Is language really an issue worth wasting our time on?

The three articles read for last class have raised some very interesting, controversial discussions. The Hazleton issue raised in both "PA City Puts Illegal Immigrants on Notice," and "When the Melting Pot Boils Over" are both touchy subjects, as well as the issues brought up in "Lingo Jingo." Personally I have a very difficult time agreeing or disagreeing with any of the issues. I feel connected to both sides of the issue, and without compromise (a word out of many politicians vocabulary) I don't feel there is a valid solution. Hazleton's efforts to drive illegal immigrants out of their city may be seen as heroic, but may also be seen as discriminatory. Maybe everyone should just be injected with their daily dose of soma and allowed to move on as pleased. Maybe this is all truly part of a conversion to a society like that described in A Brave New World, but maybe this is just another issue that will blow over in two years when we decide to hate a new president. When it comes down to it the question becomes should there be legal action taken in order to make sure "our" beloved language is preserved (notice quotations, I realize we don't have any way to claim English as the United State's language). In a young country formed primarily from many other countries combining, it is impossible to expect everyone to agree on one language. No one wants to give up their identity, and many cultures feel language is a large part of their identity. By converting to a single language policy, do we shut out possible immigrants? I have decided that shutting out immigration to this country is a bad idea, I mean unless you are Native American, you could likely trace back some sort of immigration in your blood in less then four generations. Personally I know my Great-grandparents on one side are all from Austria, and I don't think after four generations I can claim that America is my full heritage. The only claim I have to English is that I am the third generation in all of my blood raised purely on English, but still to my bloodline the English language is a new thing. However, I also have an Uncle who is an immigrant from Mexico. When I look at it I feel he is a role model for a feasible solution to this. He came into this country, speaks perfect English, took on a college education and has a high paying job now. The only way you could tell he has been a citizen for about twenty years is his accent. I really went off and about on this blog, but the more I try to gain a solid stance the more my wind walks in circles around the issue. The world has larger issues to deal with. My final solution is that we worry about peace first, and then in about a million years after that happens language can be talked about. It won't matter what language the label on the nuke is in when it destroys us all. Stop being ignorant America. Not everyone is white! Not everyone speaks English! Not everyone is you! Worry about yourself, make an effort to be moral, and don't waste your life in ignorance.

I suppose after writing all that and thinking about it I would have to say I agree with "Lingo Jingo" almost one hundred percent, kind of ironic after I originally thought I didn't like that one.