I am ever so slightly perplexed by our nation...again. The language issue is again rearing it's ugly head. People are demanding English be spoken across the United States. All I have to say is "huh?"

The United States does NOT have a national language. Why? Because for a VERY long time, it wasn't the primary language. I know, you all think I have been hitting the peyote, but it is true. Fact is, Cherokee was the primary language for quite a while. Spanish has always been spoken in the south. When the U.S. made the Louisiana Purchase, what was the primary language there? Here is a hint...Baton Rouge. Bourbon Street in New Orleans is named after Bourbon, France. The Louisiana Purchase was made between Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon.

This is not the only French speaking area. When I was stationed in Caribou, Maine, the primary language 10 minutes north of the base was French.

San Antonio, Texas was purchase in the Louisiana Purchase, Brownsville, Texas went through several changes of hands to include Spanish and Mexican. Wichita Falls, Texas was where the (get this) Wichita Native tribe was located. California was created on the backs of Chinese and Spanish. The Wisconsin and Minnesota areas were created with assistance from the Swedish and Norweigans. Chicago is the melting pot for the Polish, Italian, Irish and many more.

So I ask you, why don't we have a national language? Mostly because this country was created as a land of opportunity. Opportunity for everyone. For you and you fore-fathers have ALL come to this country knowing another language. As for MY fore-fathers, they also knew other languages. My birth father is Sioux. My birth mother is Cherokee. They are not the same in any form or fashion of spoken language. The only common language among all nations and tribes, was sign language. Sign language was used for trade.

Oh, by the way, the Native Languages were here ten of thousands of years before the English arrived.

This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). Drop the national language idea. As Americans, we are suppose to rise above the rest and be a stronger, more intelligent nation. For this reason, if we have a problem communicating in Miami, Florida, learn the language. If you have a hard time speaking Americanised Elizabethan English on Smith Island, MD learn the language.

Suggesting a national language does not embrace our heritage, but dismisses it. If America decides it needs a national language, we should choose a language that the majority of the world already speaks...Mandarin Chinese. 你好

Did you know...

Three times more people speak Mandarin Chinese as their primary language than speak English. But more people study English in China than speak it in the United States of America (300 million).