WASHINGTON—For 200 years we’ve been a nation without an official language. Now the Senate thinks its time English be given its due. Attached to the immigration bill that recently passed the Senate was an amendment making English our official tongue. Its sponsors were Republican James McClure of Idaho and Democrat David Boren of Oklahoma. “The door of true assimilation into our culture can only be opened by the key of one common language,” Boren observes. An identical measure has been introduced in the House by Republican Norman Shumway of California.

 

Why the sudden push for an official language? “Over the last 15 to 20 years, politicians have taken advantage of our linguistic differences,” says Steve Working of a public interest organization appropriately called U.S. English. As examples he cites federally sponsored bilingual education programs and requirements for bilingual ballots. “The history of America until the last 20 years,” Working says, “has been every community striving to learn English and assimilate with the rest of us.” He says it will be “a lot harder and rougher” to get the House to approve the Senate amendment.



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