<Only United States citizens registered to vote may cast ballots in American elections. Right?
Right.
And naturalized citizens must demonstrate “an understanding of the English language, including the ability to read, write and speak simple words and phrases…in ordinary usage in the English language.” Right?
Right.
Then what insanity prompted the U.S. Justice Dept. to require local American election boards to publish ballots in a foreign language if five percent of the electorate population doesn’t speak English?
Ballots now have to be published in Spanish, Navajo, Ute, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, Duri, Punjabi, Japanese, Korean and Cambodian—to name a few.
Valid arguments exist for publishing government documents in foreign languages so legal aliens—visitors and immigrants alike—can understand American procedures, rules, regulations, laws.
Persons gaining naturalized citizenship, however, must have English-language skills. If they don’t, then the process is flawed and should be corrected. (22 MAY 2005)
