"English as U.S. language" press release

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

This press release found its way into today's NY Daily News, "A national  
tongue has U.S. in twist," pg. 29. (Maybe I should tell the Daily News that I  
solved "the Big Apple" 15 years ago. But no, that wasn't good enough to be  
published. Certainly not more important than a self-serving press  release.)
...
...
...
_http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=62686_ 
(http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=62686) 
 
Poll Shows Support for Official English at New High 
3/21/2006 10:00:00 AM  
____________________________________
  
To: National Desk  
Contact: Phil Kent of ProEnglish, 404-226-3549  
ARLINGTON, Va., March 21 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Americans overwhelmingly want  
English to be declared the official language of the United States, according to  
a recent poll by Zogby International and commissioned by ProEnglish, an  
Arlington, Va.- based national organization that backs official English. 
ProEnglish Executive Director K.C. McAlpin said, "Eighty-five percent of  
likely voters incorrectly think English already is the official language of the  
United States. But when informed that the United States does not have an  
official language, virtually the same number -- 84 percent -- agree that we  
should make English the official language of governmental operations." 
McAlpin added, "Eighty-four percent is the highest level of support we have  
seen for official English in a national public opinion survey. The last Zogby  
poll on official English conducted in June 2005 found 79 percent support, 
which  indicates public support may be rising." 
Demographic and political breakdowns showed overwhelming support across the  
board with 86 percent of whites, 71 percent of Hispanics, and 77 percent of  
African-Americans agreeing. By party affiliation 82 percent of Democrats, 91  
percent of Republicans, and 77 percent of self-identified Independents agreed  
with making English the official language of the United States. 
Ideologically, 86 percent of moderates, 87 percent of conservatives, and 78  
percent of liberals and progressives, favored making English the official  
language. 
McApin commented, "This is a huge boost for the English Language Unity Act,  
H.R. 997, a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) that would make  
English our official language and which now enjoys the bipartisan 
co-sponsorship  of more than a third of the entire House of Representatives. If 
congressional  leaders want to find ways to improve Congress's standing with the 
voters," added  McAlpin, "they could do a lot worse than to pass legislation that 
enjoys 84  percent voter support."  
The Zogby poll of 1,007 likely voters was conducted March 14 – 16, with the  
firm employing sampling strategies in which the selection probabilities are  
proportional to population size within telephone area codes and exchanges. The  
margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percent (higher in sub-groups).  
_http://www.usnewswire.com/_ 
(http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=62686&Link=http://www.usnewswire.com/) 

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org