tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334477150153572969.post7925543218252503925..comments2023-11-02T08:34:01.133-04:00Comments on SAM Online: English Only?Chris Meehanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07829393951782496677noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7334477150153572969.post-26893937042653566512007-11-28T14:20:00.000-05:002007-11-28T14:20:00.000-05:00Assimilation and English only policies are not the...Assimilation and English only policies are not the same. Assimilation has been and should continue to be the goal of American immigrants. But not because they “owe to the country they are living in”, but because it benefits them to do so. Immigrants and their children will benefit academically and therefore economically by embracing the English language. Trust me, they will learn it. The article points to the immigration patterns of the early 1900 and their forced assimilation. I am pretty sure those groups spoke their own languages too. And in public places, the local governments often provided translation as it was available (which is obviously a lot more available today). In fact, the reason we don’t hear these accounts is simply because the immigration waves changed the over a period of time, whereas the current immigration wave has been predominantly Mexican and Spanish speaking. Just like those immigrants assimilated so will these. The alarmist attitude of many with regard to language issues is comical. The more we incorporate immigrants into “American Society” the more they will assimilate. But if we continue to foster economic policies that isolate them in their ethnic ghetto enclaves, the development of the English language and their proficiency at it will continue to suffer. (Believe it or not people in these communities don’t speak Spanish very well either, it is an education problem, not an immigrant problem). We are in the midst of this migration flow, and when it ends (because it will end one way or another) assimilation will take place just the way it has for everyone with a Mc in their last name or a name ending in i. Assimilation however should not ignore the very real need and desire for immigrants to maintain their cultural heritage. English only policies effectively promote a (and pardon the term) “white washing” of American culture. We are a country of immigrants, and although the history of immigration into the U.S. is one of assimilation, I am pretty sure most of those immigrant groups were not moving to places called “Gli Angeli” or “Sakrament”. My point is this country has a heritage that will forever prevent it from being an English only country. The heritage of the U.S. is one of multiculturalism, and not only that, but one of many languages. Think about that next time you happen to be in Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Sacramento, Illinois, Baton Rouge, Milwaukee, Nevada, San Jose, San Diego, St. Louis, El Paso, and the list goes on. <BR/><BR/>I guess no one here was arguing for English only policies, so in hindsight maybe this shouldn’t sound like I am arguing against someone. Oh Well had to get that off my chest.Goosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03800487071881070236noreply@blogger.com