What Official Language?

A few weeks ago, Bill Maher invited actor Ben Affleck onto his late night panel (click for clip). Now, I've never much cared for Affleck, and I don't consider his acting to be particularly profound. I found myself, however, appreciating his viewpoint and his willingness to challenge the consistently hyper-liberal thinking of Maher's show. Or at least his willingness to think before parroting (both "sides" fail at this).

Don't get me wrong; I'm a hyper liberal myself. I'd tell you what I really am if you wouldn't instantly associate that political label with the concept of communism with which your were indoctrinated. Socialism has nothing to do with state controlled capitalism, after all.

But I digress.

It is about the question of English as an official language that I sometimes disagree with my fellow liberals. In general, liberals see the establishment of English as the official language of the United States as an attack on other cultures—as racism even. This kind of response nauseates me: it is far too easy to undermine someone else's (possibly valid) position by pointing a finger and calling them a bigot. This kind of dialogue is destructive not constructive. It is shocking that we still practice this juvenile tactic in the 21st century. (I am talking about the immigration debate here too.)

Perhaps not so shocking when one considers our broken education system.

Am I digressing again? Maybe.

What surprised me most was Affleck's contribution to the liberal witch-burning of English-as-the-official-language. He didn't defend it or berate it. He cut through the smoke to issue one of the most illuminated directives I've heard of late.

It isn't a Spanish versus English question, if one considers the sad reality of the United States. The fact is, most English speakers don't know English! That is to say, they don't know the rules and they certainly don't apply them. Affleck asserted that people should worry about learning the English language—about speaking and writing it properly—before we discuss it as the official language. How true.