Immigration debate not about driver?s licenses

America is a diverse country, culturally and linguistically ? a point often lost in the high-decibel debate over immigration. Government oversteps its proper role when it coerces people to conform to a majority language.

A bill mandating English language testing only for a Tennessee drivers license passed the Senate last week by a vote of 18-14.

That it was a straight party-line vote, Republicans for and Democrats against, speaks to the purely political nature of the bill.

But there are more important issues that should guide the House and Gov. Phil Bredesen, if necessary, in deciding whether to throw out tests administered in Spanish, Japanese and Korean.

There is the safety issue: Do we really want to discourage non-English speaking residents from learning the rules of the road so that they can get a driver’s license?

There is the economic development issue: Do we want to send a message to workers and investors that people who aren’t fluent in English aren’t welcome here?

And does the state want to risk the expense of a lawsuit over what could arguably be a violation of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act?

Words and phrases like “Stop” and “Yield” can be picked up quickly. International symbols on many road signs take most of the mystery out of negotiating Tennessee streets and highways.

If immigration is to be debated in Tennessee, the debate should be straightforward and transparent, not in the costume of an English-only mandate.