Should the United States Make English the Official language?

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According to the 2011 census, over 20.8 percent of the United States population spoke another language other than English (www.us-english.org). Language barriers, cultural differences, and immigration have been a part of life in the United States for decades. Language is considered a vital tool in the construction of someone’s identity and an expression of culture. In the last 200 years immigrants have chosen to make the United States their home, but some proceeded with caution by slowly adapting to the English language and culture. If a country doesn’t have an official language is usually due to distinct historical or cultural reasons. As I began reading articles on this topic, I was amazed that the great country I live in doesn’t have an official language. I begin to wonder why this is the case. Many countries have an official language in which all the official business, daily activities and other formal activities are conducted. There are even thirty (30) states that have succeeded through their own statutes to declare English as an official language of their particular state (www.us-english.org). It seems that this topic has been a heated debate for the past couple of decades, which has caused some division over the issue. I learned that there are a variety of pros and cons that you can argue about this issue. I chose to be a part of the pro English side for three reasons: I believe that making English our official language (1) would allow the education system to focus on English as the primary language, (2) it would unite our country in regards to racial discrimination, and (3) our government and business operations would be a little more streamlined. The United States is often called the melting pot because of th... ... middle of paper ... ... immersed society through our businesses, education systems, and government sectors. I definitely support Congress in their attempts to continue fighting this battle to make English the national language. Works Cited Baron, Dennis. “Don’t Make English Official.” Pbs.org. 1996. Web. 11 October 2014 Crawford, James. “A nation divided by one language.” Guardian.co.uk. 8 Mar 2001. Web. 11 October 2014 Inhofe, James M. and Cecilia Munoz. "Should English be declared America’s national language? A nation of immigrants considers the pros and cons of giving English official status." New York Times Upfront 23 Oct. 2006: 3. Bnet. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. “Habla Espanol? Does Spanish Threaten American English?” Pbs.org. Web. 11 October 2014. “Official English.” US English, Inc. 2010. Web. 6 December 2014. “US Summary.” Census.gov. 2000. Web. 6 December 2014

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