Commentary : ‘English Only’: Is It Necessary? : Speaking a Common Language Is Vital to Keep Americans United

The United States is indeed a country of immigrants who came from many different countries and had very different backgrounds. To ensure their complete integration and that of their children, it was very important that they learned English. It still is.

It is this common language that united them in one nation.

I praise our forefathers who had the wisdom to want to see that their children grew up as Americans speaking English.

The more recent wave of immigrants from Asian and Latin American countries will be able to help keep America where it is among the world of nations only as long as we ensure that they all learn English well.

How fortunate we are in America to be able to attract and absorb that diversity of people and the rich cultures and traditions they bring.

Through this wonderful melting pot process, new generations of Americans have appeared and will continue to appear, and all should learn to speak English.

The alternative is clear: a fragmentation of this great country into areas separated by language. Look what happened in Canada, where one group speaking French is referred to as French Canadians and all the others are just Canadians.

We wouldn’t want a Spanish California, an Asian California and another just called California.

Look at what more than one language has done to many other countries. One example of the division of people is Belgium (French and Dutch).

The inability to speak English could well lead to discrimination, especially for future generations born here.

By having English as the only official language, there would be no suppression of the cultural heritage of the immigrants. In fact, the immigrants are free to keep their own language and culture, but the language of their newly adopted country is and should be English only.

I came to this country to live permanently 13 years ago. My children, who were born in another country, now speak English like any other American.

As parents, my wife and I took it upon ourselves to master the English language as well as we could. We still maintain our native language, German, and our children are fluent in it as well as English.

But when it comes to the language of our newly adopted country, it is, and should be, English only.