maintaining the melting pot ...

President to Call for English Learning in State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

In his State of the Union Address tonight, President George W. Bush will cite the need for immigrants to the United States to learn English and assimilate into our society, according to information released from the White House. ...

President to Call for English Learning in State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

In his State of the Union Address tonight, President George W. Bush will cite the need for immigrants to the United States to learn English and assimilate into our society, according to information released from the White House. In a State of the Union fact sheet regarding immigration, the White House heavily emphasized the importance of English as our common bond and as a key factor of assimilation into the United States:

Americans are bound together by our shared ideals, our history, and the ability to speak and write the English language. Every new citizen has an obligation to learn the English language and the customs and values that define our Nation, including liberty and civic responsibility, appreciation for our history, tolerance for others, and equality. When immigrants assimilate, they advance in our society, realize their dreams, and add to the unity of America.

"I am pleased to see that the President is trying to unite Americans with an idea that unites Americans -- putting a government emphasis on English," said Mauro E. Mujica, Chairman of the Board of U.S. English, Inc. "While Americans may be divided on the subject of immigration, nearly everyone understands that immigration without assimilation is rarely successful. We must do everything in our power to make sure that immigrants are on the road to learning English and becoming Americans."

Policies promoting English as the official language continue to draw strong support across all types of Americans. Recent polls have found that more than 85 percent of Americans, including two-thirds of the members of each political party, as well as 65 percent of Hispanics, support making English the official language of government. Legislators in 12 states have introduced official English bills already in 2007, and a federal measure is expected to be introduced later this winter.

"As an immigrant, I know the importance of learning English and assimilating in order to realize my dreams here in the United States. If we wish to write the next successful chapter of America's immigration story, we will not be able to do it by being an 'English-only' society, but it will also never happen by becoming an 'English-optional' society. I am glad that the President is taking steps to uphold our common bond of English, and I look forward to working with him and the leaders in Congress on official English policies in the near future."

U.S. English, Inc. is the nation's oldest and largest non-partisan citizens' action group dedicated to preserving the unifying role of the English language in the United States. Founded in 1983 by the late Sen. S.I. Hayakawa of California, U.S. English, Inc. now has more than 1.8 million members nationwide. U.S. English, Inc. can be found on the web at: http://www.usenglish.org