English As A First Language

For about a month I've been debating on writing this rant, which for anyone who follows my tyraids will tell you, is extremely rare. I pride myself on writing what others are afraid to say, so that alone you can privately nod your head in agreement and feel less alone about the atrocities that seem to be considered too poor a conversation topic to address. It's difficult for me to think in terms of "political" or social correctness, my behavior might be deplorable by verbal standards to some but you can be assured that there are more people that are silent supporters than there are critics and ney-sayers.

With that said, I came to the conclusion that to hold true to the ideal of speaking what is unspeakable, I'd write it out. I'm not going to apologize, I thought about it, but in the end what would I be apologizing for? For acknowledging what we are all feeling? For having the fearlessness to say it without feeling guilty afterwards? Let's get on with it.

How many of us have had the undeniable pleasure of being serviced in a restaurant, a bank, a shopping center, over the phone or in person, by someone who cannot speak English? It's not about those that *can* and *do* speak the common tongue, it's about the many that just flat out refuse to. I've heard so many arguments about this that I could quote them back to you, the most popular being "this is America! Speak American!" which let's just call it what it is, a ridiculously uneducated statement. We don't speak proper English anymore, the lazy tongue that we all have, but we also can't commit to calling our slang "American" either. The issue isn't the title of language, but the lack of understanding and lending yourself to the environment you live within.

Let me begin my stating that aside from going to Mexico, I've never been outside the "country" as in to Europe or the Asia Continents. But I can assure you that should I ever find myself such a grand opportunity that I would not simply "assume" that I could walk up to a kiosk or a waiter and say "Can I please have a table for two", or "How much is this please?" and have them understand me. I could hope, but in truth other countries are far less appealed to lending themselves to our comfort levels. It's a fact that in some instances countries where you do not speak the native tongue will single you out and treat you differently for it. Do we do that here to foreign travelers or those who have chosen to live here? I'm sure we do.

But the difference, small as it might be, is the catering that we do to other cultures "inability" or lack of desire to speak *our* native tongue. I'm not a big patriot, I don't wear a flag on my jacket, wave one in my yard, or join in with such bullshit as this current war we have stuck ourselves in. But I am a believer that we as a country should have some requirement, some basic regulations, that insist that English be the primary language required in all service related jobs. I shouldn't have to press "1" for English, I shouldn't be subjected to send my child to school where two translators stand in the back of the room and speak Mandarin or Spanish to the students who cannot understand.

I realize how this could come across as a racial remark, and I assure you I am of no mindset that would include such an assumption. The truth is I want our country to treat it citizens like any other country would; with the implication that operating within it's confides requires you to understand, be able to preform, within the reasonable boundaries of its society. I appreciate the mixed population we possess, and I have dozens of friends who have migrated here from various countries to find the all-popular "American Dream" but all of which understand that speaking English isn't an option; but instead, a necessity.

"Broken English", or slight corrections in word choice (as I understand it, the most difficult part of learning) are attempts. Attempts that say to us that the effort is present. And effort is what we should all be making; an effort to understand, and an equal effort to present yourself in the way in which is understood by the many; not by the few.

I know you're saying right now "but Oceanna..you're talking about CONFORMITY!" and I say no sir, I am not. I am talking about accepting your environment and not forcing the environment to accept you. I'm not asking that our ESL citizens blend in, I'm asking that they provide a consideration. A consideration that we are not asked as kindly to make outside the country.

Overall, we are a country that allows it's citizens to decide the fate and future of itself. We are the people that set the standard, that ask it's people to pay taxes, to provide decency in families so that children are not molested or abused. And it's no argument that we fail in both those areas more times than we can admit. But we still try. We still persevere to obtain success in those, as well as many other demands we have set for ourselves. It is a true blessing that we allow such multi-cultural exchanges to exist..but they should be voluntary. Not mandatory.