Two headlines appearing within weeks of one another make it obvious that the time has come to make English the official language of the United States.
The most recent one described an incident that happened in South Florida.
“Taco Bell employee refuses to help client who doesn’t speak Spanish,” the Miami Herald reported.
Last week, a Taco Bell drive-thru employee refused to serve a customer using English.
After a bit of back-and-forth, the frustrated customer finally asked, “Do you have a manager here?” according to a video taken of the exchange and posted by the Herald.
“She is in her house sleeping,” the employee replied in Spanish, indicating that the employee at least had a basic understanding of English, although she apparently felt uncomfortable speaking it.
“This is Hialeah, I’m sorry,” the employee offered in explanation. That would be Hialeah, in Florida, which is still a part of the United States.
What was perhaps most outrageous was the employee’s tone. She wasn’t at all apologetic. She was instead dismissive and appeared irritated that the customer couldn’t speak to her in her native language.
When the employee eventually threatened to call the police, the customer and her companion left, irritated and hungry.
“I contacted the manager and after explaining to her what happened all she did was apologize and say thank you and the call was disconnected,” the customer later recalled.
When informed of the incident, Taco Bell fired the employee.
The second headline described something that happened halfway around the world.
Taiwanese Premier William Lai announced late last month that “in a bid to boost international competitiveness,” Taiwan intends to make English an official language beginning next year, the Taiwan News reported.
The new policy “will see Taiwan’s students receive intensive English training starting as early as elementary school,” the publication said.
Once this goes into effect, Taiwan will join the other nations where English is, by law, an official language. That list includes India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Singapore.
The United States isn’t among that number, and as a result we’re becoming a modern-day Tower of Babel.
English is also the official language for those engaged in international travel and trade in both the skies and the oceans of the world. Pilots and air traffic controllers are required to communicate solely in English. The same goes for merchant marine officers and port personnel.
Taking It to the Bank
Adopting English as the official language would also save billions in federal, state, and local expenses.
Canada spends an estimated $2 billion a year printing forms in just two languages — English and French. The United States, with nearly nine times Canada’s population, translates federal forms into as many as 150 different languages, the Washington Examiner reported.
In 2011, the Obama administration ordered that 248 counties within 25 states provide bilingual ballots ahead of the 2012 election. They were on their own when it came to paying for it, though.
And the cost was no chump change. Los Angeles spent $15 million in a single year out of its election budget on the cost of printing ballots in seven different languages.
The battle still goes on. Last month Latino civil rights groups sued 32 Florida counties for their failure to provide bilingual voting material. One election official called it a “recipe for disaster.”
In addition, there are personal costs. Immigrants and their offspring who choose not to learn English are faced with limited employment opportunities. This in turn results in increased welfare and social service costs.
Melting Pot Unites Us
President Theodore Roosevelt was all in favor of immigration, without regard to race, religion, or national origin, so long as it was orderly and immigrants assimilated to our language and the customs with a desire to truly become Americans.
“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us,” he said. “But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American.”
He added that in the United States, “We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language.” Becoming “American” forms the basis of the idea of an American “melting pot.”
Liberals consider such thinking quaint and old-fashioned. They’ll tell you that diversity makes us stronger and brings us together as a nation.
Try telling that to a hungry customer who wants to purchase a Crunchy Taco Supreme and a large Coke from someone who can’t understand English and you’ll get a wholly different answer.
It’s time to establish English as the official language of the United States. It’s not fostering racism; it’s facing reality.
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to BizPac Review and Liberty Unyielding. He’s also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter, who can often be found honing his skills at the range. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.