Every country in the world has an official language, except for a small few, and among that few is the United States. The question becomes, why? Why have we not been able to make English an official language? The simple truth of the matter is every time the idea is brought up there is always the same groups that throw in the race card. Apparently, it is okay for other countries to have an official national language, but if the United States tried to establish English as its official language it is racist. One must see a paradox here.
The problem with a bilingual society is that it causes a division in that society. I am sure we would all prefer a united country, but if we continue to accept this idea that it is racist to even consider the possibility of an official national language of the United States then our society will split in two. The most influential organizations fighting against English being made our official language are groups like the League of United Latin American Citizens, La Raza, ect …These same organizations want to keep the United States from tightening border security, because they encourage unlawful entry into our country. They encourage people to ignore the laws of the United States, laws put in place for the protection of the American people, and at the same time condemn anyone who opposes illegal immigration of racism, because they want to make the illegal immigration issue specifically about the Southern Border so they can play the race card. Most people who rally against unlawful entry into our country know that it is a problem not just with out Southern Border, but all points of entry into the United States. This problem has nothing to do with ethnicity, and the only people making this a racial issue are those who continue to throw in the race card.
Let us humor these groups for a second and talk about Mexico, and their immigration system. Mexico has stricter border security along their southern border than we do, and yet they encourage their citizens to use illegal routes of coming to the United States. Why might the Mexican government want to encourage illegal immigration into the United States? To put it quite simply the answer is money. The number one contributor to Mexico’s economy is money sent over from the United States to Mexico. To them it is not a bad way to capitalize off the misfortune of their citizens. These groups who advocate illegal immigration and fight against the idea of a national language call members of our government racist for even thinking of legislation that would make English the official language of the United States, but our government could not compare to the Mexican government and their treatment of the natives of Mexico. I am not sure if there is a more racist government in the entire Western Hemisphere than the Mexican government.
The question then becomes, if Mexico has an official language and if every other country in the world has an official language then how is making English our official language an act of racism? Liberals and groups that accuse conservatives of being racist, and xenophobic (If you know what xenophobia is then you would see how ridiculous this accusation is) support division in our society. These people support segregation. Liberals see African-American, Asian-American, Mexican-American, ect… Conservatives just see Americans united as people of one nation under one flag. For the sake of keeping our society united why is the concept of an official language so difficult for some unless their true intentions are to segregate society, and to divide our country?
Filed under: Politics | Tagged: immigration, national language, Politics, united states
Mexico doesn’t have an official language. Spanish is their de facto official language, just like English is here. When France made French their official language back in the 90s, it created a huge bureaucracy to manage that. I thought you conservative types wanted smaller government? If you do a search, you can find all sorts of stories about the contortions the French go through to keep their language “pure” as they’re confronted with technology and other changes that a language needs to address to stay a living language. Hey, last I heard, Latin hasn’t changed in a couple thousand years! There’s an example to follow!
Who is going to enforce English Only? And what about businesses who choose to cater to multilingual customers? That’s where I hear most of the “Press 1 for English” messages that I do. Are you saying a business entity can’t do what they like while running their business? The fact is, most first generation immigrants learn English. Some don’t but their kids are fluent in it. I work with the museum-going public and see this often. Just last week, I had a family group in, about four women and their children. The women were speaking Spanish to each other. When they spoke to me, their English was fine though accented. The kids spoke flawless English. English in the U.S. is not endangered and we don’t need more useless laws–it wastes money and time in our government.
You are right, Mexico has a defacto official language and not an official national language, and I will admit that I was misguided in that sense. As far as France is concerned you listed one country of many that have an official national language. France is having a bigger illegal immigration problem then we are at the moment. We don’t have to model a system after them. In fact, I think if there is one country we should not model ourselves after it is France in more than one way.
You argue that the English language is not endangered, and I never argued that it was. I argue that sooner or later, somewhere down the line problems will arise in a bilingual society. What will happen ten, twenty, fifty years from now? A business should have a right to choose how it runs its operations as they see fit as it is a free market or should be anyway, but what is going to happen when someone like Rick Noriega, who claims it is racist for anyone to be against something like in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, comes out and claims that it is racist for businesses to have “press one for English” and demands that it be uno para espanol y dos para ingles? What kind of division do you think that will create in our country? Businesses of course are going to fold, because they typically do not like to be labeled racist. It is bad for business you see. What is going to happen when that division, and struggle for linguistic dominance reaches boiling point?
I have no idea where you live so I could not fully know where you are coming from, but I enjoy a good football (soccer) match so I go to FC Dallas matches quite often, and what I have noticed while in Frisco, TX is that almost all the flyers put up and signs around Pizza Hut Park are in Spanish. Knowing at least enough Spanish to get me by I can read the signs, but if English is the defacto official language as you claim it is in the United States then why is Pizza Hut Park not catering more to their English speaking attendees? I understand that Americans aren’t the biggest football fanatics, but come on!
Latin hasn’t changed in a couple thousand years, yes, but Latin is also considered a dead language. What country or state still speaks Latin as their primary language?
I am not saying that people should only speak English. People should be free to speak whatever language they want, but why is it so wrong to say that we should be united under one language as an official language? We are so caught up in this PC nonesense that we are afraid to do anything that someone might find offensive even though a majority doesn’t. I admire those who come to this country legally who can speak English. I admire immigrants who come to this country legally period, because they take time to respect the laws of our country. To me, it is one of the most nobel things an individual can do when he or she decides to leave a country they have known all of thier life to be home and seek better opportunities for their family and themselves while at the same time respecting and obeying the laws of the country they want to become a part of.
I just want to know how much money that would actually waste comparing of course to the social and governmental programs that liberals and democrats want to put in place that will waste billions of dollars of taxpayer money, and at the same time accomplish nothing that will benifit the taxpayer?
Thank you for your comment.
I don’t agree with many things that come out of a liberal’s mouth but wasting time and money by making English the official language seems like making a law that says the cowboys are officially America’s team. There may be other teams that make that claim, i.e. the Packers but everyone knows the deal. Why waste time and money making a law about it. I really don’t like that in this country we feel the need to legislate everything. I have my point of veiw and I’m happy with it. I don’t need or want someone to make it a law.
‘IMMIGRANTS, NOT AMERICANS, MUST ADAPT.
Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on 9/11, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Americans.. ‘
‘This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom’
‘We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!’
‘Most Americans believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.’
‘We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.’
‘This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great American freedom, ‘THE RIGHT TO LEAVE’.’
‘If you aren’t happy here then LEAVE. We didn’t force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.’
I agree with J Draiman, and did at the title: “Immigrants, not Americans, must adapt.”
Kudis to you, J Draiman.
I agree with Aaron and J Draiman. Why do we Americans have to adopt to all the immigrants language. When my grandparents came to this country they had to learn English. When I traveled to Europe I did not expect everyone to speak English so I tried to speak some of the language in the different contries that I was in. After attempting to speak thier language they spoke to me in English.Imagine that! I live in the Miami area and feel like I live in a differnt country and the problem that this country has is that we did not enforce that English was our language becaus of the AHoles in Washington and now people who have been living here for a very long time do not and will not even attempt to learn our language. Do you think other countries will ever put on thier messages Press #1 for Spanish or any other language and press #2 for English. I think not. I do not think this what our forfathers had in mind when they wrote the constitution and by the way it was only written in English only.I am pissed!!!!
Fuckers… this wansn’t YOUR land, you mostly took it from the Native Americans, the rest from Mexico!!
Draiman, what makes you think that this is YOUR land, YOUR country, and therefore have to follow YOUR lifestyle?
oh by the way who accepted you into America??
who promised the Native Americans land and never kept their promise?
who pushed the Native Americans to the west, because bitches wanted to settle in the east coast?
who killed them because they were defending their land?
next time you’re gonna start bitching do some elementary research first.
Besides, having a multilingual country may improve the economy.
Damn it.
You all are so locked up in you own little English world, that don’t realize the importance of understanding, no not understanding pardon me, KNOWING other languages besides English.
What is all this shit about GOD?? the issue is simple. For or Against, that is it.
Damn dude, you’re like pised at the world or something.
By the way immigrants do not come here to be like you. Hell no. They wanna be like me lol. just messin!
Neither do they want to ADAPT.
They come here for the opportunities that for sure, people like you don’t offer.
Don’t think i’m like a crazy immigrant cuz i’m not. born and raised here in this beautiful country, but do not compare me with ya!
Just take into consideration this is the LAND of the FREE and HOME of the BRAVE.
You are neither, so go back where you came from bitch.
VIVA MEXICO, SPAIN, ARGENTINA, EL SALVARO, PERU, CHILE, VENEZUELA, AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, GERMANY, CANADA, UNITED STATES, and every sigle contry in the world.
we are all the same, it does not matter what language we speak.
{i’m not offending white ppl,just this bastard that thinks he is all that. the rest of you i love yall. especailly my texan cowboys
}
I’m not saying I disagree or agree with your post, but if you’re willing to say that a majority of Americans speak English, I’d be willing to disagree and challenge you, as if we were to take total population of the Americas (North, Central and South America) into account, Spanish would clearly blow English out of the water. You would be completely correct if you were to say that the majority of the total population of North America were English speakers.
As a citizen of the United States who’s chosen to study and live in Costa Rica, part of Central America, as an English teacher, I’ve learned just how naive and vain the people in my country can be, and how offensive it really is to the Latin American countries, as they are also Americans.
I just thought I would clarify that for you.
Respectfully,
S
I think that everyone that is against making English the official language in this country are wrong. There are many LATINOS that work in the fields picking up the vegetables that we all put in our table for our families to eat. If the Latino race refused to pick the vegetables and fruits that you and your kids eat i don’t think you would or any of the people that work in an office.
They also say that The United States is “The Land of Opportunities” then why should they do that to all the foreign people that come NOT just from Mexico like you say, but from all over this globe? that is being racist against Mexicans that just come to this country looking for a better life for their families and do nothing else than just work hard and get what they want and need. The Latinos that take the jobs that supposedly “belong” to you’ll, you’ll wouldn’t do them even if you’ll were dyeing of hunger. so i don’t think that it should be done. When people from other countries INCLUDING The United States go and visit Mexico, they don’t discriminate you’ll because they don’t care where you’ll come from and they don’t say “Only Spanish, you are in MEXICO” like people be putting in the windows of their bossiness.
I also agree with making englis the national language. And no I am not a racist. It has just gotten to the point where we have to be politically correct about everything. Well now I am offended by all the crap that is going on. i think its about time for us to stand up and shout at the top of our lungs about how much we are being offended. This nation was built on a firm belief in God, go back to your elementary history we came here for religios freedom, to worship God the way that we wanted to, but now if we metion God we are affending someone, so we have to respt the beliefs of others but they don’t have to respect ours. Whats up with that. If we don’t qwatch out our money will say In Allah We Trust. Well I say enough is enough. If you want to be in America then come here legally and respect our beliefs and learn the language.
Unbelievable that we are even having this debate. English is the higher language that gave this country its victories. English is the language that created the internet. Get your goddam stupid heads out of your liberal Asses and realize what you owe to English. It has not ever needed, or ever will be needed a Bill or Amendment to make English the national language of America.
English should not be the official language because I said so.
I’m jewish and don’t want english as the official language!