Thoughts on HB 413

crossposted at YDG blog

I don’t think Avery was the only one of us struck by HB 413. The floor debate brought out the worst and the best of the general assembly that day. Some days in the office you have the live feed on as background noise while you go about your work. Some days there are segments of the day where the live feed is the only thing you can focus on–all those pesky tasks and "job responsibilities" seem to want to get put to the side. 413 had all of us in the office glued to our computers.

As a voter I couldn’t help but wonder: why are we even spending time on this issue?

I was appalled listening to Rep. Charlice Byrd say that English is the "language of capitalism" and that keeping the bill from passing was just one "Big government group hug"; that this kind of "state sponsored multi-culturalism... dilutes English and hurts personal responsibility".

I’d hate to be the one to inform her but the language of the markets is one of supply and demand, its one of price, cost, and profit. I’ve been all over the world having spent time in rural places like Valley, Alabama; Rome, Georgia; Mindanao, a providence in the southern Philippine islands; a small market along the road side of some nowhere train crossing in France.

I’ve also spent time in urban metropolises like Los Angeles, Paris, Manila, Berlin.

I’ve seen markets as complex algorithms in the form of graphs charting out bond markets, or housing stats. I’ve seen markets as complex social interactions of producers bringing and bargaining their goods with buyers.

I’ve smelled the stench of an Athens fish market. I’ve seen the sweat on the brow of a hard working farmer in Alabama. I know the beauty of markets, I know the importance of markets; and it makes me mad when leaders in our state use the market system as a bully pulpit for some other issue.

Markets are the same across the globe. And hard work and personal responsibility is the same no matter the language, culture, or class. To make this an issue of personal responsibility or challenging the work ethic of non-english speakers is very disheartening rhetoric to see on the floor of the Georgia General Assembly. In our country we’re taught that hard work gets you rich. Its propaganda, manipulative, and hurts the dialogue we need to get the policies needed for our economy to work for all of us. Kind of along the lines of what billionaire Warren Buffet once said, "If you stick me down in the middle of Bangladesh or Peru, you’ll find out how much this talent is going to produce in the wrong kind of soil."

Mandating that English be the only language that is spoken on any official acts of government has nothing to do with markets and some have done a better job than I pointing out how manipulative making such a claim can be.

Not communicating legal issues about a student in school to their parents in a way that the parent can best understand what’s going on is not a "big government group hug" its protecting and empowering our communities. Its about making sure people aren’t put at risk because they don’t get the proper information communicated to them.

Government is about protecting and empowering. Its about protecting and empowering our citizens, our economy, our state.

I was glad to hear Rep. Doug McKillip speak that day about the impacts on our economy. Situations where we bring in skilled labor be it a driver from the Ukraine who knows his industry and the technology being used, or a Professor from Chile who knows his field. We want our economy to have the best and brightest.

But I was proud to be a Democrat when Rep. Al Williams stepped to the floor and began talking; citing names like William Wilburforce and speaking to the issues of treating other humans with decency and respect. I was so moved I didn’t take notes that well on what he said cause I was jumping up and down saying "he nailed it." To watch a good rhetorical point made, in a poetic and dignified manner on the floor of your state house is a true privilege and pleasure.

When you see mass emails to all the Representatives saying–I kid you not– "Engilish is the language of America"(sic); you worry about what’s going on in our communities, our cities and our counties that has so divided us. I’m glad that 413 was killed that week. But I worry about the underlying issues that make this such a heated issue where the facts at hand are so quickly ignored and the divisiveness and intolerance towards fellow humans is so acceptable.

Conservatives want to make immigration a major issue. Because its a hobgoblin. It divides us and keeps people from working in good faith to create good social policy.

The underlying issues that drive such things are issues that have made me become a proud Democrat. Strengthening our economy, our education system, our communities are policy positions that should make us proud to be Democrats. The votes of support for 413 speak to the need for Democrats like you reading this to get up here and get involved.

We can’t create good social policy without more people getting into the mix. I was saying the other day to someone that I wish I had learned the things I’m learning now at 19 and not 27. But I went on to say that I’m certainly glad I’m learning these things at 27 rather than 37!

Please consider taking some time to intern or help fund other interns, speak with your representatives about issues that matter to you. Build alliances with your friends and neighbors on issues that matter. Network in ways that can respond to the quick nature of policies in the legislature. Roll up your sleeves and sacrifice a little of your time. You’ll learn a lot, you’ll meet some pretty phenomenal citizens who truly care about creating good social policy, and you’ll help be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Hey Avery! thanks for stimulating this post...