One Nation, One Language Essay - 1248 Words

One of the most controversial debates in this era is the issue of national language in the United States. Although many countries have declared English as their official language, the U.S. bicameral chambers have persisted to recognize English as the official language. In his article, â€Å"In Plain English: Let’s Make It Official,† Charles Krauthammer reflects on contrasting viewpoints in our nation regarding this matter, and supports his idea that a comprehensive plan for ensuring the rights of languages should be passed by the legislative bodies. He believes that America’s great success has been the astonishing capacity for acculturation with its influence of English language, and that immigrants are more conforming to English (LEO 707).†¦show more content†¦In this process of acculturation the immigrants are impel to harmonize with a country’s traditions. Nevertheless, Krauthammer believes that people’s representatives in congress have obstacles to define the dominance of English language in law (707). Throughout his article, Krauthammer uses different examples of immigrants that speak in different languages, but they all tend to be the citizens of the United States. For instance, he believes that residents in Brooklyn are from different ethnicities. But they all speak their mother tongues, and none of them is a threat to our common culture. Krauthammer claims that â€Å"He [Brooklyn resident] may speak it in the street and proudly teach it to his children†, but he knows very well that â€Å"learning English† is the â€Å"gateway to American life† (707). By providing these facts he believes that the American traditions will be preserved from cultural diversities if English is recognized as the official language. As we rise to the challenges of our time, Krauthammer believes that we are now experiencing an enormous influx of immigration from Latin American countries (LMO 708). This new enormous shift in the society impacts social matters radically. As historical evidence he states that if Ellis Island had the majority of German speaking people rather than its native speakers, America couldn’t enjoy the success of national unityShow MoreRelatedWhy Is The United States A Multicultural Nation With An Alienated Multi Cultural Environment?1307 Words   |  6 PagesUnited States a multicultural nation with an alienated multi-cultural environment? â€Å"It would be nice if every citizen was literate in English, but that’s not the case† (Mercer). There are different situations that are still in debate within the American Nation. One of them is the bilingual ballots, which allow non-native English speakers to participate in the elections and contribute with their votes. 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