In Defense of English
Peter Zapf
May 22, 2009
Why must Americans apologize for speaking English? Why are we having an English language "debate"? Why are we debating amnesty for lawbreakers?
It is the result of a society indoctrinating us into believing that diversity is good for America. It is the efforts of misguided multiculturalists who ignore the pitfalls of this debate. They lack foresight, historical knowledge and true American perspective.
Thankfully the 2007 immigration bill failed. It was amnesty with little merit. Similarly positions against making English the official language have little merit. Legal, and only legal, immigration and the English language are historically joined and crucial to the future of America. Opponents of bilingualism are inevitably called racist while well intentioned liberals pander to non-English speaking potential voters, relishing in their feel good, namby-pamby, self righteous position.
President Theodore Roosevelt once said, "We have but one language here, and that is the English language and the ultimate way to bring this nation to ruin would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities." This is true today.
By making English the official language, communication is advanced, misunderstanding avoided. Government saves millions on municipal services, school programs, materials and legal documents that need not be provided in multiple languages.
Acceptance of multiple languages eliminates incentive to learn English and assimilate into American culture. As the number of non-English speaking people increases so does the number of children who do not speak English. They are not encouraged to learn English. New York and Los Angeles alone have increased their foreign language speakers by 3.5 million people from 1990 to 2000, despite polls reflecting that 79% of Americans believe immigrants should be required to learn English before they are granted citizenship. Still they are not required to do so.
Multiculturalists fail to realize that non-English speaking people have little success in America. The jobs they obtain are low paying. They are often hired at salaries less than the legal minimum. The result is an inability to save money for education or the benefit of their children. This then results in their childrenīs inability to obtain better jobs.
In a 2002 Kaiser Family Foundation poll, it was found that "91% of foreign-born legal immigrants from Central and South America agree that learning English is essential for success and assimilation into the United States of America, with a better understanding of American history and heritage." President William McKinley once said "The mission of the United States is one of benevolent assimilation." United States Senator Hayakawa, a native of Hawaii once said, "English is the key to full participation in the opportunities of American life." The Senator was explaining to a news reporter how his understanding of English at an early age enabled him to succeed.
This country must have a common bond to unite our all people while maintaining some diversity. People living in America from different areas of the world must be able to understand each other in order to create unity and trust. As Alexis deTocqueville once said, "Language is perhaps the strongest, perhaps the most enduring link which unites men" This statement is true even today.
Our founding fathers never intended for us to be a bilingual nation. By accepting multiple languages, we create a fragmented society separated by language differences. This separation aggravates cultural and ethnic differences. It does not unify people into one nation. Philosopher Ayn Rand noted, "A country must have one official language, if men are to understand each other."
We must all recognizes the excessive costs and terrible problems associated with the use of multiple languages. Multiple languages result in higher taxes as government and schools are forced to print publications and provide services in multiple languages. New York City schools have curriculum requirements in over ten languages. We all pay for this in the form of taxes.
Social unrest increases as individuals revert to their cultural ways and, eventually, violent ethnic and religious differences will arise, resulting in civil unrest. The government will have no alternative but to use force in order to control this unrest. This increases the violence and results in additional government involvement in our daily lives. Efforts to compromise and establish peace will fail since communication is ineffective.
All newcomers to America should, for their own benefit, gain an understanding of English. Not only will command of the English language be helpful, it will make the newcomer an asset. We will be a stronger, more unified nation that will continue in its greatness.
Immigrants of the past assimilated into American culture and society. Those newcomers made no demand that their native language be used in the US. They struggled and they learned English. Americans already here were not required to accommodate anyone in their native tongue. This assimilation process was necessary and crucial for the good of the union.
As witnessed throughout our history English has proven to unite people of different cultures and ethnic backgrounds without having those cultural differences become something that divides America. Of course learning other languages is valuable however English must be the official language of the United States of America.
It is the result of a society indoctrinating us into believing that diversity is good for America. It is the efforts of misguided multiculturalists who ignore the pitfalls of this debate. They lack foresight, historical knowledge and true American perspective.
Thankfully the 2007 immigration bill failed. It was amnesty with little merit. Similarly positions against making English the official language have little merit. Legal, and only legal, immigration and the English language are historically joined and crucial to the future of America. Opponents of bilingualism are inevitably called racist while well intentioned liberals pander to non-English speaking potential voters, relishing in their feel good, namby-pamby, self righteous position.
President Theodore Roosevelt once said, "We have but one language here, and that is the English language and the ultimate way to bring this nation to ruin would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities." This is true today.
By making English the official language, communication is advanced, misunderstanding avoided. Government saves millions on municipal services, school programs, materials and legal documents that need not be provided in multiple languages.
Acceptance of multiple languages eliminates incentive to learn English and assimilate into American culture. As the number of non-English speaking people increases so does the number of children who do not speak English. They are not encouraged to learn English. New York and Los Angeles alone have increased their foreign language speakers by 3.5 million people from 1990 to 2000, despite polls reflecting that 79% of Americans believe immigrants should be required to learn English before they are granted citizenship. Still they are not required to do so.
Multiculturalists fail to realize that non-English speaking people have little success in America. The jobs they obtain are low paying. They are often hired at salaries less than the legal minimum. The result is an inability to save money for education or the benefit of their children. This then results in their childrenīs inability to obtain better jobs.
In a 2002 Kaiser Family Foundation poll, it was found that "91% of foreign-born legal immigrants from Central and South America agree that learning English is essential for success and assimilation into the United States of America, with a better understanding of American history and heritage." President William McKinley once said "The mission of the United States is one of benevolent assimilation." United States Senator Hayakawa, a native of Hawaii once said, "English is the key to full participation in the opportunities of American life." The Senator was explaining to a news reporter how his understanding of English at an early age enabled him to succeed.
This country must have a common bond to unite our all people while maintaining some diversity. People living in America from different areas of the world must be able to understand each other in order to create unity and trust. As Alexis deTocqueville once said, "Language is perhaps the strongest, perhaps the most enduring link which unites men" This statement is true even today.
Our founding fathers never intended for us to be a bilingual nation. By accepting multiple languages, we create a fragmented society separated by language differences. This separation aggravates cultural and ethnic differences. It does not unify people into one nation. Philosopher Ayn Rand noted, "A country must have one official language, if men are to understand each other."
We must all recognizes the excessive costs and terrible problems associated with the use of multiple languages. Multiple languages result in higher taxes as government and schools are forced to print publications and provide services in multiple languages. New York City schools have curriculum requirements in over ten languages. We all pay for this in the form of taxes.
Social unrest increases as individuals revert to their cultural ways and, eventually, violent ethnic and religious differences will arise, resulting in civil unrest. The government will have no alternative but to use force in order to control this unrest. This increases the violence and results in additional government involvement in our daily lives. Efforts to compromise and establish peace will fail since communication is ineffective.
All newcomers to America should, for their own benefit, gain an understanding of English. Not only will command of the English language be helpful, it will make the newcomer an asset. We will be a stronger, more unified nation that will continue in its greatness.
Immigrants of the past assimilated into American culture and society. Those newcomers made no demand that their native language be used in the US. They struggled and they learned English. Americans already here were not required to accommodate anyone in their native tongue. This assimilation process was necessary and crucial for the good of the union.
As witnessed throughout our history English has proven to unite people of different cultures and ethnic backgrounds without having those cultural differences become something that divides America. Of course learning other languages is valuable however English must be the official language of the United States of America.
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