Speaker. today I rise to speak out against H.R. 4424. the Language of Government Act. What is there to fear about multiculturalism? The Statue of Liberty reflects pride in our pluralism and our immigrant heritage. The Founding Fathers rejected the idea of an official language because they fully understood the Implications of such an imposition. For 200 years America has prospered without an official language. Furthermore. the effect of this Englishonly proposal would be to exacerbate what is already a very tense and racially divided situation in this country. Let us never forget that we are a nation of immigrants comprised of all races. nationalities. and languages. America was discovered and continues to be rediscovered by new immigrants. And one must never forget that it was immigrants speaking a variety of languages who toiled to make this country great. American citizens are unique in that we do not share a common race. religion. or ethnicity. We live together as a people. free to celebrate our varied ethnic traditions. Why. then. are some Americans ambivalent about immigrants. desirous of their labor. but fearful and resentful of their social impact? How could a German. Haitian. Dominican. or a Korean enjoy his or her guarantee of the pursuit of happiness if English was the only acceptable mode of expression? More dramatically. how many Americans fought and died for this country without ever learning to speak English fluently? Much of the protectionist attitude toward new immigrants is and has always been. based on the fear that different ethnic and nationality groups will not blend into the socalled melting pot. In reality there is no melting pot. no homogeneous American culture. That has always been a myth. Our society is more accurately described as a brilliant. very colorful mosaic. History has shown that todays immigrants. like their predecessors. will become tomorrows accepted Americans. real Americans. so to speak. and are as certain to become part of the next generation of the Nations leadership. How can English be endangered when it is spoken by 96 percent of the population? Research has shown that minorities overwhelmingly lose their mother tongues by the second or third generation. Lacking empirical evidence. Englishonly advocates have relied on stereotypes in their argument that the socalled primacy of English Is threatened in America today. Concerns about acculturation are often related to the question of whether new immigrants will learn English. Linguistic barriers do not effect behaviorial functions. threaten civil liberties. or equal opportunities for others. Why Is having Americans who can speak two or more languages a threat?
Identified stereotypes
Generalization that immigrants are feared and resented for their social impact.