Rep. Courtney Combs, Wins the Unicornhat "Hater of the Year" Award

Back to our dear, idiotic Rep. Courtney Combs (so soon!). His latest and greatest idea is known as the Ohio English Unity Act (I for one, do not want to be "united" with this fool, in fact I'm mounting a campaign to make it illegal for him to enter the state): declaring English as Ohio's "official" language. Rep. Combs, I ask you: Why are you giving Ohio such a bad name? I mean, my goodness... as an Ohioan I already have to apologize to the rest of the world for Bush! REALLY FOLKS, THIS GUY IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF OHIO (even if he is a Representative of Ohio).

Here's the story from the Dispatch:

Bill may push for English only
State-documents idea called rights violation
Monday, October 31, 2005
Sherri Williams
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

A proposed law intended to unite Ohioans under one language could instead divide immigrants and native-born Americans, opponents of the legislation say.

The Ohio English Unity Act would declare English as the state’s official language and require state agencies to produce records only in English.

State Rep. Courtney Combs said he will introduce the bill in the House by the end of the year.

"I do not want to see the U.S. as a bilingual nation; it divides it," the Hamilton Republican said. "The business language of the world is English. If we go down the line and have different pockets of different people speaking different dialogues, it creates a problem."

Forms and pamphlets, such as crime victim’s information that is now printed in Spanish by the Ohio attorney general’s office, would be available only in English.

The legislation disrespects immigrants, said Julia Arbini Carbonell, president of the Ohio Hispanic Coalition. "It’s telling a certain group in Ohio that, ‘We simply don’t want you here.’

"It’s a bill about intolerance."

The legislation could conflict with an amendment of civilrights law that requires government agencies to ensure that people who don’t speak English well are receiving services, said Benson A. Wolman, chief executive and general counsel at the Equal Justice Foundation in Columbus.

"It’s of questionable legality and could prompt litigation," he said. "But I expect the common sense of the General Assembly will avoid that need."

The state law, Combs said, would apply only to state publications and would comply with federal law. He said he has the support of 21 other legislators and thinks the bill will pass.

The Ohio Department of Administrative Services spent $103,156 on translating documents into other languages from October of last year through this month, said Ben Piscitelli, spokesman for the department. That does not include translated materials printed by other state offices.

While Combs wants to eliminate state documents in languages other than English, the city of Columbus wants to increase the number of documents in Spanish, said Lillian Williams, the city’s new-Americans coordinator.

The Fire Division publishes publicinformation requests and forms about testing smoke-alarm systems in Spanish. The Police Division also publishes forms in Spanish.

"Our whole goal is to make sure our limited-English residents have full access to city service," Williams said. Documents also will be printed in Somali, she said.

When the Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs learned of Combs’ bill, it conducted a survey to gauge Ohioans’ attitudes on language issues, said Ezra Escudero, executive director of the commission.

The survey, distributed to 724 people across the state, found that 89 percent think government offices should offer services in languages other than English. Twenty-six percent thought the proposed legislation would encourage immigrants to learn English.

The commission has been working with Combs to develop a bill that does not persecute people who are trying to learn English, Escudero said. Expanding language instruction, promoting multiple-language skills and bolstering funding to groups that help immigrants are better alternatives, he said.

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission ruled this month that a tavern in Mason named the Pleasure Inn engaged in discriminatory practices when it put a sign in its window stating: "For service, speak English."

State law prohibits denying access to public accommodations based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or ancestry.

"That sign is the equivalent of a 1960s ‘whites only’ sign," said Christia Alou White, spokeswoman for the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. "Language is an inherent characteristic of their national origin."

The Ohio English Unity Act could provoke other incidents like the Pleasure Inn case, Carbonell said.

"It gives the green light for those who are intolerant to be more aggressive about it."

sherri.williams@dispatch.com