English as the national language

Re “American spoken here,” Opinion, May 24

I had fun with my erstwhile colleague David Eggenschwiler’s response to the Senate’s passage of a bill intended to establish English as the “national language.” Purify the language! George Bush as the Sun King! What a concept!

The joke turns a little sour, however, when we recall that Adolf Hitler resorted to the same techniques with the German language to further his nationalistic goals. A sober and timely reminder that it’s but a short step from patriotism to nationalism.

PETER CLOTHIER

Los Angeles

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Although I can’t disagree that hearing the president speak English well would constitute a good day, it would be a far better day if he learned the realities of political and economic cause and effect and reasoned himself out of a job. Then he’d have time to learn French and correct Eggenschwiler’s closing line: Vive la langue Americaine!

PETER RUTENBERG

Los Angeles