Oklahoma English Language Bill Faces Unexpected Criticism (Mar 14, 2007)
Legislation that would designate English as Oklahoma’s official language is facing harsh criticism, not from immigrant groups at whom it was targeted, but from Native Americans. The bill’s language states that it’s not intended to discourage the use or study of tribal highlights, and even many opponents admit that it would likely have little effect on Indians, since most government documents are already printed in English or Spanish. Still, one critic is calling it a symbolic “slap in the face to Native Americans,” and a Native rights group describes it as “mean-spirited and bigoted.’ In addition, some tribal members fear that the measure could hinder funding for language preservation efforts, and some legal experts say the law could be over-applied or have unforeseen or unintended consequences.

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