Phyllis Schlafly was a tireless advocate for making English the official language of the United States. She fought long and hard against activist judges, activist presidents, and special-interest lobbies who all worked to undermine English as our national language. Time and again Phyllis used her many publications and even amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) briefs to make the case for English.
In her December 1995 Phyllis Schlafly Report, she relayed the deft explanation of then-Representative Toby Roth, who explained what our fellow Americans may need to hear from us now. He said: “Let me dispel some myths. Having English as our official language simply means that the primary language of instruction in schools is English, and that you vote and deal with the government in English. People will still be able, even encouraged, to speak and learn a foreign language, and preserve their heritage. The only significant difference will be that government actively reinforces our common language rather than erodes it.”
In her Phyllis Schlafly Report issue in May of 2001, she called us to one of our great national mottos, saying: “The English language is the most important tie that binds us together as a nation. Our public schools should be mandated to teach all children in English. The language of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution is fundamental to our national identity and to our destiny. Without it, we will cease to be one nation out of many, e pluribus unum.”
Many great figures of Western Civilization shared her belief. Winston Churchill observed that the “gift of a common tongue is a priceless inheritance.” Theodore Roosevelt emphatically stated “We must have but one flag. We must also have but one language. That must be the language of the Declaration of Independence, of Washington’s Farewell address, of Lincoln’s Gettysburg speech and second inaugural. We cannot tolerate any attempt to oppose or supplant the language and culture that has come down to us from the builders of this Republic.”
President Trump was in the company of many great Americans and Western figures as he finally signed into being this reality, that English is now our official language.
This post originally appeared at https://www.phyllisschlafly.com/national-sovereignty/america-first/the-historical-importance-of-our-english-language/