The Wall

America touts itself as the great melting pot. This country was built with a focus on immigration, acceptance, and freedom. We might look to a prominent American symbol who's blazing torch beckons "give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore." Further, one of our most treasured National documents, the Bill of Rights, grants in the same breath two of our most cherished rights: those freedoms of speech and religion. Might the authors of this piece have been making a statement about their respective values? This day in which English-only policies threaten to extinguish a precious element of diversity not surprisingly comes at a time when we consider complementing the Statue of Liberty to the East with an enormous wall to the South. In this day, what will you do, will you build the wall or help to tear it down?
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The Situation

Thirty states have English-only laws. Most were passed under the pretext that they maintain the American way of life. But how can we trumpet as "American" an unnecessary law that sets up roadblocks to tolerance, multiculturalism, and equal opportunity for all Americans? English-only laws affect not only non-English speaking Americans, but also every citizen who could benefit from the progress that a country can make only with the acceptance and celebration of diverse cultural influences. The United States is a country built on the vibrant energies of immigrants, who saw the American dream as open to anyone. As a country we can foster the shared goal of multiculturalism, promoting quality of life for all Americans and ensuring the success of the U.S. in a global society, by keeping the public realm open to any language.

The ACLU has fought and won against English-only laws in Utah, Alaska, and on a national level. First amendment principles of free speech are at stake, as is our shared value of equality. English-only legislations puts Americans in danger by limiting information about government services and policies in languages other than English, barring instruction about workplace safety, natural disasters, and vaccinations in an understandable form. It would prevent those of limited English proficiency from communicating with their doctors, getting instructions on how to pay taxes, and even accessing bilingual education. Thousands of motivated non-English or limited-English speakers are on waiting lists for adult English classes; government resources should go toward expanding the resources available to them, not limiting their access.

English-only laws put up barriers to non-English speakers at every step in the process of civic involvement, from getting a driver's license to accessing government information to defending oneself in the courts. They send a strong signal: "You're not welcome." It's poor thanks to the immigrants who have taken such risks and worked so hard just for the chance to call themselves American. Under English-only laws, U.S. residents, native or not, who speak another language face unequal access to their rights in court, in the voting booth, and at city hall and other government offices. Our country was founded on principles of freedom, personal dignity, and inalienable rights, and to bar access to those rights based purely on language is an affront to the Constitution.

The Survey

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Do you know that the United States has never had an official language?	yes no
Do you think that the freedom of speech should include language choice?	yes no
Have you ever lived outside of the United States?	yes no
How important is it to you that your children learn another language?	crucial important not necessary
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