Campus Voices and the English Only Movement
The purpose of the English-only movement is to make English the official language of the United States. The earliest mention appears to have taken place in the early 1900s by President Theodore Roosevelt who was quoted as saying, "We have room for but one language in this country, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding house." In 1984, the movement received national attention when the term 'English-only' was introduced in California by supporters of a 1984 inititative opposing bilingual ballots. Civil rights leaders spoke out including Dr. Hector P. Garcia, the American GI Forum and LULAC as well as students from various campuses across the country.
Areas of concern for opponents include:
- Bilingual ballots would not be allowed
- Bilingual education would be discontinued
- Translators would not be made available in hospitals, schools, the justice system, banking and elsewhere
- Only English would be allowed to be spoken in public
Dr. Hector P. Garcia speaks out against English-only movement
Dr. Hector P. Garcia states the English-only movement is a neo-Nazi philosophy
Dr. Hector P. Garcia's desk and chair
Dr. Hector P. Garcia's typewriter
Protest poster from Del Mar College debate
Protest poster from Del Mar College debate
Protest poster from Del Mar College debate
Del Mar College debate between Linda Chavez and Ruben Bonilla
VCR tape recording of the English-only debate at Del Mar College
Quote from supporter of English-only
Student editorial in The Ranger, student newspaper of San Antonio College
Student editorials in The Prospector, student newspaper of UT-El Paso
Children demonstrate against English-only Proposition 227 in Oakland, CA in 1998