One Common Language
Uniting America with a Common Language
Imagine yourself in a country you have lived for many years, and not being able to communicate with the people around you. Your kids are in school, and you are unable to help them with homework, because you cannot speak English. You work two low paying jobs just to make ends meet, and at the end of the month, you still come up short. Your children are forced to go without the most basic needs. This is the reality of millions of families. All of this could be avoided if these families could speak English. English should be the official language of the United States to promote unity economic and personal equality for all its citizens and immigrants. How can a country be united as one when we are unable to communicate with our neighbors and each other? Non-English speaking people face a life full of disadvantages. This country was founded on the principles of being one nation and being indivisible. Without a common language, we are divided. 27 states have made English the official language of their state, and 80 percent of Americans are in favor of this as well (Facts and Figures). English is spoken by the majority of people in the United States and the world. English has been the recognized language of the business world. Many people, who do not speak English, have limited access to healthcare. When access to healthcare is limited, the health of people will suffer. Many of these people rely on programs such as Medicaid or Medicare for their healthcare. When they rely on federal programs for healthcare, we all pay. Many emergencies arise, because of problems with communication. Medical errors are higher, and misdiagnosis can be a problem. With the large population of immigrants, there is a shortage of translators (Mujica, 2003). With the shortage of translators, doctors often use family members or other hospital workers to translate.
Sometimes the problem is of a personal nature, and the patient does not like to say what
Imagine yourself in a country you have lived for many years, and not being able to communicate with the people around you. Your kids are in school, and you are unable to help them with homework, because you cannot speak English. You work two low paying jobs just to make ends meet, and at the end of the month, you still come up short. Your children are forced to go without the most basic needs. This is the reality of millions of families. All of this could be avoided if these families could speak English. English should be the official language of the United States to promote unity economic and personal equality for all its citizens and immigrants. How can a country be united as one when we are unable to communicate with our neighbors and each other? Non-English speaking people face a life full of disadvantages. This country was founded on the principles of being one nation and being indivisible. Without a common language, we are divided. 27 states have made English the official language of their state, and 80 percent of Americans are in favor of this as well (Facts and Figures). English is spoken by the majority of people in the United States and the world. English has been the recognized language of the business world. Many people, who do not speak English, have limited access to healthcare. When access to healthcare is limited, the health of people will suffer. Many of these people rely on programs such as Medicaid or Medicare for their healthcare. When they rely on federal programs for healthcare, we all pay. Many emergencies arise, because of problems with communication. Medical errors are higher, and misdiagnosis can be a problem. With the large population of immigrants, there is a shortage of translators (Mujica, 2003). With the shortage of translators, doctors often use family members or other hospital workers to translate.
Sometimes the problem is of a personal nature, and the patient does not like to say what
References: Facts and figures. (n.d.). Retrieved Aug. 22, 2005, from U.S. English Web site: http://www.us-english.org/inc/official/factsfigs.asp. Mujica, M. E. (2003). Why the u.s. needs an official language. The World & I., 18(12), 36.