"Latvians Reject Russian as Second Language"

From The New York Times:

"By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN

Published: February 19, 2012

"MOSCOW — Voters in Latvia on Saturday overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to adopt Russian as a second official language, defeating a constitutional referendum measure that underscored the ethnic and political tensions that remain more than 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

“'The vote on a second state language endangered one of the most sacred foundations of the Constitution — the state language,' the Latvian president, Andris Berzins, said in a statement after the vote. 'I would also like to thank everyone who, despite the emotions and impassioned atmosphere which were conjured up by the referendum, maintained a cool head and tolerance without yielding before provocations and attempts to foment hatred.'”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/20/world/europe/latvia-rejects-bid-to-adopt-russian-as-second-language.html?_r=1

Booyah!