There is a movement lead by U.S. English, Inc., a non-profit citizens' action group to make English the official language of the United States. That is a mistake. According to the 1990 census Americans speak 329 languages.  

H.R. 123, "The Bill Emerson English Language Empowerment Act of 1996" passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 259-169, with 36 Democrats joining Republicans in this vote. The Senate fortunately failed to act on the bill before the session was over.  

There are 25 states, which have enacted legislation to make English their official language. Alaska, Georgia, Montana, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Virginia, Wyoming and Missouri were the last states to adopt this xenophobic legislation.  

Proponents of this measure claim that it promotes unity. It is a falsehood like the idea that this country is a melting pot. People do not "melt" their language, culture and customs. On the contrary they try to pass on to their children the cultural values that they were born with.  

It is common sense that everyone benefits from knowing English, but to make it the official language of such a multilingual country such as ours is an insult to the every ethnic group whose first language is not English.  

Our national motto is "E pluribus unum"-out of many, one. This does not mean one language, but one nation with a common purpose to be a shining model of democracy to the world. We need to stand up to ethnic prejudice, racism and bigotry, not encouraged it.  

Two years ago Congressman Barney Frank filed legislation to amend the United States constitution in order to permit millions of naturalized Americans to run for president of this country. Congressman Frank considers this restriction "unjust and discriminatory".  

I commend Congressman Frank for trying to give all Americans equitable rights.

I agree whole heartly with Mr. Raimundo Delgado’s article because it is  written in accordance with the First Amendment  of Bill of rights which has only 45 words.

Amendment 1

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably  to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances"

Please note that the Congress shall make no law prohibiting the freedom of speech. It does not mention by name any language!

This very important right gives anyone living in U. S. A.,  an American citizen or not,  the right to pray  to his or her god in any language that he or she knows best.

It is really ridiculous and even stupidity to desire to approve a Law making the English the official language of U. S. of America. 

The reason behind this wish is  motivated by the old English and their descendents or the so called  Yankees. The members of this ethnic group  are dyeing out,  are becoming a minority, and they are afraid that some other ethnic group will take over the realm of the Government of the U. S. A. 

How  stupid  can they  be. This attitude is very offensive to so many other ethnic groups that have given so many  lives  defending the U. S. A. and the principles of  the American democracy! 

How many  Italo-Americans, French-Americans, Portuguese-Americans, Spanish- Americans, etc. , have lost  their lives fighting in  the I and II World Wars, in Korean War, in Vietnam wars?

If the congress will ever approve a law for the English to be the  official  language of this country, I doubt if any President  will sign it, and if he does, I am sure the Supreme Court will declare it unconstitutional.

      Manuel Luciano da Silva, M. D.

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