Excerpt: Success In America

What does it take to be successful in America? Some say good looks and others say experience but is a proper handle of the language necessary to be successful in this country? English is the common language of the United States but although countless immigrants founded this country, many people continue to discriminate against the those who do not speak our native tongue. The following paragraphs will discuss the ongoing battle between those who speak English and those who choose not to and whether English is really necessary to be successful in America.

Myriam Marquez is an award-winning columnist who was born in Cuba in 1954 and grew up in South Florida. “As a Hispanic, Marquez recognizes that English is the “common language” in America but knows that being American has little if anything to do with what language one speaks” (Marquez 200). In Marquez’s article “When and Why We Speak Spanish in Public,” Marquez explains why she and her family continue to speak their native tongue, Spanish, although they have lived in America for more than forty years. Marquez talks about how when she and her family speak Spanish with each other in public, people see that as being rude to those that do not understand Spanish but she quickly explains why she and her family continue to do so. She says it is out of respect for her parents and comfort in her cultural roots that she continues to speak in her native tongue (Marquez 200). Marquez explains how most of the early immigrants to the U.S. kept their native languages for many generations. These immigrants fought for the U.S. in wars, voted in elections, and held office. There was nothing rude or “un-American” about these people and there is nothing is rude about speaking your native tongue. What is offensive is “when there are two or more people who are bilingual and another person who speaks only English and the bilingual folks all of a sudden start speaking Spanish, which effectively leaves out the English only speaker” (Marquez 201). There is a difference between being disrespectful and being comfortable with your cultural background. If Marquez and her family stopped speaking Spanish, in their eyes it would be like they were discarding their heritage.

In Greg Lewis’ article “An Open Letter To Diversity Victims,” Lewis tells America’s young people “to succeed in America...it’s important to speak, read, and understand English as most Americans speak it” (Lewis 197). Lewis believes that those who support bilingual education are condemning Spanish-speaking children to a second-class economic citizenship. In order to be successful in America, you must know the language and know it well. Lewis further stresses this point when he says, “Bilingual education doesn’t provide students whose first language is not Standard English with the single most important skill they need for making their way in the broader culture” (Lewis 197). It may seem cruel and unfair to tell people that they have to learn the language but if they continue to disregard the English language, America will become divided. Also, Lewis points out that if it seems you have to compromise your identity to become successful in American think about this: those who promote “diversity” are the ones asking you to deny your individuality by suggesting you become part of a collective identity because of your ethnicity (Lewis 198)