English only Legislation Destroys Diversity

The beauty of this country does not rely on its military power or economic dominance but on the heart and soul of every individual in this grand melting pot.

While people of all races, colors, creeds, and morals make up the core of this country, speaking a language other than English isn’t a popular thing to do.

This country has no official language. Although everything in our country is dominated by the English language- government, media, and education. This past summer a series of bills were introduced in our Congress to make English the “official” language of this country. This would of limit voting and all official government documentation strictly in English. As of this publication none of those bills have been successfully passed.

Could you imagine what this language limitation would do the cultural diversity of our country? People of different colors and races- other than white- would feel obliged to solely practice the language of the dominant race and loose their cultural and racial traditions. Pardon the sternness of this statement but- this melting pot would become slaves to the dominant language.

An official language would stir-up racial and cultural tensions that would tear at the heart of this country. Tensions in racial identity have catapulted recently- from the failed immigration reform movement to the current Jena Six controversy and an official language would only add fuel to the fire.

Not only would an official language stab at the core of our values, but it would contradict everything our constitution stands for. If all men are created equal and everyone has the right to pursue happiness- does that equality and happiness relate only to those that speak the dominant language and therefore the dominant culture? Should the freedom of religion and the press also include freedom of language?

This country’s majority will be diminished by the half of this century. The process of assimilating minorities will be less stressful process if we practice social-consciousness and racial harmony today.

While members of our Congress try to establish an official language people in Myanmar are being shot because they demand the simple rights and privileges that we often take for granted.

Something more than democracy is being demanded on the streets of Myanmar - basic human rights. Monks are sacrificing their lives and safety for the right to be looked upon as equals in the eyes of their government. The Jena Six controversy is also a fight for the government to treat all-independent of race- as equals.

We need to cherish each other’s differences now and stop worrying about a silly thing as establishing an official language.