The West Wing - English Official Language

"then I'd mention to Monsieur de Tocqueville, over here, that aside from it being bigoted and unconstitutional, it's ludicrous to think that laws need to be created to help protect the language of Shakespeare."

Fantastic!!

Category:

Film & Animation

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• West
• Wing
• Josh
• Joey
• Lucas

[Dan210871]

Making English the official language is the province of small-minded cowards. The US has received many waves of immigrants speaking countless other languages, yet English has not only remained the primary means of communication but has also been immensely enriched by those linguistic influences. The language spoken in the US today is stronger and more adaptable because of those influences. Think about it the next time you visit the Notre Dame campus or drive through Coeur d'Alene and Sacramento.

[wsmith76us]

If we made English the official language of the United States, does that mean we'd have to take "E Pluribus Unum" off our money?

[4thengle]

Josh: She did it again.

Bartlet: Yeah.

haha brilliant comedic timing :)

[oceanus881]

Joey Lucas is epic!!!!!

[HerrOttoKranz]

As a Spaniard I think all these fears of Spanish taking over in the US are unjustified. The first generation may not speak English well or even at all, but their sons and grandsons will, believe me. They will because they aspire to a better social position within society, and achieving this hangs on their English proficiency. Just like any previous inmigrant group. I do admit that today it's easier to stay in touch with your original culture than in the past, but they will eventually blend in.

[c0nd0rd4myt]

@ChortortleC Have you tried learning a language lately? the older you get, the harder it is. Hell, i'm only my 20's, and have tried to learn German, Spanish, and Italian at different points, and this coming from a young man who otherwhise always does very well in school. I work in San Diego, only a few hours from the Mexican border, and I've never met me an individual who has "refused" to learn the English language. the second and third generations pick up the new language. Problem fixes itself.

[3L24]

it whould make sense for the us to make this law tho since the us has always been a melting pot of cultures where they tear down other cultures to build up there own american culture.American is one of the few none offical multie culture countrys left in the world and honsitly i wont be shocke done day if a bill makeign the english lang offical is dabaite din the congress or senate one day

[ttiiyy]

It's all about the federal government. Our founding fathers did not want a big federal government. They want state governments to decide most of the stuff.

This is where Republicans shoot themselves in the feet. If they want to make English the official language of the US, they will have to get the federal government involved. Good luck convincing all 50 states to play along.

Sigh, our country is going down real quick!

Stupid GOP! When they attack concersative Dem's, sigh, losers.....

[ttiiyy]

@Alloflifedecays Applying your logic, the UK is a stupid racist country.

[ChortortleC]

Meh. I'm okay with English as the U.S.'s legally-official language, or not. Whatever. State/Federal governments can afford to translate important information into common languages.

What pisses me off is when people pretend to become real members of a country, but refuse to learn to communicate with the majority of its people. Anyone who's not an ass will forgive an immigrant for a weak hold on their new language... but for not trying to learn it at all? No.

[stringerboi]

Speaking as an American who's predominately Latino, making English the official language of the US makes more sense then anything else. Diversity is fine, but true communication and unification means all understand each other by 1 language, its the common sense approach to social sciences.

I go to France, im going to learn french. Spain- Spanish, Germany-german. China- mandarain. US? I would hope its English. Learning another language is fine, 2 or 3 is best. But come on, common sense?