City's immigrants are learning the language

An interesting opinion piece about an immigrant who was a true American, and his struggle to learn English, a language he knew he had to know. This was written in response to the "English only" debate. DP

By Gregg Ramos, past president of the Nashville Bar Association

tennessean.com: Though my father did not speak English as a young man, he served our country in the U.S. Army during World War II. My brother served our country in Vietnam. They taught me what it is to be a proud American.

The point is my family members and millions more just like them have earned the right to be respected as true American patriots.

My father did not wake up one day however, with a sudden and immediate mastery of the English language. Rather, it was a long and arduous process, especially while he was working two jobs just to keep food on the table. I remember him telling me of the humiliation he endured, including while serving overseas in the Army, when people ridiculed him as he was trying to learn the language.

My father never had any doubt however, and he certainly never needed an English-only law to tell him that English — unquestionably the common and unifying language of our great country — is the key to economic success and prosperity in America.

And contrary to what the English-only proponents may try to argue, the newly arrived immigrants in Nashville clearly know this, as well. This is why their children are learning the language faster than any previous generations of immigrants, a fact that directly challenges the underlying premise of English-only.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.