“This is America. When ordering please speak in English,” owner Joey Vento of Geno's Steaks posts a sign in the window of his restaurant. The proclamation reminds people of a famous discussion about making English the official federal language of the United States. The debate over the possibility of making English the official federal language has been going on for over 100 years in history. There have been many powerful supporters from the government. In the early 1870s, California became the first state to approve English as an official language, followed by Wisconsin and Illinois. Furthermore, in 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt wrote: “We have room for but one language in this country, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the melting pot brings forth our people as Americans, of American nationality, and not as inhabitants of a multilingual boarding house.” (James Crawford, US Language Policy, 1997) Although more than twenty states have independently recognized English as an official language (Language Freedom and Restriction: A Historical Approach to the Official Language Controversy, James Crawford, 1990) and a large number of authorities and politicians support this policy, however, from my point of view, it is better not to set English as the official language for three main reasons: it contradicts the fundamental American values of freedom, equality and multiculturalism; it will cause a talent drain in every field and lead to a more serious discrimination problem. Why didn't the founding fathers of the United States establish in the constitution an official language for the country, for the people? This is a question that first came to mind as soon as I got involved in the discussion. I think many ask the same question in the middle of the card of immigrants from different places in the world, but also give them the opportunity to work and contribute to the nation; For more than fifty years, anti-racists have been trying to solve the problem of discrimination little by little. As we look to the future, the nation will strive to become a more free, equitable, and multicultural America; the nation still needs outstanding people from all over the world to work for its further development; the nation will continue to focus on reducing discrimination until complete harmony between the races is achieved. In a word, the nation will never abandon the three traditions, regardless of time. However, the existence of an official language will break the rule. Therefore, it is not English that does not become the official language, but an official language is inappropriate for a country like America.
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