachment to explain the expenses.

Seems only fair that if they're going to throw associations around as a reason to discredit the effort and not to vote for English as the official language for Metro we ought to be able to point out theirs.

UPDATE: Red Hat Rob provides more details of Chris Lugo's Emma Goldman. Apparently, anarchist is an understatement. Terrorism goes back a long way folks. Rob's writes...

By tieing themselves to Emma Goldman, [Nashville Peace & Justice Center] are throwing in their lot with the founders of political terrorism and assasination.

UPDATE II: I've been accused of deliberately posting the home addresses of the NPJC officers. It wasn't my intention at all to put them in harms way and in an abundance of caution I've obliterated their street addresses. I would never want anyone to replicate David Lowe's threats against Councilman Eric Crafton.

What was the question?

According to this morning's Tennessean article (front page, above the fold) "English-only measure splits voters in Davidson" they commissioned a survey of Nashvillians and got a result they were looking for. As far as I can tell from their website and the dead tree version, the Tennessean fails to provide the actual question and fails to provide any more information about the breakdown of the measly 200 participants. I can only assume this important clarifying information was purposefully omitted.

From their article they asked likely voters about:

"a measure that would bar Metro government agencies from translating written materials into other languages or offering interpreters to the public."

But the actual wording of the amendment from the last petition sent out by the English First folks doesn't say the city would be barred from translating or providing interpreters. It says:

“English is the official language of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. Official actions which bind or commit the government shall be taken only in the English language, and all official government communications and publications shall be in English. No person shall have a right to government services in any other language. All meetings of the Metro Council, Boards, and Commissions of the Metropolitan Government shall be conducted in English. The Metro Council may make specific exceptions to protect public health and safety. Nothing in this measure shall be interpreted to conflict with federal or state law."

It doesn't say 'bar' it says you don't have a right to a translation. It also says exceptions may be made for health and safety. That's a looooong way from 'bar'. If they used 'bar' in their questions it was misleading and nullifies the survey completely.

So who is hateful?

This from the Metro Nashville Police Department this afternoon:

Detectives this afternoon charged David A. Lowe with repetitive telephone harassment for making six telephone calls to Metro Councilman Eric Crafton over the weekend.

Lowe, 60, of 3000 Hillsboro Road, was issued a state misdemeanor citation which requires him to report for booking on November 4.

Lowe was identified as a potential suspect Monday and, when phoned by detectives, admitted responsibility for the calls. He denied sending any recent email to Crafton.

Lowe’s calls to Crafton were prompted by the proposed English-only Metro charter amendment Crafton is advocating.

*Lowe does not have an arrest history with the Metropolitan Police Department.

###

His booking date of November 4th is the very day we could have voted on the English First bill without additional cost to the city and had this all done and over with. Councilman Eric Crafton, agree with him or not, hasn't done anything illegal and certainly has not deserved death threats. I'd hate to send a 60 year old man to jail but they better look long and hard at his mental condition before releasing him. Someone should check into Lowe's associations as well and investigate what might have encouraged Lowe to such base behavior. It may be that the emailer and Lowe know one another. Seems too coincidental that after all this time dealing with this volatile issue and months away from the actual vote they both picked last weekend to act out.

English First

From Joanne Jacobs:

English Learner students were excelling in Diamond Lakes, a half-Hispanic school district in northern Illinois. The percentage of ELs reading proficiently had soared from 33 percent in 2004 to 71 percent; math proficiency rose from 49 percent to 79 percent. Then the state cut off funding, discovering that Diamond Lakes had dropped bilingual classes in favor of teaching in English with extra support in Spanish only as needed. After a big fight, the district got its EL funding back. Superintendent Roger Prosise explains what works (pdf) on the Lexington Institute site.

Good for them. "...extra support in Spanish only as needed." Immersion works for children and adults.  

Plain English

The Davidson County Election Commission has certified that the English First initiative has enough valid signatures to be placed on the November 4 ballot. But before voters get a chance to push the button for or against some 'citizen advocates' will be parsing every word of the Metro Charter amendment which allows this amendment looking for some way to keep citizens from getting the chance to vote on it.

"I am confident that any one else who can read and understand English can understand that we have met the charter's terms," said [CM Eric] Crafton.

Others disagree.

"There's good legal argument that 'submitted' means 'submitted to the voters,' " said Greg Ramos, a Nashville attorney who opposes the English-first initiative. "How do you submit something to the people for approval? You put it on the ballot." Tennessean

I keep saying it...the English speakers among us have a hard enough time interpreting our laws written in English right now...it's only going to get messier if we have to interpret to and from who knows how many languages and cultural frames.

Below is the pertinent code with the snip opponents keep quoting in red. By their point of view the election date is the one that counts, not the filing date, and the effort is 3 days short of compliance. Or is that just 2 since this is a leap year? Regardless, all this needs to be read in context.

ARTICLE 19. AMENDING CHARTER

Sec. 19.01. Amending Charter by resolution of council or petition and popular vote.

This Charter may be amended subsequent to its adoption in the following manner:

An amendment or amendments may be proposed

(1) by the adoption of a resolution by the council favoring the same and submitting it or them to the people for approval. The affirmative vote for adoption of such resolution in the council shall be not less than two-thirds of the membership to which the council is entitled, and such resolution when adopted need not be submitted to the mayor for his approval; or

(2) upon petition filed with the metropolitan clerk, signed by ten (10) per cent of the number of the registered voters of Nashville-Davidson County voting in the preceding general election, the verification of the signatures to be made by the Davidson County Election Commission and certified to the metropolitan clerk. Such resolution or petition shall also prescribe a date not less than eighty (80) [days] subsequent to the date of its filing for the holding of a referendum election at which the electorate of the metropolitan government will vote to ratify or to reject the amendments proposed.

The metropolitan clerk shall immediately certify to the county commissioners of election copy of such resolution or petition and it shall thereupon be the duty of said commissioners of election to hold a referendum election with respect thereto. The ballot shall be prepared so as to set forth a brief description of the amendment worded so as to convey the meaning of said amendment, said description to be set forth in the original amendatory resolution, that the language of each amendment in full be posted conspicuously in the voting place and be published in a local newspaper, numbered as the same is numbered in the resolution of the council or in the petition, and to provide the voters a choice to vote "For Ratification" and "Against Ratification" of each proposed amendment. Each proposed amendment shall be ratified when a majority of the votes cast at the special referendum election shall be in favor of ratification and each proposed amendment shall be rejected when a majority of said votes shall be against ratification. Notice of said referendum election shall be given as provided by Tennessee Code Annotated, section 2-1808*, and the costs of said election shall be paid out of the general funds of the metropolitan government.

The commissioners of election shall canvass the returns and certify the results to the secretary of state, who shall issue a proclamation showing the results of said election on the ratification or rejection of each proposed amendment to this Charter. One copy of the proclamation shall be attached to the copy of this Charter previously certified to said secretary of state and one copy shall be delivered to the metropolitan clerk who shall attach the same to the copy of the Charter in his custody.

The council shall not adopt a resolution proposing amendments to this Charter more often than twice during the term of office of members of said council, nor shall any such amendment or amendments be submitted by petition more often than once in each two years.

The council shall not adopt, except pursuant to section 18.06 of this Charter, a resolution which proposes an amendment that redistricts the councilmanic districts unless the same be incidental to a proposed change in the number of such districts.

(Res. No. 72-380, § 1, 11-7-72)

Editor's note--An amendment to § 19.01 was approved at an election held March 8, 1988.

* Editor's note--The relevant Code sections regarding notice of referenda are codified at T.C.A. § 2-12-111. [via MuniCode]

Welcome to Nashville

One of the arguments against the English First referendum that's about to appear on the November ballot in Nashville is that Nashville will appear unwelcoming to the world and that will hinder businesses from moving here and tourists from visiting. I don't believe that most companies who will be conducting business with Metro Nashville will seriously refuse to come here because our council and committee meetings and official documents are being conducted in English. And really, how many tourists care about our council meetings or whether they can renew their auto tags using a form written in French?

However, what does make Nashville unwelcoming is an overall effective tax rate on a room in Nashville that is second only to Chicago at 17.18 percent.

But in a slowing economy with gas prices uncomfortably high, some economists and travelers say the overall charges applied here could make the difference when out-of-town guests are trying to decide whether to make Nashville their destination. Tennessean

Channel 4's report on the story yesterday (sorry no link available) said fees for visitors average $39.00 per day! That's not very welcoming.

Oh, and just about the time we've priced ourselves out of the convention business...that new $750 million convention center will be opening.

Paying for services

The English First folks have gotten the signatures they need to put their initiative on the November 4 ballot. In the meantime, Councilman Eric Crafton (Bellevue) takes it a step further at Tuesday's Metro Council meeting by introducing:

Chapter 2.226 FEES FOR INTERPRETER SERVICES

2.226.010 Interpreter service fees required.
All metropolitan government departments, agencies, boards and commissions responsible for issuing any type of permit to the general public, and who provide interpreter services for non-English speaking applicants, shall develop an “interpreter fee” to be charged to all non-English speaking applicants requiring the interpreter services. The amount of such fee shall not exceed the actual costs for providing the interpreter services.BL2008-287

Generally, I like user fees. If I'm not using the service I don't like having to pay for it. I do expect howls of objection from 'immigrant advocates' saying they won't be able to afford these fees. Seems to me this is a fairly good compromise in the debate. If you want to save yourself some money, learn English or bring our own trusted interpreter with you. I don't think taxpayers should foot the bill for having to provide services in who knows how many languages and take on the liability of a misinterpretation--which has been my concern all through this debate.

Kindergarten debating skills

Sunday's Gail Kerr column in the Tennessean was a surprise to me. I didn't expect her to fall into the 'make fun of it' camp at all. I'm not surprised she disagrees with the effort to make English the official language of Metro Nashville business but I never expected her to pound out this sort of rhetoric:

So the Korean man trying to enroll his child in school? Tough beans. The Hispanic woman calling the police because her husband is beating her? Too bad, so sad. And how about murderer Paul Dennis Reid, who sits on death row thanks to the testimony of a Spanish-speaking man? The lone witness almost bled to death in the Hermitage McDonalds as he played dead until Reid left. He crawled to a phone and dialed 911.

This is just the sort of emotional nonsense I've come to expect from most opponents but didn't expect from her. Where does it say that NO Metro employee can speak or write in a different language? Nowhere. The amendment says:

"English is the official language of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. Official actions (those which bind or commit the government) shall be taken only in the English language, and all official government communications and publications shall be published only in English. No person shall have a right to government services in any other language. All meetings of the Metro Council, boards, and Commissions of the Metropolitan government shall be conducted in English. Nothing in this measure shall be interpreted to conflict with federal or state law." Voters shall be provided the two choices of FOR and AGAINST.

Where in the above does it say that a 911 operator cannot respond to an emergency in a language other than English? Since when does every utterance by a 911 operator or clerk on Bransford Avenue 'bind and commit' Metro? Let's talk about that and leave the kindergarten debating skills behind.

Further Kerr writes:

Apparently Crafton cares little about how his hometown is portrayed. Because he's at it again. He knows the council won't pass it.

The Council DID pass it. It was the former mayor who vetoed it. We're supposed to be more concerned about how we appear to outsiders than running an efficient and effective government? Caring about what our sophisticated and enlightened betters think is not the way to create and carry out good public policy. Being afraid of what they think is no way to ensure the best for the citizens of Nashville.

Post's Pen Pans Postcard

My Nashville Post News Alert let me know they had taken a 'fine tooth comb to English First'. I got my hopes up...but that's not what they did at all with the petition postcard. Following in the 'make fun of it' instead of actually examine and argue it camp they critique the grammar and punctuation on the plea for signature side but didn't bother to do half as in depth an examination of the actual amendment. They didn't mention that side at all.

This is another example of what I wrote about this morning. How does this actually move the discussion forward? It doesn't. I expected the Post to turn the postcard over and dissect the amendment itself instead of wasting time and pixels on playing around. Here's the text of the amendment again. Maybe this weekend they'll have some time to give the other side of this card equal treatment. I've got plenty of red pens here if they need them.

The undersigned residents and qualified voters of Davidson County, Tennessee, do hereby propose the following amendment to the Metropolitan charter to be voted on by the people at the November 4, 2008 election. A new section numbered 1.08 will be added to Article 1 of the Metropolitan Charter. The new section shall state the following: "English is the official language of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. Official actions (those which bind or commit the government) shall be taken only in the English language, and all official government communications and publications shall be published only in English. No person shall have a right to government services in any other language. All meetings of the Metro Council, boards, and Commissions of the Metropolitan government shall be conducted in English. Nothing in this measure shall be interpreted to conflict with federal or state law." Voters shall be provided the two choices of FOR and AGAINST.

Residents v. Citizens

Mayor Karl Dean's recent comments as carried at NewsChannel 5 are disappointing and bring up an issue that needs to be discussed. The context is the proposed charter amendment to make English the official language of Metro business.

In a statement Thursday, Mayor Dean said the city has an obligation to protect and serve residents without regard to the language they speak.

If protect and serve means provide basic emergency services and rooting out criminal behavior which takes advantage of them...I'm with him. I don't see the charter amendment as preventing our EMT, fire or police from doing that though. But if the Mayor's comments mean more than the emergency services I'd like to know if he is the mayor of the residents of Nashville or its citizens? Did residents vote him into office or did citizens? There is a difference and I think our community needs to discuss the differences.

I know that those opposed to the amendment want to make it all about those big bad xenophobes denying a pregnant Kurdish speaking woman from obtaining emergency medical care because it makes for easy sensational headlines, however, this amendment is more about the mundane business of the city and the consequences of translating from my point of view. I haven't seen opponents explain how Metro will not be held responsible in such cases. They fall back on the weaker, emotional and distracting rhetoric instead of addressing legitimate concerns about the running of our government, our liabilities, the costs. They ignore the Metro Council's vote for English First last year as if the will of the people via their elected representatives is inconsequential...and thanks to Bill Purcell's veto pen, it was.

While I understand that many residents are utilizing Metro services and paying some taxes which help pay for those services residents haven't made the extra commitment of declaring/obtaining citizenship and registering to vote and participating in the electoral system. Should our elected officials consider their wants over the needs of citizens? Should those who have not, or cannot, make the commitment to citizenship have all the rights of citizenship?

Hat tip: AC Kleinheider

This new right is wrong

More on the renewed battle to make Nashville's official language English. This quote from Mayor Karl Dean:

Dean specifically took issue with specific phrasing of the charter amendment proposal, which states, “No person shall have a right to government services in any other language.” City Paper

We're handing out 'rights' left and ...well, right in this nation. We invent them out of whole cloth. So now, surely Dean isn't saying new citizens have a right to have government business conducted in their native language? How can that possibly jibe with the requirement that new citizens must prove their proficiency in English? If he thinks it'll be expensive to defend the constitutionality of this charter amendment, wait until he sees the bill for this new right.

Overiding Purcell's Veto

Councilman Eric Crafton hasn't given up on English being the official language of the business of Metro Nashville. According to this morning's City Paper he's taking it to the people and it's very likely to be on the November ballot along with the presidental candidates.

The new ballot initiative comes just over a year after Crafton’s ordinance to accomplish the same thing was passed by Council with a 23-14 vote but subsequently vetoed by Mayor Bill Purcell.

I don't think Crafton will have a n y trouble getting the 10,103 signatures needed to get this on the November ballot.

To review my opinion on the matter:

1. It's foolish to take on the responsibility of ensuring that every language gets equal treatment in Metro business. The liability of not correctly translating could be enormous. The costs of providing materials in multitudes of languages shouldn't be overlooked. What language gets left out because of an arbitrary decision about 'the need' for that particular language?
2. For the safety and well-being of immigrants, as well as citizens, we need to encourage in every way possible their learning English. I'd rather spend money there than on printing things in who knows how many languages which is just a stop-gap measure. Haven't we seen enough stories about how immigrants are taken advantage of because they haven't learned English and haven't assimilated? Their inability to speak English handicaps them in every day life and encourages predators.

“No person shall have a right to government services in any other language. All meetings of the Metro Council, Boards and Commissions of the Metropolitan Government shall be conducted in English. Nothing in this measure shall be interpreted to conflict with federal or state law.”

http://nashvilleenglishfirst.com/

English Official Language

A couple of interesting quotes from the morning papers regarding the English First bill:

But Gregg Ramos, a Nashville attorney and first-generation American of Mexican heritage, said the loophole for "public health, safety or welfare" is so large it makes the law meaningless, because everything government does should promote those goals. Tennessean

But it was hard not to notice that Mr. Ramos and his partners expended a great deal of time and effort in a failed attempt to keep this 'meaningless' bill from passing.

Ralph Schulz, president of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, which lobbied against the bill, said, "From our perspective, the job just got a little tougher to prove to the world that Nashville is the inclusive city it is." Tennessean

"Little" being the operative word. Ralph Schultz is a smart fellow. I don't believe for a moment that his efforts will be hampered much at all. It's not like there is some 'full disclosure' law that says you have to put in your presentations and propaganda that this law was passed. And you've got the testimony of thousands and thousands of visitors and businesses who have found Nashville to be quite friendly and accommodating. We never expected our visitors to speak Southern, let alone English. And business that come here--well, CM Eric Crafton is exactly correct--English is the language of business.

I didn't realize last evening that one of the mayoral candidates failed to vote. That was neighbor David Briley. This is the time when those who wish to lead our community need to demonstrate their ability to lead. This was an important vote, politically, and I'm told David Briley was there but inexplicably absent when it came time to count the votes. I'm disappointed that neither the Tennessean nor the City Paper bothered to ask and publish Mr. Briley's good reason for having left the room. This wasn't a long drawn out debate. It was about 20 minutes. What couldn't wait 20 minutes?

The Tennessean provides a breakdown of the vote. Mayoral candidates are in bold:

YES
Carolyn Baldwin Tucker, Walter Hunt, Michael Craddock, Pam Murray, Jason Hart, Rip Ryman, Feller Brown, Jim Gotto, Harold White, J.B. Loring, Ludye Wallace, Billy Joe Walls, Edward Whitmore, Eric Crafton, Emily Evans, John Summers, Greg Adkins, Randy Foster, Jason Alexander, Vivian Wilhoite, Sam Coleman, Robert Duvall, Charlie Tygard

NO
Buck Dozier, Adam Dread, Brenda Gilmore, Jamie Isabel, Mike Jameson, Erik Cole, Jim Forkum, Carl Burch, Anna Page, Ginger Hausser, Jim Shulman, Jim Hodge, Parker Toler, Lynn Williams

ABSENT
Diane Neighbors, David Briley, Ronnie Greer

FINAL TALLY
23 in favor
14 against
3 absent