Karina Gonzalez
The fact that making English the official language of the United States has become a hot topic of the presidential primary debates really shows where our priorities lie.
Don’t get me wrong. I really do think that all new immigrants should be encouraged to learn English because it makes communications easier.
However, should they be forced?
Many immigrants living in the States have jobs where they get paid half of the minimum wage and still feel satisfied to be a part of the American dream.
Isn’t forcing immigrants to learn English going to discourage them from coming to this country, let alone make them view Americans as a bunch of conceited, narrow-minded people?
Living in California, and especially in Los Angeles, it is rare to meet someone who is not an immigrant.
In fact, the United States was formed by immigrants who stepped onto what would later be Virginia with hopes of starting a new life free of religious and social issues.
Is forcing someone to learn a certain language forcing them to abandon their culture and their lifestyle?
That is not what our founding fathers thought when they gave us the gift that we call a free America.
If someone can find a job and make a living without learning more than a few words of English, why should we make it mandatory for them to learn English?
Also, in a country where jails are overflowing and the number of students who wish to attend college is decreasing, is making English the official language really a priority?
When you think of all the other problems that we face, whether it be the safety of our troops overseas or the safety of us back home, fighting over language seems to be a trivial.
Where do our priorities lie and what is it that we are trying to do?
In a state like California, should more money be spent to make sure all children receive health care services, or is it more crucial to make sure all immigrants speak English?
Our politicians need to realize that when they fight, they need to be just. Just because everyone doesn’t speak English does not mean that we are abandoning the language.
After all, 90 percent of people living in America speak some sort of English.
On June 6, the Senate approved an amendment written by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) to make it official nationwide.
How about we focus on an amendment that makes it mandatory for us to educate ourselves past the 12th grade?
How about we focus on an amendment which makes the living conditions of inmates in the county jails more humane?
Language is important, but not as important as other issues related to the survival and well-being of human beings.
The question again, is, where do our priorities lie?
()