They've really got me going now! I read an article this weekend about how the English language is losing popularity here in the U.S. That's just unacceptable. Can you actually wrap your mind around that?
Rochelle Sharpe, in Sunday's USA Weekend says, "The changes are due, in part, to the burgeoning growth of the Latino population, which has doubled in size since 1990". These are US Census Bureau figures, and possibly have some validity.
Any right thinking US citizen is going to think, "That's great! More people are coming to America just like our forefathers did, making this an even stronger and more prosperous nation." That has always been and should now be, true However, there is a trend afoot which is quite disturbing. About 1 of every 4 Spanish speaking households in America, speak Spanish exclusively. Many of these are illegal aliens, who for various reasons will not expose themselves to the English language or the American culture. They cannot find jobs, vote, or obtain valid driving privileges, They are less likely to attend schools, therefore never stepping outside of the boundaries of their tight knit families and communities. They're developing foreign lands inside of our 'land of the free'.
Ms Sharpe points out that there is no longer a widespread network of 'night schools' and other venues where immigrants can go to learn English. Our economy, pinched by a huge influx of illegals, can no longer support these schools.
Ms Sharpe seems to share the opinion that so many others do, that state governments are wrong to legislate English as being the 'official language' of their state. If English were the only language one would be able to use for acquiring Social Services, driver licenses, mortgages, and signing houring leases, etc., perhaps groups of immigrants could plan to help themselves. The Bosnian, or Iranian, or Hispanic etc., communities could collaborate to hire teachers to assist in the acquisition of English skills. This would help them integrate into the American culture, instead of remaining on the misunderstood fringes of mainstream America.
I believe Mr Sharpe is wrong. All states, perhaps even the federal government, should legislate English as being the official language of the U.S.A. We were built upon the premise that "united we stand, divided we fall" (among other important premises), and without that unity we are weakening our own communities, states, and the entire country.
Only 7.5% of the residents of Hialeah, FL speak English. You can be born, live, work, and die in Hialeah and never have to understand or utter a syllable of English! Imagine that.
I don't want to seem prejudiced against any ethnic group, and in fact I am not. I simply believe that there is nothing which divides people more than lack of understanding one another. Understanding has it's root in communication. If Americans and the immigrants who share the bounty of the United States, cannot communicate with each other, how long is it going to be before there is a movement or many movements, to start mini countries within this country. Visit Quebec Province and find out how that works for English speaking people there. You better know that poulet is chicken before you try to order breakfast in most of Quebec.
With any luck at all, I'll be dead before it gets that far along in Binghamton. When I see the Espanol signs go up in Laura's Lunch, I'm just going to throw up my hands and order a breakfast burito.
Buenos dias!
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