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Arizona Daily Star
09.28.2006
Tucson, Arizona | Published: http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/148683
Gabrielle Giffords and Ron Drake are running for the U.S House of
Representatives.
But it was a proposed change in state law that prompted a crowd of military
veterans and their spouses to put the pair on the spot Tuesday
"Why can't you make a 10-word law? Ten words. English is the language of the
United States of America," one woman asked, which brought a loud round of
applause.
She wasn't the only one to raise the issue at a forum hosted by the Society
of Military Widows and the Military Officers Association of America.
Giffords, a Democrat who is running against Republican Randy Graf in
Congressional District 8, told them, "English is our official language, and
we don't do enough to make sure people speak not just English, but proper
English.
Why then, another speaker asked, "If we're really serious about English as
our official language, why do we print everything in two languages?"
Giffords responded, "There are federal and state laws that dictate that. My
biggest concern is that we are educating our kids so they can be productive,
successful members of society."
Later she added: "But I agree that English needs to be spoken by every
person living here."
Drake, a Republican running against incumbent Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva,
said "You're going to speak English in the boardroom — you better learn it
going to the boardroom, or you'll never get there."
Drake supports declaring English the official language.
Neither Grijalva nor Graf could attend because they are in Washington.
In polling, most Americans say they would like to see such a law.
Arizona will vote this November on an referendum — Proposition 103 — that
would declare English the official language of the state, restricting acts
on the part of some governments to offer information in multiple languages.
Drake and Graf both have said they are in favor of it. A spokeswoman for
Grijalva said the congressman feels there's no reason for the proposition.
In an interview after her appearance, Giffords said she needed to see the
wording of the proposed Constitutional amendment before saying how she would
vote. "I obviously believe every American has to speak English. My concern
is to not be discriminatory. That's my biggest concern," she said.
● Contact reporter Daniel Scarpinato at 807-7789 or
dscarpinato@azstarnet.com.
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