Learn the language...
May 23, 2013 | 1028 views | 0 0 comments | 10 10 recommendations | email to a friend | print
As usual, I eagerly removed the T-I from my mailbox and immediately turned to my favorite page – Letters. At first I was puzzled as to why Mayor Dave Sakrison would pen two letters, but then I noticed one was in English, whereas the other was in Spanish.

Why?

Why does anyone feel the need to write a Letter to the Editor (which, in reality is a letter to the community at large) in a foreign language? Are we devolving into another California, which has become de facto bi-lingual? Or, worse yet, does the honorable mayor believe we must fall into the morass of dual language as required by our neighbors to the north?

Why, when the law (www.uscitizenshiprequirements.com) requires those seeking citizenship be, “fluent in English, and have a proficient knowledge of the language,” is there any need – or desire – for anyone to encourage use of any language other than English?

Why encourage use of another language, which runs counter to our spending a lot of money to teach ESL (English as a second language) classes?

Very few of us can claim our ancestors originally spoke English. Most of them adapted and adopted the language of their new home – the United States of America – and most of them were proud to learn and to speak English.

Let’s welcome our visitors, both short- and long-term, and encourage them to speak the richest language on Earth – English.

—Ron Regehr

Moab

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We're glad to give readers a forum to express their points of view on issues important to this community. That forum is the “Letters to the Editor.” Letters to the editor may be submitted directly to The Times-Independent through this link and will be published in the print edition of the newspaper. All letters must be the original work of the letter writer – form letters will not be accepted. All letters must include the actual first and last name of the letter writer, the writer’s address, city and state and telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be accepted.

Letters may not exceed 400 words in length, must be regarding issues of general interest to the community, and may not include personal attacks, offensive language, ethnic or racial slurs, or attacks on personal or religious beliefs. Letters should focus on a single issue. Letters that proselytize or focus on theological debates will not be published. During political campaigns, The Times-Independent will not publish letters supporting or opposing any local candidate. Thank you letters are generally not accepted for publication unless the letter has a public purpose. Thank you letters dealing with private matters that compliment or complain about a business or individual will not be published. Nor will letters listing the names of individuals and/or businesses that supported a cause or event. Thank you letters about good Samaritan acts will be considered at the discretion of the newspaper.