A bill proposed last week in the Michigan House of Representatives would make the English language the state’s official language. The bill (number 5633 of 2006), introduced by Representative Jacob Hoogendyk, a Republican from Portage, is in its early stages and has been referred to the House Committee on Government Operations after being read for the first time on the House floor. Hoogendyk has been quoted in the media saying that his proposal should be seen as a “unifying factor” and that he supports “diversity” while in the same reports he acknowledges that the bill would be a step towards stopping the printing of state documents in languages other than English. In the same AP article, unnamed “advocates” of the bill are also cited who argue that the measure might inspire more people to become fluent in English which would then help them in the job market and school. Twenty-seven states across the country have English as official language legislation. Similar legislation and campaigns for it have been used to target bilingual education programs and immigrant communities, while ignoring the realities of immigration and contributing to and reinforcing xenophobic and racist views of immigration and immigrants. The “English-only” bill comes during a year in which voters in Michigan will vote on a measure to eliminate affirmative action, another initiative designed to further marginalize people of color and when federal legislation is being proposed to criminalize immigration.
Representative Hoogendyk, who introduced the bill, has a history of supporting far-right conservative causes and has supported efforts to ban gay marriage in Michigan, ban the import of stem cells for medical research, permit the display of the ten commandments on state property, require those seeking abortions to view ultrasounds before the abortion, and has supported numerous tax breaks for corporations. Hoogendyk has received an extensive number of contributions from political action committees (PACs) and corporations, including top Michigan special interests such as DTE Energy and the Michigan Auto Dealers PAC and corporations including the Altria Group (formerly Philip Morris). Contributions to Hoogendyk have also come from various groups and PACs based in Grand Rapids including the Great Lakes Education Project a PAC working to expand charter schools and “protect taxpayers” from “skyrocketing” property taxes levied to pay for public education, the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, the Kooiman Leadership Fund, the 23 is Enough PAC to stop native peoples from using their sovereignty to build casinos, and the Meijer PAC.
