WhatFinger


Illegal immigration issue is a timely reminder

Long past time to make English the official national language of the United States



“Language is a unifying instrument which binds people together. When people speak one language they become as one, they become a society”—S.I. Hayakawa Donald Trump’s stance on illegal immigration is a timely reminder that assimilation (to a common language, culture and values) is what makes the United States exceptional. If we are to continue to be the greatest nation on earth then we must remain a melting pot. As Senator Hayakawa so eloquently explained, “The United States, a land of immigrants from every corner of the world, has been strengthened and unified because its newcomers have historically chosen ultimately to forgo their native language for the English language. We have all benefited from the sharing of ideas, of cultures and beliefs, made possible by a common language. We have all enriched each other.”
Two of the iconic phrases that best describe the American experience are “nation of immigrants” and “land of opportunity.” For over 300 years people from around the world have flocked to these shores. They came in search of the American Dream: liberty and prosperity. In his classic study, People of Plenty: Economic abundance and the American character, Professor David M. Potter makes a compelling case for the proposition that the United States is a nation whose national character has been shaped by the perception that there is limitless economic abundance. The Modern Language Association estimates that 149 non-indigenous languages are spoken in the United States. No other nation has so diverse a population of non-native speakers. Traditionally, first generation immigrants spoke little or no English when they set foot in the US. They struggled to learn enough English to function in American society. They embraced American culture and values, and they taught them to their children. Their children were bilingual, speaking their parents’ language at home and English at school and work. The third generation was predominately monolingual, speaking only English. For example, among third generation Asian-Americans, 92% speak only English. The historical importance of English in the development of America’s unique national character is well recognized. Even Mikhail Gorbachev wondered “what would have happened if members of each nation moving to the U.S. had spoken only their own tongues and refused to learn English.” The greatness of the Unites States in large measure derives from our ability to assimilate new immigrants. As Bill Clinton noted, “Our new immigrants must be part of our one America…That means learning English and learning about our democratic system of government.”

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Preserve America’s unique cultural identity

The National Council of La Raza opposes making English the official national language of the United States on the grounds that “making English our national language hampers the government's ability to reach out, communicate, and warn people in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.” The Mexican Legal Defense and Educational Fund also vigorously opposes all attempts to make English the official national language of the United States because “making English the sole national language goes against global trends. Making English a national language would be acceptable only if it was “done in tandem with making other languages…the national language and acknowledging that the country is composed of people speaking several primary languages.” Both the National Council of La Raza and the Mexican Legal Defense and Educational Fund would welcome a bilingual America with English and Spanish as our official national languages. But wouldn’t we then also need to make all of the other languages spoken in the US official national languages, and by so doing turn the nation from a melting pot into a polyglot? Ronald Reagan understood the danger that such a path would take us down when he wrote that “by emphasizing the importance of a common language, we safeguard a proud legacy and help to ensure that America's future will be as great as her past.” Professor Richard Alba, in a study published by the Migration Policy Institute, acknowledges that “bilingualism persists to a greater extent among third-generation Hispanic groups, lending some truth to the claims…that an older pattern of language assimilation…has broken down.” While legal immigration from Latin America does not pose a threat to American culture, illegal immigration from Mexico and Central America does. The continuing influx of illegal Hispanic aliens is a swelling tide, and if this invasion is not halted, it will change America’s national character, and not for the better. Making English our official national language will not directly address the issue of illegal immigration, but it is a necessary step if we are to preserve America’s unique cultural identity.


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Al Kaltman -- Bio and Archives

Al Kaltman is a political science professor who teaches a leadership studies course at George Washington University.  He is the author of Cigars, Whiskey and Winning: Leadership Lessons from General Ulysses S. Grant.


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