No más in the Senate – Los Angeles Times

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THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) observed Thursday, “brings out the best in our society and the worst in our society.” And what’s true for society is doubly true for the Senate. Its 63-34 vote Thursday to make English the national language of the United States might not have been its worst moment, but it did highlight the dark side of U.S. politics.

Faced with the apparently nerve-rattling sight of millions of peaceful Spanish-speakers petitioning for inclusion in the American dream, Congress has become hysterical. An amendment by Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.) to the Senate immigration bill would require Washington to “preserve and enhance the role of English.” Leave aside the question of what exactly this means for current or prospective citizens. Who could have guessed that some of the same crowd that cheered the renaming of “freedom fries” just three years ago would today aspire to follow the linguistic and assimilationist example of France?”

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