Panel Seeks Repeal Of English-Only Resolution Called Divisive

Armed with a gift pack of bologna, human rights activists visited the Kootenai County commissioners Wednesday to push for the repeal of their official-English resolution.

“In Nazi Germany, it was against the law to speak any language but German,” said Marshall Mend, of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations. “What does it say to the Japanese exchange students who come to North Idaho College? What about the tourists who come to The Coeur d’Alene Resort?”

“There is latent bigotry and prejudice here,” said task force member Skip Dunton. “I see it bringing out a divisiveness that is already here.”

County commissioners could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon. Tuesday they passed a resolution declaring English the official language of Kootenai County government business. The resolution also endorses state laws that require the use of English in government business.

The commissioners said they essentially were voicing their support for existing state law.

The Human Relations Task Force called an emergency meeting Tuesday night to condemn the move.

The resolution “addresses a non-issue in Kootenai County, promotes divisiveness and tarnishes our image as a community that embraces diversity and human rights for all people,” the Task Force said in a letter to the commissioners.

The “real bologna” was delivered in response to Commissioner Dick Compton’s comment that racist fears associated with the resolution were baloney.

Task Force members said they didn’t react faster because they didn’t believe the commissioners would pass the resolution.

“I thought it was a joke,” Mend said. “I never in my life thought Ron Rankin would be running the commissioners office.”

Rankin, the original architect of the English-only move, based his arguments on economics. If government is required to conduct business in more than one language, the cost of government grows unnecessarily, he said.

He cites Spanish-language Idaho driver’s manuals as one example of the growing threat.

But the Task Force said that ignores a greater financial threat - the economic backlash from people who won’t visit because of the resolution.

“This piled on top of everything else, there will be a lot of people who won’t come to Kootenai County,” Mend said. “It’s bad for Kootenai County, it’s bad for tourism and it’s bad for business.”

The Task Force also is promoting a leadership gathering April 12 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment.

The theme is “Building Communities Where Bigotry Finds No Home,” and is aimed at changing negative perceptions of Kootenai County.

, DataTimes