Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan recently told U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., that she would keep an open mind if the state passed “English Only” legislation and a challenge to it came before the Supreme Court. And this might happen sooner than later.

Oklahoma representatives are trying, yet again, to get the state to vote on “English Only” measures. Spearheaded by Rep. Randy Terrill, the bill would make it illegal for any government organization to print materials in any other language than English.

Yes, illegal. You read that correctly. This amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution would make it against the law to print forms in Spanish, French, Russian, you name it. If it isn’t English, it is illegal.

And of course, the main reason the representatives are behind this bill is because it would “cut costs” by not having to print government materials in other languages. But the problem is: what about those who cannot read English well or speak it? How will they operate in our state on a government level? Wouldn’t that give people more incentive to be illegal if they cannot even get a license? How are they suppose to become legal citizens if they cannot read the forms they have to fill out?

Terrill wants everyone to know English, which is fine. It’s like if you go to Mexico, you better know some Spanish or at least have a translation book, because if you don’t, you’ll have a hard time. But the difference is that Mexico isn’t demanding we learn their language. Oklahoma is demanding that people learn English or they are left out. Anyone who has taken a foreign language knows it is not easy. Oklahoma spends more than $100,000 a year on translation services. Would we be able to use that money to provide classes for foreigners to learn English? Maybe pass out cheap translation guides for free? We cannot just leave them out in the cold. “You don’t speak English? Sucks to be you! Get out.” How is it American to throw someone out on the street and not offer to help them?

It sends the wrong word to the world that Oklahoma is a state that doesn’t allow diversity or other cultures. It is also ironic because Oklahoma isn’t even an English word. (Oklahoma is derived from two Choctaw words. “Okla” means “people or tongue.” “Homma” means “red.” So, Okla homma [Oklahoma] means “red people.”) And how can we demand people know English when many of our own people cannot speak or type it correctly? “Ain’t” isn’t a word. “We is” is incorrect. If we want English only, let’s go all the way and test everyone to make sure they can adequately speak and write it. Let’s see how many Oklahomans pass that test.

The question that comes to our mind is, “When did Americans get so afraid of everyone else?” We’re trying to get rid of illegals instead of helping them and not trying to get rid of their languages. Even though representatives say this law isn’t meant to be racist, it cannot come off any other way. Terrill and his cronies claim the bill will cut “costs, burdens and conflicts … involved with multilingualism.” That sounds like a complaint espoused by a freshman student who suddenly realizes their Spanish class is at 8:30 a.m. every day of the week and doesn’t want to take it. The United States is suppose to be a country that accepts other cultures and peoples. There are countries that don’t accept people of different cultures, and we are fighting them in the Middle East right now.

We’re becoming a nation of hypocrites more than a nation of free men and women.