Calls For English Only Government Documents In Colorado

A Colorado Republican representative wants government documents to be printed only in English:

DENVER - A state representative wants all government documents in Colorado to be printed in English.

The State House Committee is discussing the proposal Tuesday.

Republican Representative Dave Schultheis of Colorado Springs, wants all official state documents to be in English. "I believe that's necessary, there is a tendency right now in our society to start to use two, three different kinds of languages," says Schultheis.

He says his English-only proposal will unite with a common language.

"So we can actually encourage people to learn the English language, I think for the most part, most us would tend to opt out to what our native language is, just because it's easier, but in the end, that does not help that citizen to be productive in our society," Schultheis says.

Of course, a democratic opponent could not hesitate to raise the "race" card, and impugn those who support English as "racist":

"Is it the old message of the KKK, supremacist," says Democratic Representative Val Vigil of Thornton, "a pure nation. Is that what we're all about? Where we're headed, that's not what America is all about."

"The whole issue of it is, there are some consequences we need to look at," says Vigil, "what happens when the communication, when it doesn't happen, when an emergency happens, when somebody dies, who's going be liable for it? There are humane issues that we deal with in here."

The measure has a long way to go. It will have to be approved by the majority in committee Tuesday, then two thirds of the House and the Senate will have to approve it before it can go on the ballot for voters to decide on in November.

Apparently Vigil believes that speaking multiple languages encourages and improves communication--oh wait, we're all supposed to learn Spanish! Nevermind.