Speaking "American" Today (1)

Like nearly all other native born Americans, I take it for granted that speaking English is essential for living a normal life here. We require that naturalized citizens speak English, and how could it be otherwise? A democracy requires that its citizens choose their government and its policies. It requires that we all follow the law. How could we do those things if our understanding of those laws, of our choices, were not the same for all of us, no matter what language we speak?

This is why speaking English well was always considered essential for participating as a citizen, and why learning English - for non-English speaking immigrants - was the most important part of becoming a citizen.

It is becoming clearer - every single day - that this bedrock principle of American life is no longer true. I mean that it is no longer adequate for serving the needs of the nation.

What prompts me to write this now - even though I've been aware of it for some time - is the issuance of Executive Order 120 by Mayor Bloomberg, which requires "language access" for the effective delivery of city services in New York. Specifically, its main provision mandates that essential public documents be made available, in written translation or by the use of oral interpreters, in the six most commonly spoken languages: Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, Italian and French Creole. However, it also outlines programs that could eventually include many other languages as well.

Am I attaching too much significance to this? After all, it's only an executive order, a statement from a politician, like so many others. Does it really signify a major cultural shift, or will it be ignored while we continue the same paternalistic routines that we've always used because it was easier. Or, to put it another way, do people really care what the words mean as long as they get what they want?

The answer lies in the question itself.

To be continued....