English-only laws are discriminatory, and create more divisiveness

There was one priceless scene in an episode of the PBS television show “American Family” where the patriarch — played by Edward James Olmos — argues that there shouldn’t be things like bilingual education and that here in the United States, everyone should speak English. His friend wholeheartedly agrees. What makes the scene funny is the irony: Both men are making their arguments in Spanish (with English subtitles).

The scene is a neat metaphor for the complicated views that many Hispanics have on the subject of language — views that often confuse non-Hispanics and create tension between the groups. For instance, there are plenty of Hispanics who oppose bilingual education because they think it hurts kids by making it more difficult to learn English. Yet at home, many Hispanics tend to switch effortlessly between Spanish and English and make an effort to ensure that their children maintain their command of Spanish.”*

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