Please Stop Telling Me To "Speak English" Because "This Is America" | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Please Stop Telling Me To "Speak English" Because "This Is America"

Being bi-lingual is a blessing, not a curse.

324
Please Stop Telling Me To "Speak English" Because "This Is America"
Huffington Post

The United States of America: a country founded on the principles of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When you think about it, America was founded to be the "fresh new start" people desired, and continue to desire and wish for even today, hundreds of years after its founding.

Something that I've noticed lately is that people fail to realize that the United States, unlike many other nations, does not have an official language. Many seem to believe that either English is or should be the official language and also seem to think that those whose native language is not English are not welcome in the U.S.

One thing I take a lot of pride in is being bi-lingual. The language most spoken in my home growing up was Spanish. Living and growing up in Miami, Florida, being bi-lingual was always a blessing. Nobody ever looked at me oddly or asked me to "speak English". I was never shunned for embracing my culture.

In a way, I was sheltered. I was always in the majority. I never feared being treated any lesser because of my ethnicity. Nationally, I am part of a minority, but I lived 14 years not knowing the effects of what it's like to be a minority in this country.

I feel very fortunate to have grown up in a city where the Publix employees greet you in Spanish, where the automatic telephone systems of nearby businesses ask you to "press 9 for English", and where the international restaurants far outnumber the American restaurants typically seen in the majority of American cities.

Since moving away from Miami and especially in the last few months, I have felt a tension like never before. Speaking to my friends or family in Spanish in public is almost always accompanied with judgmental looks or unnecessary comments. I've seen it happen on my campus- not just to me but to other international students. I take the time to approach those students and let them know they are welcome here.

Today, one of my majors is Spanish. Despite the criticism from those who think I shouldn't be studying it because it's "easy" for me, I still work hard. I study hard and with every class period I learn something new about my heritage and about the language that I am striving to become more fluent in.

As Americans, we need to embrace the fact that being bi-lingual is a blessing, not a curse. In other countries, children learn 1, 2 or even 3 different languages in the primary school years. We claim to be the "greatest country in the world", yet we are afraid of diversity. We are afraid to hear Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, French, and other languages in public. We demand that everyone who comes to this country learn English, when it is one of the most difficult languages to learn. We ignore the reality that the immigrants, refugees and their families are human and have far more important things to worry about than learning what may be the "dominant" language in a country that has no official language. We forget that things take time...have you ever tried to learn another language? We cannot belittle, shame, and discriminate those who speak "broken English", for they are probably some of the most intelligent, strong-willed, and determined people this country is so fortunate to have.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

198329
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

19721
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

461528
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28673
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments