Let’s Discuss Multiculturalism and English As Our Official Language

Written by  //  May 17, 2009  //  Uncategorized  //  8 Comments

You’ve probably all seen Thomas Payne’s videos before. But if you haven’t, you really oughta. It’s great food for thought. I like this one in particular (which is about 9 months old), because of the discussion about making English the official language of our country. There was some good debating about that very topic at The Mock Dock pre-election.

I still don’t understand anyone’s reluctance to claim English as our national language. It makes no sense to me. I love Thomas Payne’s ideas about unity and nationalism as well. It seems we basically bend over backwards nowadays in order to accommodate and pacify and not offend and placate people, when really, everyone should just melt into the pot.

People have often misunderstood that to mean that I believe you should turn your back on your own culture if you’ve come here from somewhere else. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no reason that one’s traditions and unique customs can’t be celebrated and recognized while at the same time embracing being an American. It’s like Thomas Payne said, enough of the hyphenating already.

Thoughts?

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8 Comments on "Let’s Discuss Multiculturalism and English As Our Official Language"

  1. fallandmiss May 17, 2009 at 1:48 pm ·

    Totally with you — is there something WRONG with having a national language? I’m all for accommodation, but it shouldn’t be mandated — I mean, if a business wants to have nine versions of a form in different languages, that’s fine, but they shouldn’t HAVE to. Is this not intuitive?

  2. QuiteContrary May 17, 2009 at 4:18 pm ·

    Yeah, I’m all for a national language.

  3. majordawg May 17, 2009 at 5:46 pm ·

    I agree with the sentiment 100%, I just don’t know that it’s necessary. I mean, are we damaged at all by having forms in two languages? Some street signs in two languages…if necessary? I mean, it is potentially an extra expense.

    I have total faith that Spanish will NOT unseat english during my lifetime. Something like that would take nearly 50 years and people would adapt to it.

    It would be a totally cosmetic move, albeit maybe a good one.

    Now, the issue of hyphenated Americans, yeah, that’s total BS, but I think we can separate those subjects..I think.

  4. Daisy May 17, 2009 at 7:09 pm ·

    Thumbs up for melting. And, moreover, it pisses me off when I have to press 1 for English.

  5. disillusionedjessy May 18, 2009 at 2:51 pm ·

    and God forbid you press 2 accidentally

  7. Daisy May 19, 2009 at 8:23 pm ·

    You’re right, disillusionedjessy. Because my undergraduate minor in Spanish should be spent doing important things like ordering margaritas at my local Mexican restaurant. Thanks. :-)

  8. meganyoreon June 16, 2009 at 8:32 pm ·

    im actually kind of shocked its not already…i did not know this..
    haha just makes me laugh thinking of my totally white, redneck friend who tells me “you KNOW i dont speak SPANISH” when i tell her hola! or if i ask if she wants a quesadilla.
    it really gets my goat (haha) when i call people who REQUEST a quote online and REQUEST that i call them…dont speak english and then totally give me attitude about it and hang up. im sorry… are we or are we not in USA. come one people. make an effort!
    i would never decide to live in Spain, or France, or any other non English speaking country for that matter and give someone attitude for them not speaking to me in English. i just dont get it.

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