Regarding the Associated Press and Star Tribune articles on Lino Lake’s proposal to make English their city’s official language.
On the City’s Web site, it proclaims, “City of Lino Lakes, A Community with a Vision.” And this “Vision” includes Resolution 10-68, making English as the Official Language of the City of Lino Lakes?
And now all over the news for doing so because “No other Minnesota city has worked on requiring English as its official language.”
According to the AP story, “City Council member Dave Roeser acknowledges that his English-only proposal would have no immediate impact. Lino Lakes has never translated official documents into other languages, and no one has asked the city to do so.”
The impact is already here, all over the news about how Lino Lakes wants to leave the state of Minnesota and join up with Arizona.
“Lino Lakes has never translated official documents into other languages, and no one has asked the city to do so.”
In the Lino Lakes Police Department 2006 Annual Report, “The department provided nearly 2,300 hours of training for officers in 2006. Examples of the training includes: Methamphetamine Trainers Training, Emergency Management courses, Hostage Rescue, Somali and Hmong Culture, Crime and Gangs, Spanish course…”
In the Lino Lakes Police Department 2007 Annual Report, “Members of the Lino Lakes Police are required to attend continuing education to keep their Police Officer License active…Spanish for Law Enforcement.”
As they should, if the city wants to be a part of a larger, more inclusive community…and if the city wants to be part of the state, the nation, and in fact, the world.
Therefore, I call upon Councilmember Dave Roeser and those who support him at city hall should really stop lying and stop trying to enact fear mongering policies, among other obvious anti-immigrant and racist sentiments which he obviously harbor as an elected official.
FYI: From the 2000 Census. Total population: 16,791 people, 4,857 households, and 4,162 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 93.66 percent White, 2.48 percent African American, 0.73 percent Native American, 1.14 percent Asian, 0.01 percent Pacific Islander, 0.68 percent from other races, and 1.29 percent from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54 percent of the population.
Shame on Lino Lakes.
Stop Resolution 10-68.
Stop Councilmember Dave Roeser
Will you, Mayor Jeff Reinert, allow your city to be the only English only city in Minnesota? Show some leadership here!
Ed W. Johnson
