by Michael Burke

Created on: December 13, 2007   Last Updated: December 14, 2007

I'm not sure if we can, technically speaking, call English the official language of the USA. The various languages spoken by the the Native Americans that inhabited this great country might have to be considered. Having said all of that though I do feel that English is the official language of the USA today and has been for several hundred years.

When my father's ancestors arrived in this country as legal immigrants they spoke German and had to learn to speak English as a matter of survival. It was an expectation and they learned to do so. English was, is and hopefully will remain the spoken language of the country that they immigrated to in hopes of finding a better life and prosperity.

African Americans brought into this country against their will learned to speak the English language. Many foreign visitors desiring to visit our great country learn basic English before traveling to America in an effort to better understand and enjoy their visit to our country.

To think that any other language could or should be considered as the official language of the USA seems ridiculous to me. I don't want to seem biased but if you want to live in an English speaking country I truly feel that you need to adopt and speak the language. If I moved to France I'm sure that I would at first learn the French language knowing it was necessary to my success in that country. I wouldn't expect the French to learn English in order to better communicate with me.

I am overwhelmed by the fact that our law enforcement agents throughout this country are having to learn Spanish in an effort to deal with the growing Hispanic population in our country. The cost for this education in Spanish is a further drain on our tax dollars so that we might better accommodate the influx of Mexicans, many of whom are here illegally. Once again, if I were to move to Mexico I'm sure that knowing or learning the language would be to my benefit and I would make every effort to do so.

While English may not be the official language of the USA it is the spoken language of the USA. It is the primary language spoken by at least 95 percent of the people living here today and based solely upon that should be the official language.

I am not against immigration, if it is legal immigration, but I am against making any other language besides the English language the official language of our great country. When in Rome do as the Romans, when in the USA speak English, please.

Learn more about this author, Michael Burke.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.