Speech #980097480

I can assure my colleagues that this is not the case and that the need for a constitutional amendment grows stronger every day. Almost alone among the worlds very large and populous nations. the United States enjoys the blessings of one primary language. spoken and understood by most of its citizens. The previously unquestioned acceptance of this language by immigrants from every linguistic and cultural background has enabled us to come together as one people. It has allowed us to discuss our differences. to argue about our problems and to compromise on solutions. It has allowed us to develop a stable and cohesive society that is the envy of many fractured ones. without imposing any strict standards of homogeneity. or even bothering to designate the language. which is ours by custom. as the Nations official one. As a nation of immigrants. our great strength has been drawn from our ability to assimilate vast numbers of people from many different cultures and ethnic groups into a nation of people that can work together with cooperation and understanding. This process was often referred to as the melting pot and in the past it has been seen as an almost magical concept that helped to make the United States the greatest nation on Earth. But for the last 15 years. we have experienced a growing resistance to the acceptance of our historic language. an antagonistic questioning of the melting pot philosophy that has traditionally helped speed newcomers into the American mainstream. Initially. the demands to make things easier for the newcomers seemed modest enough. and a generous people. appreciative of cultural diversity. was willing to make some allowances. For example. the English language requirements for naturalization were removed for elderly immigrants living here for 20 years who were still unable to meet them. and the use of a childs home language in the school setting was encouraged. in a wellintentioned attempt to soften the pain of adjustment from the home to the Englishspeaking society that school represents. However. the demands have sharply escalated. and so has the tone in which they are presented. Bilingual education has gradually lost its role as a transitional way of teaching English. and now mandates a bicultural component. This mandate has been primarily shaped and promoted by the Federal Government. The unfortunate result is that thousands of immigrant and nonimmigrant children are languishing in nearpermanent bilingual/bicultural programs. kept in a state of prolonged confusion suspended between two worlds. and not understanding what is expected of them. They and their parents are given false hopes that their cultural traditions can be fully maintained in this country. and that the mastery of English is not so important. after all. This change in attitude was aptly described by Theordore H. White in his book "America in Search of Itself" wherein he stated: Some Hispanics have. however. made a demand never voiced by immigrants before: that the United States. in effect. officially recognize itself as a bicultural. bilingual nation ... [They] demand that the United States become a bilingual country. with all children entitled to be taught in the language of their heritage. at public expense. No better hymn to the American tradition has ever been written than "The Education of Hyman Kaplan." by Leo Rosten. which describes with tears and laughter the efforts of the earlier immigrants . .. to learn the language of the country in which they wished to live. In New York today. forty years later. Hispanic entitlement has created a college.