Virginian-Pilot Letter to the Editor

I'm on this new kick of writing letters to the editor. Suggested, quite intelligently, by A.! Thanks!

As evidenced by the recent article, “For some immigrants, English is a lifelong challenge” (June 19^th, 2006), non-native English speakers in the U.S. fully recognize the value of learning our language. What good, then, does designating English as our “common, unifying” do us? Why make English the “official” language, when even immigrants recognize its importance?

Just as it is hard for immigrants to learn English, it is equally difficult for Americans to learn Arabic, Farsi, and Chinese. Why don’t we capitalize on the knowledge of the native speakers of these and other languages in the U.S. to fight the war on terror intelligently? English First laws serve only to undermine bilingualism in our country, and put our ability to gather intelligence and keep our nation secure at risk.

In reference to: "For some immigrants, English is a lifelong challenge." (Virginian-Pilot, June 19th, 2006)