film

One Nation, Many Voices

User Rating	1 2 3 4 5
Producer(s)	Eileen Littig, Dean Thomas
Director(s)	Dean Thomas
Release Date	2004
Runtime	56:46 min
Format(s)	16mm, 35mm, video, DVD, web
Language(s)	English
Youth Media	no

Film Description

One Nation, Many Voices shows the conflict and feelings on both sides of the "English Only" (Official Language Law or Official English Langue Law) that is sweeping the country and has divided neighbors, cities and counties as new immigrants continue to come to America. Thus far, 26 states have passed some form of Official English law.

To bring more understanding to the issue, three families are followed: Latino, Hmong and Russian. The documentary explores what their ethnic language means to them and makes the comparison of the effects of the boarding schools Native Americans were forced to attend, denying them their language and culture to become "civilized" to Western standards.