Should Spanish be an official language in the US?

[Bigby]

Keep official languages a state-by-state thing. More bilingual education should be pursued, though.

[°Leprechaun]

Keep official languages a state-by-state thing. More bilingual education should be pursued, though.

I tend to agree, but like a lot of issues it could be decided by the voters and not the politicians.

[Figueira]

No -why should we make Spanish into an official language when even English doesn't have that status, at least not nationally?

And besides, third generation Latinos are so integrated they hardly speak Spanish anymore, even at home.  

I agree with your first point, but I don't see why "some Latinos don't speak Spanish" changes the fact that some do.

[Jacobtm]

We shouldn't support Spanish as an official language, we should try our best to integrate people as quickly as possible not work to prolong and promote cultural differences.

Already many immigrants to the U.S. still identify as more Mexican or Dominican than American. If they're going to be here anyway, our government should be focused on bringing them into the fold, not making them feel like they're forever foreigners.

Puerto Ricans in New York who don't even speak Spanish still identify as more Puerto Rican than American, it's just silly.

[Slander and/or Libel]

Puerto Ricans are American. Is it a problem that white Southerners identify more as Southerners than Americans?

[Clark Kent]

Puerto Ricans are American. Is it a problem that white Southerners identify more as Southerners than Americans?

Yes

[Jacobtm]

Puerto Ricans are American. Is it a problem that white Southerners identify more as Southerners than Americans?

Well Southerners tried to rebel, were defeated, lost their representation in our government for a time, suffered occupation for a generation, and are generally denigrated by our national media, their symbols are actively being destroyed, etc.

Their situation is akin to the Irish in Great Britain, a conquered people who really aren't happy about it. We've been trying to stamp out their culture since the end of the war but they stubbornly persist in it. They're like the Irish in Great Britain really. Their culture is not foreign but completely American, they cling not to their European roots but to their long-standing American roots. Not comparable to foreigners holding on to foreign identity.

[Slander and/or Libel]

Puerto Ricans are not foreign.

[politicus]

Puerto Ricans are not foreign.

Well, some PRs consider themselves a separate nationality.

[Slander and/or Libel]

They're American. Doesn't matter whether they consider themselves a different nationality.

[angus]

They're American. Doesn't matter whether they consider themselves a different nationality.

They're certainly US citizens and have US passports, with all the rights and privileges thereunto appertaining, but nationality is another matter.  In that regard, they are puertorriqueños.  Those I've met on my visits to Puerto Rico, and those I've met in my travels to other parts of Latin America, and those right here at home--Lancaster has a large population of puertorriqueños; about 28% claim puertorican ancestry--all consider their nationality to be Puerto Rican.

You have to be careful with the word nationality, especially in the Americas.  It has at least two proper dictionary definitions, and I suspect many more in the vernacular.

[VPH]

The US shouldn't have an official language

[politicallefty]

I'm in agreement with those that say the US should not have any official language. However, with respect to Spanish as a second language, I think it should be taught in all schools from K-12 alongside English (and I believe I elaborated upon that in another relatively recent topic here).