Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!lll-crg!lll-lcc!ptsfa!ptsfb!rob
From: rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo)
Newsgroups: sci.lang
Subject: Re: Bilingualism: A negative viewpoint
Message-ID: <1018@ptsfb.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Nov-86 09:21:27 EST
Article-I.D.: ptsfb.1018
Posted: Tue Nov 18 09:21:27 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 18-Nov-86 21:08:06 EST
References: <783@ukecc.UUCP>
Reply-To: rob@ptsfb.UUCP (Rob Bernardo)
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA
Lines: 29

>Considering the current movement to render the United States a
>bilingual/multilingual country, certain points need to be made.

I think your characterization of the state of things has wrong 
connotations.  This country has always been quite multilingual. There 
was a point in the 1800's (?) I am told that more inhabitants spoke 
German than English. Furthermore, no one is trying to make the 
country multilingual per se. Rather some of us are trying to be 
respond to the needs of the residents and *citizens* for whom English 
is not native nor used in their community.  In addition, I have never
heard of anyone who believes everyone in the US should *not* be taught
to be fluent in English. You are attacking a straw man.

>   This
>   brings the concept of national identity to a critical point. Should
>   these immigrants be assimilated into the American identity, or should
>   they maintain a separate enclave along the lines of Chinatown or 
>   Little Sicily?  I prefer the former option.

You imply that how immigrants wind up assimilated is a matter of a policy
set and executed by someone. Additionally, I wonder what you mean to entail
by the words "American identity"? Does this mean celebrating certain
holidays, Christmas? Does this mean behaving like a WASP? Does this mean
aspiring to a heterosexual family-oriented suburban lifestyle in the suburbs?
Eating Chinese food only once a month? Where does one draw the boundaries?
-- 
Rob Bernardo, San Ramon, CA        "Whenever I get the urge to work,
(415) 823-2417                      I log in and read the netnews
{pyramid|ihnp4|dual}!ptsfa!rob      until the feeling passes."