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<span class="">Mauro E. Mujica, guest columnist: Common language unites citizens, bolsters opportunities</span></h1>
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Posted: <span class="" title="2014-11-22T00:01:00-06:00">Saturday, November 22, 2014 12:01 am</span>
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<span class=""><span class="">MAURO E. MUJICA Guest columnist</span></span>
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<span class=""><p>Texas is a border
state recognized for its diversity. In the melting pot that is America,
differences are — and should be — celebrated. But as a nation that
welcomes immigrants from all over the world, without a common thread to
unite us in our diversity, we become divided. Without an official
language policy, Texas is unfortunately a prime example of these
divisions.</p></span>
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<span class=""><p>Census data show
171 languages are spoken in Texas. Multilingualism should, of course, be
encouraged. I myself am a native Spanish speaker and I am now fluent in
four languages and continue to study even more. But regardless of how
many languages one can speak, in the United States, English should be
considered crucial.</p></span>
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<p>Due to the lack of an official language policy,
however, 25 of the state’s 254 counties have limited English proficiency
rates of 20 percent or higher. In fact, more than 3.3 million Texas
residents, or close to 15 percent of the state’s population, are
considered limited English proficient, meaning they would struggle to
carry on more than a basic conversation in English.</p>
<p>Without a firm grasp of English, these limited
English-proficient individuals are likely to be trapped in low-paying
jobs, less likely to have health insurance and likely to face daily life
encountering language barriers. How do I know?</p>
<p>I myself am an immigrant to the United States.
One of the things that makes me feel most American is being able to
navigate daily life without needing special linguistic accommodations. I
know, too, that when no translation service is provided, immigrants see
an incentive to learn English for their benefit.</p>
<p>It’s time for the Texas Legislature to take note —
and take action. By declaring English the official language of the Lone
Star State, state government agencies would no longer be required to
provide documents and services in languages other than English, saving
valuable taxpayer money, which could then instead be used to create more
opportunities for immigrants to learn English.</p>
<p>But more importantly, the state government would
send a message that in Texas — as in the United States — English is
essential, not optional, for success.</p>
<p>How does English proficiency lead to success? A
September 2014 study from the Brookings Institution found that limited
English-speaking residents earn 25 percent to 40 percent less than their
English-speaking counterparts. Without an official language policy,
such divisions will continue to exist.</p>
<p>Of course, declaring English the official
language would still permit use of foreign languages in public health
and safety emergencies, judicial situations and other common sense
exceptions. But the policy sends an overarching message: To achieve your
highest potential here in Texas, English proficiency is key. Such a
policy allows the government to have a hand in ensuring that immigrants
are placed on a level playing field with native English speakers,
allowing them to take control of their destiny, improving their chances
for success and putting them on the path to achieving the American
Dream.</p>
<p><strong>Mauro E. Mujica is the chairman of U.S.
English Inc., the nation’s oldest and largest non-partisan citizens
action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English
language in the United States.</strong></p>
<a href="http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/columns/guest_columns/mauro-e-mujica-guest-columnist-common-language-unites-citizens-bolsters/article_5a9cd222-4e8d-5123-8703-aac3c300f559.html">http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/columns/guest_columns/mauro-e-mujica-guest-columnist-common-language-unites-citizens-bolsters/article_5a9cd222-4e8d-5123-8703-aac3c300f559.html</a><br></div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
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