NO! On English Only Proposition

5 Pages 1333 Words

Our nation was built with people from different nationalities, values customs, looks and languages that created our “melting pot” called America. For centuries people have been immigrating from other countries for the opportunity for prosperity in the United States. Many ethnic backgrounds from around the world with different languages come to live and work together in the U.S. We pride ourselves in this nation on being fair, democratic and giving everyone equal rights. Under proposition 63, “the English language would be made the official state language of California. It would amend the constitution and would prohibit the legislature from passing any laws, which diminish or ignore English as the common language”(Hastings).
This amendment would only apply to those recent immigrants that are new to this country and haven’t had a chance yet to learn English, mostly those people from Asian and Latin countries. Hasting Law Library also states it would also push for these immigrants to learn English as quickly as possible. The proposition is said by some to help create more national unity, but a lot of people including myself see this proposition as a tear in the constitutional rights that make this country what it is and the reason many generations died trying to migrate here. I think this proposition has more negative consequences than positive effects. It is discrimanatory, fuels intolerance and will segregate only a minority of people.
Proposition 63 is discriminatory to those recent immigrants and their children who haven’t had a chance yet even to learn the new language that they are bombarded and confused with every day of their lives. U.S. Senator S.I. Hayakawa worries that the influences of Spanish, especially in the Southwest and California will ultimately divide the nation (White 1). This proposition will try to create a big push these people to learn English as quickly as possible. Supporters believe that immigrant...