With several local governments around the nation doing what they can to protect the common language that has held America together for so long, it is interesting to sit back and listen to the howls of protest from the open borders lobby.

Guess what? This issue of choosing an official language is not exactly new. El Cenizo Texas did it in 1999.

Along with adopting a policy that grants “safe haven” for illegal aliens and forbids any city employee from reporting illegals to the proper authorities [ as if…], the small town in Texas also adopted Spanish as its official language.

Remember this when you hear the talking points from Jerry Gonzalez and the rest of the open borders lobby about there being no need for local governments making English official.

Texas town makes Spanish official, stirs war of words
Boston Globe
By Lynda Gorov, Globe Staff, 08/28/99

”I understand it is the United States, but what happens if people want to know what is going on?” said Mayor Rafael Rodriguez, elected in November along with the two city commissioners. ”I don’t want to create problems with the federal government, because we have enough problems. But this is right for our community. It will give people more confidence and help them communicate if they can do it in Spanish.”

Even before this month’s vote, Spanish was the language of El Cenizo, a smattering of ramshackle houses and dusty roads about 15 miles downriver from Laredo. Many of its 7,800 residents speak little or no English, among them the mayor, who concedes he crossed the border illegally 20 years ago and has since become a naturalized citizen. Children often translate for parents, and locals who are bilingual tend to prefer Spanish among themselves.

To them, the new policy makes perfect sense, as does another designating El Cenizo a ”safe haven” for undocumented immigrants who make their way to the town.

Read all about it here.

And don’t worry, it can never happen here…right?

Jerry Gonzalez here.