The words, “Iowa — You Make Me Smile,” welcome visitors, tourists and promising new residents at all major entrances to our state. But the Iowa Senate is sending out a different message to encompass the heartland’s borders. It sounds something more like “Iowa — We’re Not Racists, We Just Want Everyone Here To Be The Same.”

The English-only language bill, which has already passed through the Iowa Senate and is up for review in the House, has been a hotbed of controversy throughout the state.

The bill, once in practice, punishes immigrants for being foreigners and violates their rights.

Efforts to enact this bill disregard cultural pluralism and deprives those in need of education, social services and employment.

This is not the first time a similar proposal was found unconstitutional.

In 1780 John Adams made a proposal to the Continental Congress suggesting that an official academy be created to “purify, develop and dictate the usage of English.”

His proposal was rejected as undemocratic and a threat to individual liberty. I implore you, what has changed?

From the time of this country’s inception, it has been commonplace in the U.S. to hear as many as 20 languages spoken in daily life.

Even the Articles of the Confederation were printed in German and English.

Multilingualism is what makes the United States of America a fantasyland for citizens around the world.

Accepting diversity is what this country was founded upon. As of 1993, there were more than 185 different languages spoken in New York City schools. In one Los Angeles school, 60 different languages were spoken in the homes of students.

This is the melting pot that signifies the American liberty that brought so many of our ancestors to this country.

A call for English as an official language solicits unwarranted federal regulation of self-expression, ignores our civil rights tradition, restricts the government’s ability to reach all of its citizens and neglect the need for American merchants to communicate with foreign markets.

This bill promotes an irreconcilable cleavage and hostility toward those whose first language is not English.

Iowans supporting the English- only legislation claim the bill sets a standard that being fluent in English is necessary in order to succeed in this country.

People, let’s not condescend to the millions of immigrants struggling to learn English every day.

Immigrants learn quickly that to survive and be prosperous in the United States one needs to know English, but no law will speed up the lengthy and difficult process of learning another language.

I spend a couple of nights a week tutoring some exceptionally bright international students enrolled in graduate programs at Iowa State University.

They have each spent years studying English, but mastering the complicated language can at times seem like an impossible task.

These educated individuals would make a great asset to an Iowa that longs to keep its younger generations from moving to the bigger cities.

Do we want to send these individuals the legalized message to stay away unless they speak English?

A leading supporter of the bill, Fort Dodge Republican Michael Cormack claims that people against this bill are in the vast minority of public opinion. “Everyday, typical, normal Iowans support this measure,” Cormack said.

Who is the typical Iowan?

Is someone born and raised in Iowa more valuable than the Bosnian gentleman who moves in down the street?

I guarantee he’s probably paying more in taxes than I am.

Though the current bill only applies to a few documents already published in English, this is just the first step in alienating our valued immigrants.

Let’s not promote another generation of hatred and self-righteousness in the children of this country’s native English speakers.

This place we lovingly call Iowa can benefit us all if it welcomes diversity and well-promoted understanding of other cultures.

---

Ellyn Peterson is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Algona.