Opinions from around the country

As surprising as it may seem to anyone reading this, not everyone in the state of Iowa can speak and understand English. Many immigrants to the state arrive knowing little or no English at all. They come here looking for a new life in a new land, and they hope to pick up the language after they move.

Unfortunately, a new bill introduced in the Iowa Legislature seems to send the message that these immigrants are neither wanted nor welcome in Iowa. The bill, if it passes, will make English the state’s official language and require that all official communications be printed exclusively in English. Surely our legislators have better things to do than to argue over a bill that accomplishes nothing besides alienating our immigrant population.

Although we still lag behind the rest of the nation, Iowa is becoming progressively more diverse, especially when it comes to Latinos. In 1990, Latinos made up 1.2 percent of the total population. In 2000, by contrast, this had more than doubled to 2.8 percent, and Latinos now make up Iowa’s largest minority population.

For many of these people, English is an unfamiliar second language that they are learning to speak while they live, work, and go to school. Sponsors of the new bill assert that by passing the bill, we will be sending these people the message that learning English is necessary to live in Iowa.

While it is, in fact, vitally important that immigrants learn to speak English, it is of equal importance that Iowans recognize and make allowances for the hard-working immigrants who have come here to find a better life. If the state government truly wants to help immigrants learn English, then perhaps it could increase funding to English as a Second Language programs, rather than passing pointless laws.

Passing this bill would send the wrong message concerning Iowa’s commitment to increasing diversity. Rather than forcing immigrants to learn English in order to read official state documents, the state should instead encourage them to learn while at the same time accepting and aiding those who do not yet speak English.

By showing that Iowa is sympathetic to the needs and concerns of its immigrant population, we can continue the trend towards diversity that has gotten us this far.

This editorial comes from The Daily Iowan at the University of Iowa. This column was distributed by U-Wire.

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