ENGLISH ONLY, PLEASE: President Bush might want to follow the lead of United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair, who last week presented a sweeping immigration reform plan to the Parliament. The proposal would allow only English-speaking people whose skills are in demand to settle in the country. "The controls you need are to weed out the abuses," Blair told Sky News. "But in weeding out those abuses, you shouldn't do damage to the economy," which Blair contends his plan wouldn't do. Home Secretary Charles Clarke told the House of Commons it would consist of a four-tier system for people wanting to immigrate to Great Britain from outside the European Union. Those who are well versed in English and whose skills are desired would be allow to settle, while others wouldn't be allowed to stay permanently. Recent polling of British citizens suggests that they are growing impatient with the country's immigration laws and want to see stricter rules put into place. Clarke said the plan would improve the country's asylum provisions and track migrant workers by fingerprinting them when they apply for their visas. Still, the Conservative Party wants Blair to go even further in his crackdown by imposing a quota that would limit the number of migrants allowed in each year. FORGET THE OSCARS. There are other award shows in Hollywood besides the Oscars, and for conservatives hoping to see The Passion of the Christ get some much-deserved recognition, the 13th annual Movieguide Faith & Values Awards might be the occasion. The Passion is in the mix for one of the John Templeton Foundation Epiphany Prizes. Nominees for inspiring movie include: America's Heart and Soul; I Am David; Ladder 49; The Passion of the Christ; and The Reckoning. Those up for an award for inspiring television program include: A Christmas Carol; Doc: Happy Trails; Love's Enduring Promise; Patrick; The Question of God; and Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story. Winners will be announced at a February 24 gala at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. The prizes come with a $50,000 award-double the amount given to past recipients-to encourage movies and television programs with a spiritual focus. Ted Baehr, chairman of the Christian Film and Television Commission, created the awards to honor movies and television programs with family friendly, morally uplifting, redemptive and pro-Christian content. Limited seating is available for the gala. Call 1-800-577-6684 to buy tickets. BRADLEY PRIZE WINNERS: The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation will award its four Bradley Prizes this year to columnist George F. Will, civil rights activist Ward Connerly, Princeton University legal scholar Robert P. George and Manhattan Institute fellow Heather MacDonald at a February 16 ceremony in Washington, D.C. Each winner will receive a stipend of $250,000. The winners were chosen by a committee consisting of Bradley Foundation President Michael W. Grebe; former federal judge and Hudson Institute fellow Robert H. Bork; former U.S. Rep. (1971-77) and Delaware Gov. (1977-85) Pierre S. du Pont; former UN Ambassador and American Enterprise Institute fellow Jeane J. Kirkpatrick; syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer; National Review President Thomas L. Rhodes; Bradley Foundation Director of Academic, International and Cultural Programs Dianne J. Sehler; and attorney Thomas L. Smallwood, a trustee and administrator of the Evan and Marion Helfaer Foundation. The ceremony will coincide with a symposium organized by the Hudson Institute's Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal on the future of conservative philanthropy and what ideas it will support.
