John Mercier

Official-English is a term used regarding the debate over making English the official language of the United States. The Official-English debate stems from the belief that learning to speak English gives citizens increased opportunities to live the "American-Dream." The idea is, without making English the official language, the United States' "melting-pot" society will no longer be possible and growth in power and wealth will suffer as a result. Without a common language to exchange ideas, citizens will be segregated by cultural boundaries. Supporters of Official-English believe that by breaking the language barrier, citizens will not be segregated by language, and the government will not have to pay to provide its services in other languages. Opponents of Official-English believe that it is wrong to force a new language on any citizen, and the government should provide its services in the languages required by its citizens. The opponents claim language discrimination is discrimination based on "national origin" which is illegal according to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Both arguments are formed by the premise that government needs to intervene and somehow shape society. While making English the official language of the United States encourages unity under a common language, it is not a proper goal of government. The United States was founded on the principle that the government would be "a limited government that did little else than preside over and adjudicate conflicts in a basically self-regulating social order" (Locke 12). Yet, the United States has grown into a massive welfare state. The United States should make English the official language because it creates a legal limit on the ever-expanding welfare state and protects the rights of businesses.[Read More]