Today the amendment to make English the official language for Nashville government was defeated.
The proposal sparked intense debate. Proponents said using one language would have united the city, but others worried it would have given the city a bad reputation. Lost in translation?Exactly how much translation would have been silenced if the measure had passed was murky. While it would have required that all government communication and publications be printed in English, it would have allowed an exception for public health and safety.
The referendum’s leader, promoted it as a way to unite Nashville and prevent the kind of extensive translation services — and the associated expenses — provided by cities like New York or Los Angeles.
It seems like the amendment is just an important part of keeping government small by having one language. If you moved to France to start a business, you would be expected to speak French. That doesn’t mean that you would not be welcome there, it would mean that you would need to respect the language.
Several argued the measure would tarnish the city’s welcoming image, harm tourism and business recruitment and endanger federal funding for many city services.
Nashville's documented translation expenses have totaled over $522,000 since 2004. Thirty states and at least a dozen cities have declared English their official language. About 10 percent of Nashville’s nearly 600,000 people speak a language other than English in their homes, according to census data. The city is 5 percent Hispanic and home to the nation’s largest Kurdish community and refugees from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Was it a right move to defeat the amendment...I'll leave that up to you to decide if you didn't go vote today!
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