RubberBuzz || Akron Unleashed: Ignorance Is Bliss

7.21.2005

Ignorance Is Bliss

Norton is a "special place" full of "special people." Now they want to add a very "special rule" to the books. A townsmember who is, umm, advanced in age has been pushing for a city resolution to make English the official language.

The all-English resolution has been floating around Norton Council for years. It has repeatedly been proposed by Norton resident George Tomko.

``I've been trying to get this through for about six years,'' Tomko said, ``but I wanted English to be the official language of the whole city, not just the government.''

Tomko said he objects to signs in stores that list products in English, Spanish and other languages. ``What made this country great, I believe, is that people who came here learned to understand English,'' he said. ``I think English should be dominant.''

I hate to be a bubble-burster, well, I take that back, I like to burst the bubble of ignorant people. The United States of America has no official language. That's right, Spanish, German, Zulu, Chinese, Japanese and countless other languages are all just as important English when it comes to our nation. Sure some are spoken more then others, but they're all important.

Mr. Tomko seems to forget that America is not a lone island. We must act as a global community. If everything in America was taught in English and recorded in English, how would we deal with the rest of the world, you know, the rest of the world that drives our economy? This seems like an ignorant move on the part of the city, setting back civil rights. And why? To please a 78-year-old man.

I wonder if Mr. Tomko has ever been to Lorain? Lorain is a Spanish-speaking Mecca in this area. Or has he been to Amish Country? The Amish who left Europe to avoid pursecution settled their own German speaking community. Or what about the Arabic markets over on Lorain Ave in Cleveland? The French bistros owns by immigrants? The Chinese import shop over on East Market Street? It seems we're surrounded by languages other then English. So should a man so blind, willingly or unwillingly, to the culture that surrounds dictate how our government should be run? I think not.

The BJ :: Norton may say adios to, well, adios

(joe :: Ignorance Is Bliss)

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