wes@ukecc.UUCP (Wes Morgan) (11/20/86)
In opening, let me apologize for the somewhat flaky terminology in my
original posting. I <shudder!> posted that in not a little haste; I
had a calculus quiz for which to prepare.
I concede the point that America has always been multilingual. This
has indeed been a facet of American society since the first non-WASP
immigrants arrived. I have no complaints in that area. My objections
come with the attempts to convert the American *governmental system*
to mandatory bilingualism. For instance, the state of California now
allows testing for driver's licenses in about 25 different languages.
Is this good? One of the prime obligations any government has to its
people is to serve as a unifying force. How can the American people
be unified when we are degenerating into a modern-day Tower of Babel?
<ok, so I was a little melodramatic... 8^> ...> Have any of you ever
tried to deal in an official capacity with someone who speaks little
English? I have; it's a nightmare. The simple fact remains; broadening
our governmental processes/agencies into other languages would raise
the bureaucratic morass to the Nth degree. Can anyone deny this? I'd
*love* to hear it. What is the next step, allowing non-English speakers
to the Congress and Civil Service?? I don't want to take a Berlitz book
to the post office.
Another factor that plays against official bilingualism is the very point
which initially seems to demand it: America's cultural/linguistic diversity.
Let's enter a scenario: America, by due process of law, accepts Spanish as
its second official language. What does that do for the other sizable minor-
ities? Zip. Nada. Nothing. Several years after Spanish is accepted, another
group, say the Polish (ever been to Hamtramck?), grows enough in numbers to
begin clamoring for recognition as an official language. What then? Do we
shut the door and say "Sorry, learn English or Spanish!" The final point
in this scenario comes in the next century, when, as scientists project, the
so-called WASPs no longer be the majority. Does English go by the wayside?
Think on it. The only avoidance of this situation is to keep English as
the *only* official language.
One other, previously unmentioned, point against official bilingualism.
Language has an interesting characteristic; it restricts people to those
areas where that language is spoken. For example, there are few Hispanics
in Kentucky; this is attributable to the simple fact that Kentucky has no
Spanish-speaking base population. This theory explains the large concen-
trations of Hispanics in Florida, New York, and the Southwest. People
are naturally reluctant to enter a society which uses another language.
Anyone who has traveled abroad can remember that initial feeling of "I
don't know what's going on!!".
Oh well, enough of this.
Awaiting replies by net or e-mail............
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" Disclaimer? Huh? You mean this was supposed to be *MY* opinion?"