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<DIV><FONT size=4>From <EM>USAToday</EM>, 05/26/06</FONT></DIV>
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<P class=inside-copy><B>Speaking English</B></P>
<P class=inside-copy>For 230 years, the USA has survived without an official
language. Mastery of proper English would surely enhance any immigrant's
experience in our society, but it should not be required. </P>
<P class=inside-copy><STRONG><FONT color=#0000ff size=4>In our great nation,
even an obtuse person with rudimentary English language skills can become
president.</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P class=inside-copy><I>Tim Pfeifer</I></P>
<P class=inside-copy><I>Long Beach, Calif.</I></P>
<P class=inside-copy><EM></EM> </P>
<P class=inside-copy></P>
<P class=inside-copy>By all means, let's enact a law that declares English the
official language of the USA. In several states, marriage has already been
officially declared as being between a man and a woman. As a society, we can
enact more laws to discourage diversity and individuality and, in the process,
leave some minorities further disenfranchised.</P>
<P class=inside-copy>While we're at it, let's declare baseball as the official
U.S. pastime; forget that many prefer football or basketball, and even a small
minority favor lacrosse. And let's ignore the evidence that many people just
"knew" at an early age that they liked to swim or were born to run.</P>
<P class=inside-copy>We could declare apple as the official American pie flavor,
flaunting it in the face of those who enjoy pecan, cherry or even rhubarb. </P>
<P class=inside-copy>We could even declare <I>American Idol</I> as the official
U.S. television show, thus alienating those who might prefer <I>Desperate
Housewives</I>, <I>Lost</I> or <I>CSI</I> as well as those people with viewing
habits that barely register on the Nielsen ratings scale. <I>Idol </I>seems most
appropriate, given the show's enormous popularity, which galvanizes the masses
to actually vote — and on a weekly basis. </P>
<P class=inside-copy><STRONG><FONT color=#0000ff size=4>We can continue to enact
such laws, thus rewarding and formalizing conformity as our nation's premium
ideal.</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P class=inside-copy><I>James J. Peters</I></P>
<P class=inside-copy><I>Orlando</I></P>
<P class=inside-copy><EM></EM> </P>
<P class=inside-copy><EM></EM> </P></DIV></BODY></HTML>