Inclusion

A man approaches you at the store. Looking confused, he seems to ask a question, but the words don’t register in your mind. ¿No hablas inglés?Unable to comprehend the foreign tongue, you simply shrug your shoulders and walk away in confusion. He walks on, presumably finding another means of achieving his goal. You, on the other hand, wonder what you could (or maybe should) have done. Whose fault was it that nothing was accomplished: the foreigner, or the citizen?

The argument for one official or national language is at often times difficult. On one hand, it makes thing easier in terms of communication and efficiency in the work place. Misunderstandings and confusion will decrease, giving America an overall better product. On the other hand, forcing someone to learn a language is almost preposterous. While it may benefit them, the time and money it would take to properly learn English would be wasteful in the eyes of many immigrants. Respecting the culture of each and every person is important - it’s their very being. In all honesty, the form in which America treats language is great. While knowing English can be a monumental help in earning a living in this country, not knowing English doesn’t restrict anyone from doing so. I personally know many people that understand enough English to just get by, yet they lead successful and prosperous lives. So in any way, no matter how “tiny and discrete,” we should strive to make everyone comfortable; with or without a national language.