Jul 18, 2008, 07:03 AM
James L. Lambert - Guest Columnist - 7/12/2008 5:00:00 AM
It's not uncommon these days for Americans to walk into their local stores and find employees who aren't able to help them because the employees can't speak English. This happened to me recently at three different California businesses -- WalMart (Vista), Vons Supermarket (Mammoth Lakes), and Albertsons (San Diego).
I cannot understand why an employer would knowingly hire an employee who has customer contact yet cannot speak our language. This just doesn't make sense. Are we in Mexico, or the United States?
Only in America would the government go out of its way to try to appease everyone -- including millions who are here illegally. These same politicians block legislation that favors English as our national language. Why is it so difficult for politicos in Washington (particularly those in the Democratic Party) to endorse English as our national language?
Why is it important for us to recognize English as our national language? Jim Boulet, executive director of the group English First explains. "We are a very diverse people and we are a big country, divided by distance from Maine to San Diego," he notes. Yet, says Boulet, "English is what unites our country....Language division leads to other divisions."
Barack Obama and others on Capitol Hill complain about efforts to endorse English as America's primary language. Just a few days ago the Democratic presidential candidate in-waiting said the only people he expects to learn another language are English-speaking Americans. Nevertheless, the Illinois senator thinks that "instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English, [we] need to make sure that your child speaks Spanish."
On this issue Obama separates himself from GOP presidential candidate John McCain. On two separate occasions, Obama -- in 2006 and 2007 -- voted to reject Senator James Inhofe's repeal of President Clinton's Executive Order 13166 that rejects any preference to English since language is "a protected civil right." McCain voted yes on the matter.
Perhaps those who oppose English as our primary language should read the words of President Theodore Roosevelt. (Remember, Roosevelt lived when there were unprecedented numbers of immigrants coming to America from across the world.) In a 1907 speech, our 26th president said: "We have room for one flag, the American flag. We have room here for one language, and this is the English language....And we have room for one sole loyalty, and this is a loyalty to the American people."
While we recognize and honor everyone in America who represents a different culture and a different language, it should be the goal of every American to learn English first and honor it as our national language. Let's hope that our leaders in Washington will someday recognize this. As for me, I plan on contacting my senators and telling them my thoughts on this issue. How about you?
It's not uncommon these days for Americans to walk into their local stores and find employees who aren't able to help them because the employees can't speak English. This happened to me recently at three different California businesses -- WalMart (Vista), Vons Supermarket (Mammoth Lakes), and Albertsons (San Diego).
I cannot understand why an employer would knowingly hire an employee who has customer contact yet cannot speak our language. This just doesn't make sense. Are we in Mexico, or the United States?
Only in America would the government go out of its way to try to appease everyone -- including millions who are here illegally. These same politicians block legislation that favors English as our national language. Why is it so difficult for politicos in Washington (particularly those in the Democratic Party) to endorse English as our national language?
Why is it important for us to recognize English as our national language? Jim Boulet, executive director of the group English First explains. "We are a very diverse people and we are a big country, divided by distance from Maine to San Diego," he notes. Yet, says Boulet, "English is what unites our country....Language division leads to other divisions."
Barack Obama and others on Capitol Hill complain about efforts to endorse English as America's primary language. Just a few days ago the Democratic presidential candidate in-waiting said the only people he expects to learn another language are English-speaking Americans. Nevertheless, the Illinois senator thinks that "instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English, [we] need to make sure that your child speaks Spanish."
On this issue Obama separates himself from GOP presidential candidate John McCain. On two separate occasions, Obama -- in 2006 and 2007 -- voted to reject Senator James Inhofe's repeal of President Clinton's Executive Order 13166 that rejects any preference to English since language is "a protected civil right." McCain voted yes on the matter.
Perhaps those who oppose English as our primary language should read the words of President Theodore Roosevelt. (Remember, Roosevelt lived when there were unprecedented numbers of immigrants coming to America from across the world.) In a 1907 speech, our 26th president said: "We have room for one flag, the American flag. We have room here for one language, and this is the English language....And we have room for one sole loyalty, and this is a loyalty to the American people."
While we recognize and honor everyone in America who represents a different culture and a different language, it should be the goal of every American to learn English first and honor it as our national language. Let's hope that our leaders in Washington will someday recognize this. As for me, I plan on contacting my senators and telling them my thoughts on this issue. How about you?
