California Lawmakers pass bill to protect language freedom

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 20 August 2009 | Wyatt Buchanan

[CounterCounterCulture]

Lawmakers pass bill to protect language freedom

California would protect the freedom of a person to speak any language he or she chooses in a business establishment under a measure approved by the state Legislature today.

The bill, authored by Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, is the lawmaker's response to a controversial proposal by the LPGA last fall requiring golfers to speak "effective English." The organization scuttled the proposal after loud objections by Yee and others, and the Democrat says this legislation will ensure it does not happen again.

"No one in the state of California should be compelled to speak a particular language to get service," Yee said. "It just boggles the mind that in the year 2009, when we are constantly talking about global trade and bringing customers from other countries to California that we would not have a law that protects everyone's ability to speak."

The law, which now heads to the governor's desk, would make it a violation of the Unruh Civil Rights Act, the state's highest civil rights law, if a business "requires, limits or prohibits" the use of any language, except if doing so is a business necessity.

(snip)

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, called the measure "another full employment act for California's attorneys."

"This is the last sort of thing we need to do - to put additional burdens on businesses," DeVore said during debate over the measure today.

[Crazieman]

Oh my..

The unintended consequences.

I’m going to learn Klingon!

[SkyDancer]

Can’t serve them if you can’t understand them. So how many languages do people in the Peoples Democratic Republick of Kalifonia have to learn to speak? (PDRK). Liberal insanity again.

[muawiyah]

So your boss speaks only English and you speak only Spanish and he says to you "Read this pamplet and sign your name on the line and you get a 5% raise", and then you just stand there and say to "the man" "I don't gotta' speak no English to you" and walk off.

Yeah, this is gonna' improve California.

I've already run into situations there where the help didn't care to help because they just didn't understand English.

California is in error attempting to take care of the foreigners first and the American citzens last.

[HiTech RedNeck]

The bill, authored by Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, is the lawmaker's response to a controversial proposal by the LPGA last fall requiring golfers to speak "effective English."

Well, more people understand "Fore!" than "Avant!"

[Captain Rhino]

So, based on the article, a person who is either 1) non-English speaking or 2) chooses not to speak English today can enter an establishment and demand/request service in say...an obscure dialect of a little spoken Central Asian language. Of course, the service employee doesnot understand and replies in English to that effect. The business has no obligation under this law to try to engage the person in their language. The two fail to communicate but that is apparently okay under this law, as reported. However, it is an offense if the service employee were to ask the person to explain themselves in English so that they can be served. I’m not sure if it is an offense to not serve them because you cannot understand what they want.

California, where the lunatics really are running the asylum.

[norton]

"I've already run into situations there where the help didn't care to help because they just didn't understand English."

...until it is in their best interests to understand just fine; gracias usted!

[muawiyah]

In California there really are people who don’t know English. I suppose they imagine you can have a decent life without knowing the language but then you get trapped in working in only 4 or 5 stores along Vista Way.

[edcoil]

Would have been nice to put the bill number in the entire friggen article so when we call Arnold we can reference it.

[edcoil]

Senate bill 242.

Call arnold and tell him to veto it.

[papasmurf]

Try that shiit in France, Monsieur Yee. They’ll look at you and say something I’m sure is disgusting, and walk away while flailing their arms in the air.

Here, let me fix that statement for you...

“No one in the state of California should be compelled to speak a particular language to run their businesses,”

[Myrddin]

I patronized a La Salsa taco shop for 18 months. The staff recognized me when I came in. Sometimes they even remembered my favorite orders. I arrived one afternoon to find the staff addressing me only in Spanish. I accommodated them by placing my order in Welsh. After giving me a puzzled look, I suggested we conduct business in English. We both understand that language. They got the message. They aren't the only people who speak something other than English.

[Myrddin]

I was amused when patronizing a Chinese restaurant in Mons, Belgium. I ordered my Chinese food in French. The server proceeded to convey my order to the kitchen in Mandarin. Amusing for a native English speaker. Perhaps I should go directly for ordering in Mandarin next time.

[EGPWS]

Let me guess, it's a God given right.

Are there enough keys on a phone so we can chose a language or will we have to text instead?

Freedom my a$$, it's freedom lost by having to pay for and cope with multiple languages.

So much for "One nation under God"...

[EGPWS]

California is in error attempting to take care of the foreigners first and the American citzens last.

How can you say such a thing when California is the ONLY state with a budget surplus in these times of financial peril? /s

[AmericanInTokyo]

I would get someone in there to "test" it right away.

Somebody working at a Taco Bell or a Home Depot, start peppering their comments with "Praise God", or "Praise the Lord", or "Thank you Jesus" while on the job and in earshot of people, praising heaven for various things.

Watch how soon it is before they are called in and warned or fired.

[HoosierHawk]

Democrats pandering to every minority block available. No matter how small.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

NEVER FORGET

.

T’was a then California State Assemblyman LELAND YEE (D) of San Francisco who prevented the California State Legislature from officially recognizing the FREEDOM & HERITAGE Flag of the former Republic of South Vietnam.

A move that would have California officially endorse this Flag to represent the many Vietnamese Americans living in the State.

Now State Senator YEE (D) preferred that the State of California continue to recognize the Communist Flag that now flies over an enslaved Vietnam instead.

Requiring the Governor of California’s signature on an Executive Order to overide then Assemblymember LELAND YEE’s obstinance.

An Executive Order signed in Little Saigon, California. The very Heart of a most happy Vietnamese American Community.

T’was a great day to witness firsthand for this Vietnam War Veteran as well.

(Photos & Article from Official Governor of California Website)
http://gov.ca.gov/press-release/3162

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NEVER FORGET

.

[The Cajun]

Hot damn!!! This should really help their state from going and/or being broke. (LMAO.... and I'm from Louisiana!

[AuntB]

Good grief!

Californians!
Get On the Bandwagon!
Taxpayer Protection Act of 2010
Get The Petitions Pronto!
http://www.taxpayerrevolution.org/