Someone just forwarded me an email, purportedly a letter from a retired Colonel Harry Riley, which chastises a number of U.S. Senators for voting against an amendment to the immigration bill that would make English the official language of the United States. I really don’t know why they thought I would appreciate it. It makes me rather furious. Check out this quote:
“Your vote reflects Betrayal. Political Surrender. Violates Your Pledge of Allegiance. Dishonors historical principle. Rejects Patriotism Borders on traitorous action and, in my opinion, makes you unfit to serve as a United States Senator…….. Impeachment…….Recall……..Or other appropriate action is warranted or worse.”
Uh huh. Yes, voting against this amendment is certainly worse than attacking a sovereign nation under false pretenses, torturing prisoners, and illegally wiretapping the phones of U.S. citizens. That’s why these Senators should be impeached.
In my book, it’s not even close to that bad. It’s like the flag burning amendments that some people like to make a big deal about.
If you want to criticize people for voting against this, at least use a logical reason! For instance, part of the amendment states that the government would have no obligation to provide forms in languages other than English. I happen to disagree with that as well, but it would make more sense to me if the argument was that having extra forms translated and made available was not a good use of taxpayer money. But instead, we get an overblown, emotional statement about patriotism — which makes me think it’s more about the United States being a place for white, English-speaking people to live.
I’ve also looked up this letter on snopes.com (always a good idea for email forwards). Snopes lists this letter as “partly true.” Not all of the details in the email are correct. The letter I received refers to a 2007 vote; the one on Snopes references a 2006 bill. My email lists 32 senators who supposedly voted against this; Snopes has 35.
Frankly, I can’t find any proof that Colonel Riley actually wrote this letter. Apparently, the colonel does exist, but every instance of this letter that I’ve found was on some type of blog or forum site. I haven’t found it on any reputable news site, and the Snopes article doesn’t mention Riley at all.
The email makes the point that four of the listed senators are now presidential candidates, and that we should remember this when we vote.
Again, I just can’t see this as being more important than things like getting out of Iraq, staying out of Iran, health care, decent jobs, food for the hungry, etc. It’s not my top priority in choosing a presidential candidate — whether they voted for or against it. I’ll be putting more weight on other issues.
If you want to send me an email, make sure it’s about something real — and important.
UPDATE: See also my Associated Content article on this subject.
Guess who just brightened up my day?
Thanks a lot!
Who sent this to you, and why would they think you would agree?
This goes to show that you must be very careful about what you believe that comes from the internet.
It isn’t just the intertoobs that aren’t trustworthy. Snake oil has been for sale for a whole lot of years.
I’m feeling a little cantankerous right now. Your last paragraph makes me want to send you a mindless yet cheerful email: something that isn’t important but … well … just an in your face bit of disobedience. Aha! I thought of what to say. You might want to read it before replying to this comment and telling me I’m naughty.
Nicely said! I hate it when I get that type of email, and others. Most people are too ready to send them on. I check them out on Snopes.com IF I think they are slightly worthy of sending on. I check and if they are not true, I reply to the sender and let them know.
I think people should think (at least once) before forwarding email.
I saw this article posted in another nameless place. It got the usual responses, righteous indignation, moral outrage, etc etc. sigh
This is a fascinating argument in a country where it appears that remaining a monoglot is a badge of honour.
Consider a country like India – 1 official language (Hindi) while the work of the government happens by and large in English; 22 officially recognised languages each with their own script (except 3 including Hindi which are written in Devnagari script) and over 800 estimated dialects. Some have classified over 1000 ‘mother tongues’.
I think it is a broader matter of being comfortable with a layered identity. It is all too easy to conform and to vanish, much too difficult to contribute, achieve and live an external life while managing a complex internal life.
You made a lot of good points regarding keeping things in perspective such as weighing the relative importance of being at war and whether or not to be officially monolingual.
I also think that people who believe that remaining less knowledgeable than many people in the world regarding languages and other cultures need to know about the federal government’s push to develop foreign language curriculum in the schools that started last year with the National Security Language Initiative.
Their briefing stated, “An essential component of U.S. national security in the post-9/11 world is the ability to engage foreign governments and peoples, especially in critical regions, to encourage reform, promote understanding, convey respect for other cultures and provide an opportunity to learn more about our country and its citizens. To do this, we must be able to communicate in other languages, a challenge for which we are unprepared.”
In other words, it is currently not patriotic to insist on remaining ignorant.
(oops, sorry…
up there where it says
“I also think that people who believe that remaining less knowledgeable than many people in the world regarding languages and other cultures
should be followed by
is a sign of patriotism)
I think that anyone who wants our primary language to be English should maybe learn to write comprehensible English. Maybe that was the point of the email … that the purported Colonel who is so fond of English can’t really use it properly.
Who is this “Ret. Harry Riley?? If he did say these comments, he is no patriot – He’s just another liar like the swift boaters. If ya gotta distort the truth, you are no patriot. Oh, but the Army lied for days about Pat Tillman, so maybe that’s what the military does these days.
Colonel’s Corner – January 8, 2008
Tuesday, 08 January 2008
Friends,
Due to the publicized potential pull out of ANSWER and Code Pink, there is some uncertainty as to which groups will be actively supporting a D.C. Eagle action in March. Please let me assure all of you that Eagles UP remains steadfast with our plans to be in Washington, D.C in opposition to Iraq Veterans Against War (IVAW) Winter Soldiers, and any other rabble that shows up.
The genesis of the Eagles March action was not based on ANSWER or Code Pink activity but on IVAW plans to conduct another Winter Soldiers Testimony. The ANSWER/Code Pink activity came about following the IVAW announcement of the Winter Soldiers event and was billed as a supporting action to IVAW.
For those that don’t remember….Winter Soldiers Testimony of 1971, orchestrated by now Senator John Kerry, was the catalyst, along with Jane Fonda and other rabble, that spurred on American “surrender” in Viet Nam by our Congress, emboldened North Viet Nam leaders, was a direct betrayal, distortion, and false representation of our warriors, and a deceitful, lying, despicable testimony of what was going on in Viet Nam.
Now, IVAW is attempting to again falsely paint our warriors as less than human, killers of innocents, wanton murderers, and all the rest as they did in 1971. We won’t allow this to go unchallenged as it did in 1971………the blood, body parts, lost lives, family pain will be redeemed from the lying, anti-America, Winter Soldiers meeting….the sacrifices by our warriors and families will not be allowed to be massaged into the muck, mire, and dirty lies of the Winter Soldier crowd.
The Winter Soldiers gathering is a major event and must be acknowledged and opposed. The potential harm this group can cause should not be under estimated…..we simply cannot take a chance of ignoring their diabolical mission or giving any false, malicious findings a foothold in the insatiable press who gobbles up any kind of tainted garbage.
We will expose the Winter Soldier Testimony lies, distortions, fabrications, and anti-America testimony for what it is…….a direct attack on dishonoring our warriors and ultimately, the destruction of America.
The event in April has merit, although I think General Petraeus record of success in Iraq has already drowned out the nay sayers………be that as it may, before April is March and Eagles Up will mount an effort to challenge the IVAW as originally planned.
Others have suggested the Eagles population in DC in March should be heavily supported by veterans and family members of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan…….the hundreds of thousands that have served honorably, witnessed the bravery, compassion, and general human kindness of American warriors…mistakes are made in every war, but to falsely broad brush our brave men and women as blood thirsty, uncaring tyrants as the Winter Soldiers Testimony is poised to report, will simply not be tolerated.
We will keep you informed as planning progresses……..please visit http://www.eaglesup.us frequently, register and participate in Eagles Up forum….we value you input, suggestions, and support for our nation, our troops, and honoring our fallen and families.
I would urge you to re-read Eagles Up mission/principles statement………Winter Soldiers Event is a direct attack on our troops…….we won’t allow it to go unchallenged.
Harry Riley, COL, USA, Ret
http://www.eaglesup.us – Where there is no offense, there is no effect.
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 08 January 2008 )
Hm. I was tempted to delete the above comment when it showed up in my moderation queue (aside from being another message from Col. Riley, it doesn’t relate to my post), but I decided to let it stand as an example of who Col. Riley is. Carolyn’s “link” attached to her name says that ColonelRileyDoesExist!, but it’s not a real link. Sigh. I was hoping for a website dedicated to the existence of Col. Riley.
[...] 14, 2008 by kmcdade I think EOL may be my most read post now. It’s definitely the one that’s getting traffic every [...]
…it looks like it is on record at the Senate website:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00198
I don’t know about Riley’s letter though. I also cannot assume that the Senators who voted no to the amendment are traitorous. I don’t know their reason for voting no. It looks to me as if it is a ‘democrat thing’.
Tim — there’s been more than one of these votes, so it’s hard to tell which one the email (which is undated) refers to. The email I received actually refers to 32 senators voting no; the roll call you posted has 33. Thanks for the link.
Right now the mission is sinking the Winter Soldier II fiasco.
My first question is “what is Winter Soldier II all about? Exactly what is your view? You think my language is disturbing? I wish you had been with me in my fox-hole in 1969 and you would really understand something
disturbing.
This is not about agreeing or disagreeing with policy of the US government, it is about defeating a ruthless, barbaric, murdering bunch of hate-filled Islamic killers.
Whether the war is right or not, we’re in it and to surrender would only embolden the enemy as it did in Viet Nam and hasten the destruction of America.
Is Winter Soldier Testimony giving any consideration to gathering evidence on the atrocities of these Islamic killers? Are you going to be fair and balanced and show pictures of the desecrated bodies of all the women, children, helpless and innocent bystanders that have been blown to bits by
car bombs, IED devices in Iraq and Afghanistan? Not to mention what has been done to American warriors and civilians.
Don’t you realize the Islamic radicals have been hitting America for decades? They have been killing our troops in their barracks, bombing our embassies, blowing up our planes, attacking our ships…..you want an event
that will dwarf 9-11? Get weak knees and watch a major city disintegrate taking millions of lives….is there any doubt in your mind the Islamic butchers won’t do it if we show weakness?
Would a nuclear detonation in one of our cities be enough to convince you the enemy is real and it’s not America? Or would you be one of the arm-chair quarterbacks and complain the leadership should have taken pre-emptive action?
Are you sympathetic to the Taliban and al Qaeda butchers?
Have you forgotten these killers flew our own passenger planes into the twin towers in New York city, the Pentagon, and would have hit the US Capitol or White House had it not been for Americans willing to lay down their lives and cause the fourth plane to crash?
Given what I have experienced by the so-called anti-war movement (and let me ensure you understand that as a warrior, I speak for 99% of all warriors… we are more anti-war than anyone) nothing good will likely come from the
planned Winter Soldier II event in Washington DC in March.
The hand-writing is on the wall…WSII is looking for anyone that will confess to any type war-crime whether true or false….mistakes have been made, I recognize that and it happens in all wars…..the WS in 1971 was filled with testimony that was totally false, full of fabrications,
distortions, and much from people who had never served in the military.
John Kerry and Jane Fonda should have faced prosecution and still be in prison…my friend served almost six years in the Hanoi Hilton and was aware of Jane Fonda’s presence nearby…Kerry and Fonda and other of the “anti-war” movement through their despicable lies were able to convince
gutless politicians to surrender the war in Viet Nam that our American warriors had won.
We were spit on, hit with tomatoes, ridiculed, called baby killers, simply because we honored our oath and performed our duty. Did we want to be in South East Asia………no, but America called, we went.
Winter Soldier has a reputation void of truth and we who hold a different view of America and what she’s about will not allow Winter Soldier, ANSWER, Code Pink, CAIR, or any other movement to subject this generation of warriors to the same dishonorable accusations, false testimony, anti-troop
bigotry, that destroys the morale, their fighting spirit and puts the security of America in jeopardy.
No one had my back when I and millions more served in Viet Nam…no one spoke up for us…the anti-war movement had free reign of the streets with their despicable messages of surrender, no one challenged the unfounded lies, but no more.
Eagles are soaring and will descend on Washington DC again March 15 by the tens of thousands…we will counter WSII, ANSWER, Code Pink, CAIR, with a message that America is worth fighting for…just for the record, I’d go to Iraq in a minute if called.
I’ve had enough of the whining, shrill surrender message and so has the majority of America…it’s too bad the majority are too damn lazy to get off their ass and standup for their nation.
God bless our troops and their families.
Harry Riley, COL, USA, Ret
http://www.eaglesup.us – Where there is no offense, there is no effect.
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew strength; they shall mount up
with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk,
and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
Fascinating. I will have to read this in more detail later today. I’m glad to hear from you, sir (or from one of your followers, perhaps), but the topic of the post is English as an Official Language, so I’d really rather discuss that.
On my letter, it was 33…there must be more than one getting sent around. Here is the text from the email that I received:
Is Habla
TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND READ THIS LETTER. THESE ARE STRONG, POWERFUL AND
COURAGEOUS WORDS COMING FROM A RETIRED COLONEL.
AND READ WHAT LINCOLN HAD TO SAY AT THE END.
WOW!
33 Senators Voted Against English as America’s Official Language on June 6, 2007. On Wed. 6 June 2007 23:35:23 – 0500 Colonel Harry Riley, USA, Ret.
Wrote:
Senators:
Your vote against an amendment to the immigration Bill 1348……to make English America’s official language is astounding. On D-Day, no less, when we honor those that sacrificed in order to secure the bedrock, character and principles of America, I can only surmise your vote reflects a loyalty to illegal aliens. I don’t much care where you come from. What your religion is. Whether you’re black, white, or some other color
……male or female……Democrat, Republican or Independent……. But I do care when you are a United States Senator representing Citizens of America….and
Vote against English as the official language of the United States.
Your vote reflects Betrayal. Political Surrender. Violates Your Pledge of Allegiance. Dishonors historical principle. Rejects Patriotism. Borders
On traitorous action and, in my opinion, makes you unfit to serve as a United States Senator…impeachment… Recall……..Or other appropriate action is warranted or worse.
Four of you voting against English as America’s Official Language are Presidential Candidates: Senator Biden, Senator Clinton, Senator Dodd and Senator Obama.
Four Senators vying to lead America, but won’t or
Don’t have the courage to cast a vote in favor of “English” as America’s Official Language when 91% of American Citizens want English officially designated as our language.
This is the second time in the last several months this list of Senators have disgraced themselves as “policital
Hacks”…… Unworthy as Senators and certainly unqualified to serve as President of the United States.
If America is as angry as I am, you will realize a backlash so stunning it will literally “rock you out of your panties”……… And preferably totally out of the United States Senate.
The entire immigration bill is a farce… Your action only confirms this really isn’t about America…..it is about self-serving politics……despicable at best. It has been said:
“Never Argue with an Idiot….They’ll drag you down to their level!”
The following Senators voted against making English the official language
Of America:
Akaka (D-HI)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE) (Wants to be President)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Clinton (D-NY) (Wants to be President)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D- MN) wants to be president
Domenici (R-NM) coward. Protecting his senate seat
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-win) – not unusual for him
Feinstein (D-ca)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-hi)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kennedy – (D-ma)
Kerry (D-ma) (tried to be president)
Kohl (D-WI))
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (I-CT) Disappointment here…..
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL) (Wants to be President)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV) Senate Majority Leader
As Lazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-M
PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN
“Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or Hanged!!!
PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING AROUND THE UNITED STATES TILL THE ELECTION!
Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, it looks like Congress had more than 1/2 in favor and the amendment to make English our official language. The amendment was agreed upon. That means that the 33 Senators who voted no were the minority vote. They lost; Colonel Riley should be pleased with this result.
To be honest with you, I always thought English was our official language. If anyone asked me, I would have told them it was. If had had known that it wasn’t, then I would have frowned and said “well it should be”.
Hey Tim — yes, I’m sure there is more than one letter. There’s been more than one vote on this, so they probably just update it each time — but you get what you get in your email. Yes, the amendment did pass, despite the 33 who voted against it — but the overall bill it is attached to, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act, has yet to pass. The stuff on Congress.org can be hard to understand, but it looks like they did not have the votes for cloture on the immigration bill — so it hasn’t been voted on.
Thank you, Col,Riley,for bringing so much attention to the disgraceful vote against English as our official language by our great( and some not so great) senators. To me, this is akin to the Chairman of Coca Cola ordering Pepsi Cola machines in all of the Coke plants everywhere. Bad idea !
Let me put it another way. A fellow comes to my door selling encyclopedias and I really want to buy a set. Trouble is,he speaks Spanish and I only understand English. Do you think a sale will be completed? Is it his responsibility to learn to speak English or my fault for not understanding Spanish?
One more thing. Do you think France,Germany,Spain,Japan,Mexico, etc.would vote along similar guidelines. ALso,does Canada have an official language?
Funny, I always thought English was our official language, too. But having looked over the sample ballots for a coming election, I’m not sure anymore. Question is – if we have Spanish on our Southwestern ballots (I don’t know what they have in other states) – how come not Navajo or Apache or any one of a dozen other Indian languages. Or how about Chinese, Japanese, Korean, et al – we have many oldtimers plus lots of new refugees who live in our Southwestern areas who speak those languages, and others like them, too – - along with bunches of other refugees who have come here seeking freedom (and I might add came here the legal way) and whose primary languages are anything from Yugoslavian to some I had never even heard of before. They are learning English rather quickly and seem to be proud of the fact – and I am very proud of them. They’ll make good Americans, not particularly because they are learning to speak English but because they WANT to be part of this nation and being able to speak the language is a first step.
I don’t know why they would send you this email. They probably assumed you were a true, real American, but obviously they were mistaken!
Ewell — thank you for helping to illustrate my point! It’s completely ridiculous to consider this an un-American act of treason.
Well then.
English as the official language – yes, I believe it should be, and if the bill it is attached to were to simply state, ‘Do you, as a US Senator, vote that the official language of the United States be English’, I would certainly hope the overwhelming vote would be ‘Aye’.
The big question here is what else was buried in this immigration bill that these senators drew issue with. (Un)Fortunately, senators are not required to explain their answer.
I see that the Good Colonel Riley has posted a reply here, so I wish to totally discredit his integrity, of which he has none! I sent out an email response to everyone that I know including those that were attached to the email I received regarding Colonel Riley’s quote referenced above. Here is what I had to say with respect to that email and which I posted on the Good Colonel Riley’s BS Right Winged Troll forum.
Jack, when ever you receive emails such as this one you should always check out its validity on Snopes …
I suggest you read this:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/englishvote.asp
I then did a Google search on Colonel Harry Riley and found the following links:Col. Harry G. Riley
Colonel Riley is a Right Wing Conservative War Mongering Fool like our President and Vice President. He doesn’t realize that we now know that the Gulf of Tonkin incident was a False Flag Operation and that it has been declassified. In his first article “Lock Arms with American Defenders”by Col. Harry G. Riley
Posted: 03/07/2008, Riley states,
“The previous generation’s shameful history of ceding the battlefield on the home front, while our warriors were winning all the battles in Vietnam, will not be repeated as a stain and dishonor on current warriors defending our freedom.”
Colonel Riley, you disgust me! You are not a Patriot … You are a murderer … A Right Winged Lunatic … Burn in Hell if there is one … Get ready for some space travel! Gulf of Tonkin Incident – False Flag
USS Liberty attack — Declassified Documents — Inside Job … Gulf of Tonkin incident — Declassified — Inside Job Zbigniew Brzezinski admits “I encouraged the Chinese to support Pol Pot” = 2 million people dead US
In November of 2001 presidential librerian museum release tapes of phone conversations with LBJ and Defense Secretary Robert Macnamara were they openly discussed plans to use the staged (False Flag) Gulf of Tonkin Operation as a pretext to expand the war.
Then in late 2005 the National Security Agency (NSA) declassified there own official history of the Gulf of Tonkin, and admitted that intelligence agency officers had deliberately manipulated the intelligence and claimed that Vietnamese petrol boats had attack USS Liberty on August 4th 1964, when in reality they had done nothing even while being fire upon by US forces.
Congress then authorized the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, a Bold Faced Lie that paved the way for 58,000 American deaths and over 1.5 millions dead Vietnamese.
So What Was The Intent Behind The Vietnam War? … GOD … GUNS … OIL … DRUGS, no different than Afghanistan and Iraq.
Who Benefited at the Expense of Our Fellow Americans: Wallstreet Bankers … The same Fraudulent, Wicked Families that Funded (utilizing our tax payer money) Hitler, Lenin, Stalin and NOW IRAQ (read Anthony C. Sutton Books)
Can You Believe There is Anything That These Pirates WON’T Do?
How Many People Do You Know, Directly or Indirectly That Died in Vietnam or are Maimed physically and/or emotionally for life.
How Many More Americans Have To Die Before We WAKE UP and Run These Animals Of The Planet.
A Say We Stick Them All In The Shuttle and Send Them Out into Space Where They Dream Of Going Anyway … A One Way Trip.
I sent this War Criminal a Copy of This Email … I posted it right on his forum.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=25352&page=5&cp=1#hec198025
Colonel Riley would appreciate hearing DIRECTLY from his fans, in the same manner he targets the Congress of the United States. If you are a TRUE American (by Riley’s standard, i think that means white, male, Republican) then please call him to pay your respect.
His phone number is 850-689-1818
SHAME ON “OUR” REPRESENTATIVES IN WASHINGTON !
EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF TRUTH IN THESE
REPORTS, IT IS A WELL-KNOWN FACT THAT THIS HAS BEEN
A DO-NOTHING CONGRESS THAT HAS RESOLVED NOTHING
ON ANY OF THE MAJOR ISSUES SUCH AS IMMIGRATION,
SOCIAL SECURITY, HEALTH CARE, IRAQ DILEMMA, THE OIL
CRISIS, AND ECONOMIC CHAOS ! IT’S ABOUT TIME FOR A
COMPLETE OVERHAUL AT THE VOTING BOOTH, AND THROW
MANY OF THESE SELF-SERVING RASCALS OUT OF OFFICE.
WE NEED REPRESENTATIVES THAT WILL SERVE AMERICA FIRST ! ….IF ONLY MORE CITIZENS WOULD GET OFF THEIR
REAR-ENDS AND DO THEIR HOME WORK, WE WOULD HAVE
NEW FACES IN WASHINGTON. Just DO it !!!
Is it really possible that the continuous anti-American acts by Biden, Clinton, Obama and Dodd are not conspicuous and abhorred by a majority of Americans? These Senators represent a vocal minority but not a silent majority. But the silent majority will not remain silent for long.
[...] Bill Sizemore which would limit bilingual education in public schools. Like the arguments about English becoming the official language of the United States (still making the rounds, courtesy of Colonel Harry Riley), this could get [...]