December 4, 1996. On this date, the US Supreme Court heard a potentially explosive dispute over Arizona's bid to make English its official language. The effort fizzled. The justices clearly and repeatedly indicated during an argument session that they will ignore the divisive debate swirling around English only measures and focus instead on procedural issues. The justices were far more interested in the issue's legitimacy, whether it long ago became moot, or legally irrelevant, and whether the group, Arizonans for Official English (AOE), had the right to carry the case to the nation's highest court.

It appears certain that the courts ruling, due in July, will have little impact on the continuing national debate and perhaps little lasting impact in Arizona or in the rest of the Country for that matter.

There was one interesting moment, though. When it was suggested that some threat of discipline, in the AOE case might chill free-speech rights, Scalia shot back, "Wouldn't an unrealistic threat produce an unrealistic chill." Think about that!

It is an unrealistic threat; both sides of the issue are unrealistic. There are social, ethical, political, and moral reasons for the court's reaction. The English-only movement is a fringe movement. It is like the KKK, motivated by racism, a fringe movement akin to the "skinhead phenomena" throughout the nation or the "vampire cult" in Kentucky. At latest count, there are less than a dozen skinheads in this city, and one skinhead brought into court on charges of assault, quickly abandoned those of his ilk during booking proceedings.

The English-Only issue will continue to be of interest, however, there are several other states with official English measures. These are, in alphabetical order, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wyoming.

The movement is no doubt stronger than the skinhead movement or the vampire movement whose members allegedly drink their own or each others blood. But, not to worry I say.

The terms Chicano or La Raza have been considered divisive by some North Americans. Well, the English-Only movement is deemed divisive by other Americans. Neither should and would not if they were understood by mainstream America. There has never been a national dialogue on either term.

The history of the origins of the term "La Raza" has drawn a lot of comment from the right wing as being racist and divisive. In defense, let me say that Spain was an amalgam of different peoples, the Celts from Europe, the Iberians, the Greeks, Romans, Carthaginians, Goths, Jews, Visigoths, African and Middle Eastern Moors, and many other peoples. When the Spanish came to the Americas, they mixed with the native peoples who were descendants of Asians who came across the Bering Strait from Siberia to Alaska and on down the continent. These were the ancestors of the Toltecs, the Mixtecs, and the Aztecs that populated Meso-America. It was this mixture that inspired Jose Vasconcelos to name us "La Raza Cosmica."

Hispanics are the most integrated yet identifiable group in existence. We range all the way from pale pink blue-eyed blondes, through bronze brown, to ebony black; oftentimes within the same extended family. To illustrate; Nancy Ames, Vikkie Carr, Raquel Welch, Linda Carter, Linda Rondtstat, Lee Trevino, and Roberto Clemente are all Hispanics. Or consider the Italo-Hispano president of Argentina, Alfonsini; the Hispano Japanese president of Peru, Fujimori, the Chinese Chicano political activist Francisco King, Mexico's ambassador to the United States historian Jesus Silva Herzog, and many others. Those concerned with civil-rights must continue to take note. Perhaps, there is something to be learned in the Land of Enchantment. Here in New Mexico contrary to what some people believe, English is the official language, yet we can choose to have our utility bills or our Social Security account explained to us in Spanish. So who is a victim in our environment, who are the disadvantaged, as Graciela Olivarez would say, they are the mono?lingual, that is who. The only ones embarrassed are those of Hispanic descent who do not understand the written Spanish and are not comfortable with it. It is not uncommon in New Mexico to encounter persons who identify as Hispanic with surnames such as McBride, Trambly, Branch, Carter, Pohl, Brown, Collins, Watson, or Smith, who often speak better Spanish and are darker skinned than those with surnames Gonzalez, Garcia, Sauceda, Sanchez, or Chacón. Nationally we have seen how it was necessary for people to hide their Hispanic background in order to succeed in North America. Vikki Carr is really Florencia Biscenta de Casillas Martinez Cardona, Anthony Quinn is Antonio Quintana, and WW II hero General Terry dlm Allen's name is Terry de la Mesa Allen. The Bureau of the Census is in sort of a quandary, again. They do not know how to handle the problem for the year 2000 census. There is not multi-racial category in their classifications. Many Hispanics simply choose to indicate "Other". The political power that Hispanics are beginning to demonstrate in areas outside of New Mexico, we have always had adequate political representation in New Mexico, like in the Congressional race in Orange County where the arch-conservative Robert Dornan was defeated by Loretta Sanchez Bixley demonstrates what will be happening by the year circa 2030. Sanchez is; in Bixley is out. Loretta ran as Bixley in 1994 and lost, she ran as Sanchez in 1996 and won. Like the dance fad, La Macarena, being Hispanic is in. La Macarena will fade away as another fad, but being Hispanic will grow. By the year 2030 Hispanics will be in the majority and if they had to choose, would no doubt select English for commerce, but definitely not English only. Spanish is too powerful a language, besides the majority of Americans are already using it at least some of the time. It would nice if it was used correctly. For instance when will Californians correct the spelling of Yorba Linda to Yerba Linda or San Andreas to San Andrés. A bumper sticker noted recently read; "If you speak three languages, you are tri-lingual; two you are bi-lingual, one you are American." The bumper stickers of 2030 may read, "Saludos, Todos Somos Otros." One of the major stories of the recent election is the increasing power, influence, and sophistication of the Hispanic electorate. Apparently, the sleeping giant is awakening and flexing its muscles. Loretta Sanchez Bixley is an example of this. This is bad news for the anti-Hispanic Republicans who have sought to garner the votes of Angry White Males by bashing immigrants, attacking affirmative action, and by its English-only baloney. The election showed that since Hispanics are concentrated in states with large electoral votes, the GOP can either stop its inflammatory attacks or forget about winning the White House again. As Hispanics flex their muscle this nation's moral fiber will be tested, will justice and equity prevail or will xenophobia set in? A final note, Linda Chavez a champion of English-only quickly withdrew her name from consideration for a cabinet post in the George W. Bush administration.