U.S. National Language

Currently, the U.S. has no national language even though English is dominate. I like it that way, but many think the U.S. should have a national language. What do you think?

Is a national language needed?

Hmm...English is the language used for official documents produced by all state governments and the USFG. Congressional proceedings take place entirely in English, for the US Congress and all state congresses. The national anthem is sung in English. All public schools in this country teach English.
Whether or not English is "official" is fairly irrelevant.

Dassault Papillon: Do you think all immigrants should be required to learn English?

Pretty much my whole belief system is "Anti-official"

Priest of Swag: Your Anarchist?

Bi0Hazard: Whatever I am or am not, is a matter of perspective.

The United States official language should be english. I say this because as Analytical_Imbecile said all the United States official documents are english. But also because the majority of the people in the United States speak english. And mostly everyone knows english to a certain extent. The majority of people do not speak any other language as fluent as they do english in the United States.

NathanAllen: Have you taken into consideration how two states in the United States have official languages that are not English?

One reason not to make English official, is because that would prop up campaigns to make Spanish and other major languages official as well. These kinds of campaigns would drive people against each other, as would any other political issue. They would also result in a lot of senseless money being spent on rather pointless titles.

Like the gay marriage campaigns. Homosexuals could always get married, but look at the shit storm nations had to endure to allow that status to become official. Big deal that is.

Isn't this a states' rights issue too?

admin: Not really. States have already set their own official languages. The official language is already quite arbitrary, so any other impact it might have isn't going to be directed much at states.

btw, earlier I said that only two states have official languages other than English. I thought about it, and this is wrong. If I remember correctly, two states have more than one official language which they fully document both languages for. I think these were Hawaii and New Mexico, and I think Louisiana does something close to what those two do.

Crow: But how is it specifically delegated to the federal government?

admin: Because it relates to the language which is used in federal documentation

Crow: I don't remember that being in the constitution. I bet there'd be a lawsuit over it.

admin: You don't understand the constitution.

States cannot sue the federal government.

Everything the federal government does takes precedence over states. The states have no rights, just powers that the federal government decides not to take for themselves.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_immunity_in_the_United_States

Hopefully that will bring you up to speed.

Crow: The states have no rights, just powers that the federal government decides not to take for themselves.
That's the same thing, here is a quote from Wikipedia: In American political discourse, states' rights refers to political powers reserved for the U.S. state governments rather than the federal government according to the United States Constitution, reflecting especially the enumerated powers of Congress and the Tenth Amendment.
More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States%27_rights

Amendments to the constitution have been proposed in congress to adopt English as an official language. However, the efforts failed.
Here is one: The Government of the United States shall preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the United States of America. Unless specifically stated in applicable law, no person has a right, entitlement, or claim to have the Government of the United States or any of its officials or representatives act, communicate, perform or provide services, or provide materials in any language other than English. If exceptions are made, that does not create a legal entitlement to additional services in that language or any language other than English.

More here: http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_lang.html

Bi0Hazard: Okay, but what does this have to do with anything I was talking to admin about?

States cannot sue the federal government and state powers are anything the federal government does not claim for itself. Were you trying to dispute that information?