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Washington, DC. – Civica Americana
participated in its first official event of
the year when the organization's president Paul Crespo
spoke at the Congressional Hispanic
Institute's panel, “Official English vs.
English Plus: The U.S. Language Policy
Debate,” in Washington, DC on March 5, 2008.
The Forum was held in Rayburn House Office
Building on Capitol Hill and attracted an
audience of approximately 50 activists and
policy professionals eager to learn more
about this significant issue.
The
panelists represented a variety of views on
this controversial topic and there was
extensive audience participation. The event
was moderated by Octavio Hinojosa, CHLI's
Executive Director. The panelists included:
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Mr.
Paul Crespo, President, Civica
Americana (Hispanic-American Civics
Foundation)
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Dr.
Miguel Martinez Lopez, Education &
Science Commissioner, Embassy of Spain
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Mr.
Rob Toonkel, Director of Communications,
U.S. English, Inc.
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Mr.
John Trasvina, President and General
Counsel, Mexican American Legal Defense
Fund (MALDEF)
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Mr.
Brent Wilkes, National Executive
Director, League of United Latin
American Citizens (LULAC)
CHLI’s
Chairman, Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart
(R-FL), opened the event by reminding the
audience that President John Adams once
proposed creating a National Academy of
English to improve English language usage.
Congressman Diaz-Balart also emphasized the
importance of knowing more than one language
noting that each additional language was
“like having a key to another cultural
universe.”
Rob
Toonkel began the discussion by defending
his organization’s proposal for a
constitutional amendment making English the
official language of the US government,
saying, “Effective government policy must
promote individual self-sufficiency and
success.
Making English the official language of the
United States will put government agencies
on the proper side of encouraging English
learning rather than providing a permanent
linguistic crutch,”
Both
John Trasvina and Brent Wilkes strongly
criticized the “Official English” proposal,
arguing that it was not needed, would not
achieve the desired results and would create
increased discrimination.
They used examples of cases were official
English laws at the state level had absurdly
gotten Hispanics and other language
minorities fired for speaking a foreign
language in innocuous circumstances.
Both questioned the motivation behind the
proposal, hinting that many groups and
individuals affiliated with the idea were
anti-Hispanic.
Paul Crespo took a more neutral approach,
explaining that Civica Americana
did not take a an official stand on the
proposed legislation. He related his
observations to his personal experiences as
an officer in the US Marines, English
language newspaper columnist and Spanish
language radio host.
“Our organization’s primary mission
domestically is to promote Hispanic
integration and success in the American
system, he said, “English language
proficiency is critical to achieving that.”
(cont)
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Audience |
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Robert Toonkel (left), Paul Crespo (center),
and Dr. Miguel Martinez
Lopez (right) |
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John Trasvina, Octavio Hinojosa, Paul Crespo
and Robert Toonkel |
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Paul Crespo (speaking), Brent Wilkes (left),
Robert Toonkel (right)
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But he added, “From personal experience I
also clearly understand that knowing
additional languages is a tremendous asset
in today’s global economy. We strongly
support all efforts to help maintain or
learn a second language -- you can be a
patriotic American and also speak Spanish.”
Dr.
Miguel Martinez Lopez wrapped up the
briefing by providing a European and scientific
perspective to the debate explaining the
value of true bilingualism, noting its many
proven benefits to brain development and
long-term mental health.
“Good
bilingual/bi-literacy programs effectively
foster the appreciation of other cultures,
tend to prevent nationalist arrogance and
provide better job opportunities to compete
internationally,” said Dr. Lopez.
(END)
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