English-Only Movement

The goal of the English-only movement is to make English the official language of the United States and to restrict the use of non-English languages in schools and for government services, such as interpreters and voting materials. The movement is based on the belief that encroachment on English by minority languages has reached such a level that English is in danger of losing its primacy as the nation's dominant language. A widespread campaign to make English the official language and to restrict the use of minority languages began in 1983, with the founding of US English by John Tanton and the late U.S. Senator S. I. Hayakawa (R-CA).

Two years prior, Senator Hayakawa had proposed an English Language Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Hayakawa gave three primary reasons for why English needed to be an official rather than a de facto national language: (1) English is a common language that can unify people, and separate languages can fracture and fragment a society. (2) All immigrants who come to live in the United States should learn English. (3) Immigrants can fully participate in democracy only if they learn English.

Although Hayakawa's amendment proposal failed, the assertions he made about the unifying power of a common language resonated with many Americans who saw the provision of bilingual schooling for immigrant children and bilingual voting ballots for naturalized citizens as contradictory to the requirements for citizenship: ability to read, write, and speak English. Hayakawa's message also resonated with English speakers who were concerned with the burgeoning language and ethnic diversity in the United States. Dr. John Tanton, a Michigan ophthalmologist, founder and head of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), teamed up with Senator Hayakawa to form US English, mainly as a way to expand his efforts to restrict immigration, particularly among Latinos/as, whom he believed were not only unwilling to learn English but also reproducing with such speed and numbers that they threatened the ability of white people to maintain their dominance.

In his work with FAIR, Tanton financed negative propaganda about immigrants, especially Mexican immigrants, whom he described as having low educa-bility and little interest in civic affairs. He also advocated policies of eugenic sterilization for immigrant groups. Tanton and his connection to FAIR became a liability for US English, and he was forced to step down after the executive director of US English, Linda Chavez, when learning of his anti-Hispanic and anti-Catholic views, resigned in protest. At that time, US English claimbed to have approximately 400,000 dues-paying members, but its membership climbed to 1.8 million by 2007. The organization added the US English Foundation to disseminate information on English teaching methods, develop English instructional materials, and promote opportunities for people living in the United States to learn English. Today, US English lists Senator Hayakawa as the sole founder of US English, omitting any mention of Tanton or connections to FAIR. Parenthetically, Tanton later founded a competing English-only organization, initially called English Language Advocates, and now known as ProEnglish. US English is careful not to use language that could be construed as racist toward any particular minority group. However, the organization continues to use quotes from conservative and neo-conservative supporters that capture the group's belief that English is a unifying language and that U.S. nationhood depends on having a common language.

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