Every elected official must be able to speak English, but this should be mandatory if you are seeking a position in Washington
By Sandra Rodríguez Cotto
Yes, you must speak English.
Yes, anyone who wants to be Puerto Rico’s Resident Commissioner in Washington must speak English.
One may add that it is required by law. The 48 U.S. Code § 892 states: “No person shall be eligible to election as Resident Commissioner who is not a bona fide citizen of the United States and who is not less than twenty-five years of age, and who does not read and write the English language. In case of a vacancy in the office of Resident Commissioner by death, resignation, or otherwise, the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint a Resident Commissioner to fill the vacancy, who shall serve until the next general election and until his successor is elected and qualified.” (Mar. 2, 1917, ch. 145, § 36, 39 Stat. 963.)
That is the language spoken in the federal capital, and the least one expects is that the person representing Puerto Rico knows how to communicate effectively.
That’s why I find it hypocritical, gross, and ignorant to see comments from pseudo-journalists and analysts defending the shameful spectacle that William Villafañe made yesterday in the TV debate, with all the nonsense he said.
Villafañe’s lack of English proficiency is shameful and hypocritical, particularly since he is running for a position in Washington, D.C. If he were a high school student, it would be understandable because he would still be learning, but for an adult who is a senator, who was head of a government agency, a former assistant to the governor, and who now pretends to represent the people in the federal capital, the minimum requirement is that he knows how to speak English. Instead, he made a shameful spectacle of that debate.
Pathetic. William Villafañe looked much worse than former Governor Alejandro García Padilla struggling to speak English. It was like watching a rat trying to walk on a metal plate—slipping and unable to move. It was pathetic.
But in Villafañe’s case, it’s even worse. He says he wants statehood for Puerto Rico. How can he not speak the language? If he is a bona fide pro-statehood advocate who respects himself, he should at least be able to communicate in the language of the nation he wants to assimilate into. That’s what it’s about.
Those who believe in statehood must understand that for Puerto Rico to become a state, the minimum requirement is to be able to speak the common language of the nation they want to join. Being a state requires assimilation, integration, and acculturation. Language is the first thing to be adapted, at least in public places and government settings.
Pro-statehood advocates must know that English is a requirement to become a state. The Enabling Act for Arizona, enacted by the 61st Congress, 2nd session, in January 1910, contains two specific provisions requiring English in Arizona’s schools and state government.
The Enabling Act stipulates that “provision shall be made for the establishment and maintenance of a system of public schools, which shall be open to all the children of said State and free from sectarian control; and that said schools shall always be conducted in English.” This provision emphasizes that the public school system in Arizona should be established and maintained in a manner that allows all children in the state to attend, free from religious influence, and conducted solely in the English language.
Another provision within the Enabling Act states that “the ability to read, write, and speak the English language sufficiently well to conduct the duties of the office without the aid of an interpreter shall be a necessary qualification for all state officers.” This requirement ensures that individuals seeking to hold state office in Arizona possess the ability to effectively communicate in English, enabling them to carry out their duties without the assistance of an interpreter.
That is the minimum that anyone who wants to be Resident Commissioner in Washington and who claims to believe in statehood should know.
But the worst thing about last night’s shameful spectacle during that debate is that Villafañe was part of that group of officials who mocked others. Those members, friends, and allies of officials in the infamous Telegram chat under Ricky Rosselló’s administration, who made fun of others, couldn’t even speak basic English, making their shortcomings even more egregious. It was shameful. Pathetic.
Villafañe may continue speaking in Spanish—a poor Spanish, one might add—because he does not adequately articulate in his native tongue. However, if he wants to survive in Congress, it’s English-Only.
P.S. Have an assistant translate this for you so you can understand. What a shame.
