According to the 2011 census, over 20.8% of the US population spoke a language other than English (www.us-english. org). Language barriers, cultural differences, and immigration have been a part of life in the United States for decades. Language is considered a vital tool in building someone's identity and an expression of culture. Over the past 200 years, immigrants have chosen to make the United States their home, but some have proceeded cautiously and slowly adapted to the English language and culture. If a country does not have an official language it is usually due to distinct historical or cultural reasons. When I started reading articles on this topic, I was amazed that the large country I live in does not have an official language. I'm starting to wonder why this is. Many countries have an official language in which all official business, daily activities, and other formal activities are conducted. There are as many as thirty (30) states that have managed, through their statutes, to declare English as the official language of their particular state (www.us-english.org). It seems like this topic has been a heated debate for the past couple. of decades, which has caused some divisions on the issue. I've learned that there are a number of pros and cons you can argue about on this issue. I chose to be part of the pro-English group for three reasons: I believe that making English our official language would (1) allow the education system to focus on English as the primary language, (2) it would unite our country in terms of racial discrimination, and (3) our government and business operations would be a little more streamlined. The United States is often called the melting pot because of the… middle of paper… society immersed across our businesses, education systems, and government sectors. I wholeheartedly support Congress in its efforts to continue fighting this battle to make English the national language. Works Cited Baron, Dennis. “Don't make English official.” PBS.org. 1996. Network. 11 October 2014Crawford, James. “A nation divided by a language.” Guardian.co.uk. March 8, 2001. Web. October 11, 2014Inhofe, James M., and Cecilia Munoz. "Should English Be Declared the National Language of America? A Nation of Immigrants Considers the Pros and Cons of Giving English Official Status." New York Times Upfront October 23, 2006: 3. Bnet. Network. 6 December 2014.“Habla Espanol? Does Spanish threaten American English?” PBS.org. Network. 11 October 2014. "Official English". American English, Inc. 2010. Web. December 6, 2014. “USA Summary.” Census.gov. 2000. Network. December 6 2014