There really seems to be a lot of uproar about making people speak the same language. Not just English, but other languages as well. This debate is not confined to the U.S., of course--it is happening in many other countries as well. And not just language, but other "cultural aspects" that various governments are trying (mostly in vain) to protect.
I don't think anyone would argue that people should not learn the language of the place where they live. But in parts of the U.S., people who have moved here from foreign lands sometimes attempt to preserve their culture to the point of refusing to speak English, or at least they live in their own segregated neighborhoods where learning English is not possible or needed. What do you think about this ever-growing problem in the U.S.? Or is it not a "problem?" Is it something the various state governments should do something about? Under what constitutional pretext might the U.S. federal government get involved?
Personally, I don't see it as a problem. If you want to communicate with someone, then learn the language. If you don't, then stay away from each other. And, if you know me at all, then you know I wouldn't want to see any government involvement in any way whatsoever. I believe in people handling their own challenges. But that's just me, and I could be wrong.
There is an old-fashioned theory that America is a sort of big "Melting Pot" of some sort, where immigrants move in, learn the language, adapt to the new culture, and, over a couple of generations, become fervent flag-waving Americans. This, of course, has not been even remotely true since the end of the white European and white Asian (Russian) immigration era that ended largely with the advent of World War II.
Today, a person who immigrates to America from, say Guatamala, or Haiti, or Viet Nam, or Iraq, is hardly going to assimilate, or even WANT to assimilate into traditional American white culture. As a result, there are many "sub-Americas" within our boundaries today. Some people see this as a problem. I am not sure why this would be a problem unless your goal is to preserve (read: "force upon") a certain cultural identity of one group over another.
There have always been many more cultures in America than simply the white European culture of course. Africans in America, African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics in America, Hispanic-Americans, and of course Asian-Americans, have always had their separate traditions and cultures. So this is hardly a new phenomena. However, they are no longer being ruthlessly suppressed by the white culture, as it becomes less and less dominate, and so the differences become more obvious than before.
Is this a problem? No. Is America going to retain a traditional national identity? No. That traditional identity has already been lost, if it ever existed; I don't think it ever did exist--not in the sense of of the cultureal identity of European countries.
To me, America has always been more of an idea than a country. And that idea was to provide a place on earth that people could come and live in peace without having to worry about having their heads beat in by some despot because of their personal beliefs or the color of their skin, or the language they spoke. Further, I am convinced that the more America tries to be a traditional European country, the further from this idea--this American Dream--they will drift.
I think this fact is why so many Europeans seem puzzled at Americans. They don't quite understand the precepts of America, where so many people of different cultures live together in such seeming turmoil and divisiveness, but yet seem to always get it done together in the end. They don't understand that America's strength is not in a common language or a common culture. These are European concepts. No. America's specialness lies in its LACK of one particular definition of what an "American" is. Paradoxically, but truly, America's strength lies in the very diversity that seems to always be tearing it apart.
We fight. We beat each other up. We call each other names. We pull this way and we pull that way. But it is a family fight. And whenever we get attacked from the outside, as many despots and dictators from decades past have learned the hard way, we suddenly come together. When it is over, our family starts fighting again. Don't feel sorry for us. There is no cure, and no cure is desired.
Personally, this writer could not give less of a damn about preserving traditional white culture, or preserving historical countries. Instead, I am concerned about children getting fed and receiving medical care. Politics I don't care about and haven't for a long time.
As usual, it is obvious I am busting my head against a brick wall. But that has been going on for me for a very very long time. Sometimes I feel like Don Quixote in modern times. But then, somebody like Marmelade comes along, and I get cheered up. There may be hope for us someday after all.
