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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 8:40 p.m. ET: WALNUT, Calif. -- For Walnut residents who do not speak English, participating in City Council meetings and addressing local officials may soon become more difficult.
Council members voted 5-0 this week to postpone a decision on a proposal that would ask non-English speakers to provide their own interpreters for all Council proceedings, which would be conducted only in English.
But the prospect of English-only public meetings remains a distinct possibility. A vote may happen later this month, when the council is scheduled to meet again on July 25.
Though a formal decision has yet to be made, the proposed English-only policy has already raised concerns among some local residents, who fear the move would violate civil rights and unfairly disadvantage a portion of the population.
Nearly two-thirds of Walnut's residents and three of the five council members are Asian.
The proposal comes at the helm of decades of similar policies targeting the growing immigrant population in nearby cities in the San Gabriel Valley, which has transitioned from a predominantly Caucasian collection of suburbs into a center of Asian culture in Southern California.
The English-only proposal was brought to the council by local resident Wendy Barend Toy, who said she could not understand several commenters who spoke Chinese when addressing the council.
On Wednesday, the council voted to seek federal review from the U.S. Department of Justice before making a decision on the proposal.
Daisy Duan, 27, a graduate student at the University of Southern California who speaks limited English, said in Chinese that the proposal would "definitely" affect her ability to participate in local politics.
"I feel like English is still very difficult," Duan said. "I know many first-generation immigrants who, when they came to America, could not speak even a single word ... It's not fair."
Duan added that she thinks the proposal is particularly problematic in California, which has a higher proportion of immigrants than any other state.
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According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Asians represented nearly 64 percent of Walnut’s population. Whites accounted for about 24 percent, and blacks for nearly 3 percent, with the remaining residents from other races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race represented about 19 percent of the population.
Walnut Councilman Tom King said Friday that the city simply can not afford to hire an interpreter for every meeting. He supports the idea of English-only meetings but has reservations about specifics in the proposal.
King said it is uncommon for residents to address the council in a language other than English, so the demand for an interpreter does not justify the costs.
"It would be a financial restriction and waste of money," King said.
He added that the last time a resident spoke to the council in a language other than English was when a Mandarin-speaking resident came to the podium in April.
Still, King said the council hopes to represent all voices and has considered alternative solutions.
"Nobody wants to disenfranchise anybody," King said. "It's just that our meetings are held in English, and we have someone record the meetings in English, and if they speak [a different language], their remarks are not understood."
King said he has suggested that the Council create a "standby volunteer interpreter list" to provide language support.
But Sissy Trinh, an active member of local advocacy group Southeast Asian Community Alliance, said she has noticed that similar initiatives in other cities ended up as "abysmal" failures. Translation is a mentally exhausting activity and volunteer help can be unreliable, she added.
"You have to assume that people can take that time off and that they're willing to," Trinh said. "You don't know what the quality [of translation] is, and I've heard of cases where people are brought in to translate and end up speaking the wrong dialect."
Trinh added that she considered the proposal a "civil rights violation" that "definitely doesn't build trust with government officials."
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But King said he was not worried about volunteer recruitment. There are many bilingual students in the region who are eager to give back to their community, he said.
Austin Yuan, 25, a first generation immigrant who is fluent in English, said he could understand the motives behind the proposal.
"As a citizen, you have to understand that perhaps it's not just the responsibility of the government to just serve you," Yuan said. "They have to look at everyone."
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Still, Yuan said he sympathized with citizens who do not speak English and feel they are being "cheated out of their tax money."
The legal debate will likely come down to an "access issue" for those who do not speak English, according to Los Angeles-based civil rights attorney Lisa Maki.
She said it's a complicated issue, but added that developing a volunteer interpreter datase will likely help the city of Walnut avoid legal problems.
The Council is expected to vote on the matter later this month, pending input from the U.S. Department of Justice on any civil rights or legal issues associated with the proposal.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to properly describe how the U.S. Census accounts for Hispanics or Latinos: People who identified themselves as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban or listed their “origin” as Spanish, Hispanic or Latino. Hispanics or Latinos may be of any race.
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Leave a Comment:
I live in a city with significant populations of Mexicans, Central Americans, Vietnamese, Chinese, Germans, Russians, and various African and Middle Eastern dialects. Just how many translators is my tax money supposed to keep on staff for the City Council? It is an impractical notion at best.
My great-grandfather was an orphan immigrant from Norway in the 1880's. He learned English when he arrived and he was about 12 yrs old. One day, when I was growing up I asked my grandfather if he spoke Norwegian to his father when they were at home growing up. He became a bit angry with me and fiercely said, "No! We are Americans. We spoke English at home growing up." My great grandfather became a citizen. It is sad that it seems that it is no longer like that here in the USA, everyone wants to come here, but keep their own culture and language, but really, everyone needs to learn at least functional English to live in the USA. I don't see how this is a civil rights issue, learn English, you are in the USA. Our gov't laws are written in English, official business of making laws and the judicial system and everything else is in English. It's wayyy past time to "officially" make English official. I didn't grow up seeing everything in stores with bi-lingual labels and it's annoying that I have to search for English in stores nowadays.
Good job ,this is the USA and we speak english.
If xiaojie Duan's English was good enough to get 550 on the TOEFL required to get into college as a foreign language-speaking student, it's probably even better than that now that she is a graduate student
That means her limited English is probably technically superior to the majority of locally grown citizens, not that they understand the political process any better from being force fed the TV news and other BS media.
As a graduate (Master of Arts in, yes, English) of a major American University, I agree that she probably speaks her native language better than I do, but apparently I speak my native language better than she does. What Chinese University will let me get my PHD there as an English speaking native?
well well well
learn English or move
I am sure there are classes, just as there would be classes in China to learn Chinese
Fair? it is as fair as can be
Spaniard, judging by your comment, we should all be fluid in Arabic (with all of its dialects), Spanish, Hindu, Parsi, how many languages should we be expected to learn just to live in our own country?
Wow what a novel idea, a meeting in the de faco national language. Imagine everyone speaking english, we could all understand each other. Why didn't someone think of this sooner?
English is a world language, In my travels to Brazil, China and Canada, I have seen the English language used in addition to the native language. Signage in these countries are in both the native and English. So to think that to make speaking English just benefits the US is inane. There isn't a country that doesn't speak English to some extent.
I am glad that someone finally had the guts to stand up for the U.S. and demand English at government meetings. One language "English" is what made the U. S. great,. The country everyone hates, but, wants to live in.
Right now we are becoming like Babel where every one speaks something different and our coffers are being drained by printing every thing in in several different languages. Out "representatives"?, have their heads in that dark place when it comes to no having English as our official language.
Like Teddy Roosevelt said-we speak One language in this country-English! If you come here you should Expect to have to learn the language of this country! It is That simple! It is NOT our responsibility to learn Their language, it is Their's to learn Ours! If they cannot, they should Stay Home until they do! Sick and Tired of all the expense of having to provide pamphlets and literature and interpreters for these people who do not have the intelligence and common sense to Learn Our Language! If they do not like it-Go Home!
Seeing that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution (among other important documents), were written in English, that to me implies the language of the United States of America is also English.
Personally I'd be happier if English was set as the official language and be done with it.
When you become a citizen you have to pass a English test????? < TO ANSWER TO " SAXON COMENT".>
What a joke !!!!!!!!!!!
I was so nervous that day, i took English classes , asked my friends if they could give some advise , learn about American history , political Establishment etc..
The day came , i came in the room, a lady told me : Please sit down . She said: I am now , going to test you for your citizenship .
She asked me the time, and said : wish state join last the union? Who is the president ? I got about 10 questions like that , and for the writing test , she asked me to write : I WANT TO BE A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATE.
That was it ! This was in Colorado.
Frankly that is a little disturbing . Now i understand better, why there are so many citizen that can't speak English and demand translators at City Hall .
greatnow Thanks for doing it the right way. Congratulations fellow American!
I'm sorry but this is America where the national language is English. If you can't speak it or understand it then lean the language or leave the country. If your here illegally you shouldn't have the same civil rights anyways as people who are here legaly and contribute positively to our society so you have no argument.
I'm happy for anyone that wants to come to the US and become a citizen BUT we speak English. Learn the language. I don't think we should teach school in any language other than English also.
AMEN. If you don't like our ways. There is a boat leaving US every day be on it.
Just like the old days this is just another way of saying "WHITS ONLY"
You're an idiot, jimc
YEA JMC, UR AN IDIOT !
if you want to live and/or work in this country, learn the language - same with Americans, if we live in another country, etc. learn the language and culture of that country and don't expect interpreters in every language. You can do your own culture/language in your home if you want to keep that up for the sake of your children so they don't forget. Too many people are using non English around us especially in customer service areas where it is becoming hard to understand what people if they are speaking in their own language.
meant what people are saying if they are speaking in their own language...to add, my Mother in law will ask that people speak english around her...
Simple and concrete solution is to learn English, and be able to speak it fluently. Nothing is for frustrating than trying to understand someone on the phone who can't speak English clearly. Worse is when you ask for someone who does, and they transfer the call to another individual who is worse at speaking English fluently. Learn to speak English clearly or don't speak at all. It's not FAIR to those who do speak English fluently, and have to deal with this nightmare as it gets worse and worse. If you can't learn English, go back to the country you speak the language of and stay there. Fair is fair ! Quit sniveling cry baby! Get a life and learn English like everyone else so others don't have to try and understand your poor vocabulary in frustration just because you're too lazy to learn it, and want everyone else to feel sorry for you ! Go sit in the corner with your TV tuned to Sesame Street, and learn the ABC's and how to pronounce the alphabets and vowels for crying out loud !! Children do it, so why can't you Mr or Mis incapable !
I think the City Council should provide interpreter's since most of the people that can't speak English are poor. They should impose a tax on anyone living in the City that makes more than $250,000 a year and have them pay for it.
UR AN IDIOT! dont we have enough taxes....? I guess you make less than 250k is that it?
why should people that make 250k that went to school and worked hard and SPEAK ENGLISH py for the ignorant thick headed people that dont want to learn....? So if I go to Japan, or Russia they are financially responsible for me to speak their language ? you gotta step away from the crack pipe !
you republicans still amaze me..
WHY IS THIS EVEN AN ISSUE, NEVER MIND NEWS !!
If you don't speak English than bring along a translator at your expense...PERIOD ! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT GET THE **CK OUT...LEARN IT AND RETURN.
My parents came here in the early 60s, no skills no language and 2 kids. My dad worked as a dishwasher, my mom cleaned houses..they went to adult night school after working a full time job, to learn the language of their new homeland....!
They learned, and opened bank accounts, did all their own paperwork, became citizens, voted, bought a house and opened 4 successful businesses...and retired at 60 years old ! That's the American dream ! So if you wanna dream, learn to speak or......SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES !
FOOLS !
It should be ENGLISH ONLY across the entire United States of America. That is what we speak here - ENGLISH. If people want to also speak in the language of their native country then that should be the second language not the first. Except for the Native Americans the rest of non english speaking people chose to come here. The very least they should do is learn to speak the language of the country they've chosen to live in. I'm sick and tired of all these people coming in from other countries expecting us to cater to them and make exceptions for them and their language. How many languages does the CA driver's license test have to be written in now days - 18, 20? The freaking signs aren't multiple languages! LEARN ENGLISH PEOPLE! If I were moving to your home country I'm pretty sure you'd expect me to speak the language now wouldn't you?!?!?! We allow you the priviledge of being able to move here and even the ability to become a US citizen the very least you could do is respect our country enough to learn her language! Start changing your ways or stay the heck out!!!!! We already have plenty ignorant Americans we don't need you here too speaking in some other language!!!!!
AMEN
The lengths people will take to remain uneducated, ignorant, and intolerant. I cannot wait for the Hispanic population to outnumber everyone else and pass Spanish only laws. English IS the language but there is no need to have council votes on this.
I believe the discussion is about taxpayers having to provide translators for 30 different languages at a city council meeting. If you do that there are also city council meetings in almost every city in America. Get where I'm going with this? You provide for 1 group you have to provide for all.(equality remember?) This is not about making mexicans learn english this is about if you live in america and want to contribute to society you have to speak the language that the gov operates with. Speak cantoneese or whatever all you want but if you want to have yourself represented in an english speaking system bring a friend to translate for you. We cant afford $20 per hour 4 hours per week, times 30 different languages, times 10,000 cities. just get a friend to translate or learn the language. This is about wasting money that could be spent feeding children. This is not an issue it is how it is. Learn the language or bring a translator. Your friend is a lot cheaper than who the gov would have to pay. I like the volunteer list idea.
It is required on the citizenship test that aliens must speak basic english. If they can not do this, then they should provide their own interpreters at their own cost. But then again, if they can not speak basic english, are they even citizens?
WE ARE IN AMERICA!!!!!!! be proud of your country and do expect people who want to live here to speak English. I wouldn't go to their country and expect them to conform to me. seeing commercials and ads in another language REALLY boils my blood.
AMEN
YOU came to this country to LIVE right? Then STOP thinking we should have to make consessions for you. If you chose to come here then maybe you should CHOOSE to try to acclimate yourself to our culture instead of the other way around.