the air

Now that I have a politics category, wouldn’t it be nice if I spice things up a bit by writing about a controversial topic? Technically, this topic is not controversial to me, but it does appear to be a heated issue at times. Before you read further, I am not talking about English classes/courses.

Last week, the US House of Representatives introduced a bill that would define English as the official language of the US and require that all naturalized citizens learn and speak English prior to becoming citizens. If you are not a naturalized citizen of the United States, then you may not know that all prospective applicants must give an oral English exam prior to becoming a citizen. In essence, you are required to be able to read, write, and speak some English. This bill would essentially make that into a law and mandatory. In addition, you will be required to take some English classes that would make you proficient in English. Opponents argue that such a measure is not required because those who are willing to become citizens are already eager to learn English and speak it. Some agree that the US Government should have some common language, but there remains no need to coerce people into taking English classes.

I think this bill is perfectly fine. As a naturalized US citizen, I think it is essential for future citizens to be able to read and write English as well as speak it proficiently. English is the most widely spoken language in the world and in the US. As such, it should be required for everyone to know the language before becoming a citizen. In addition, by defining English as the official language, the US can then unite all official documents and all transactions are kept in the same language. I think the critics mis-understand the intention of this bill because it does not outlaw any other language. Other nations, such as India and Brazil, require that their own citizens be proficient in their own respective languages and have an official language. The US is built around many different languages, but by having one language as the official one, the entire country can be united through language. Not everyone in the US knows German, French, Hindi, Spanish, Finnish, and others. However, everyone in this country needs to be able to speak English so that they can communicate with everyone. Doesn’t it make sense to simply designate English as the official language and also require naturalized citizens to be proficient in English? I think it makes perfect sense.

Source: CNS News

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