U.S. English Calls on Senator Rubio to Reconsider Giving State of the Union Response in Spanish

U.S. English Calls on Senator Rubio to Reconsider Giving State of the Union Response in Spanish

Washington, DC-- Last week, a Fox News Latino article announced that Florida Senator Marco Rubio will be giving the Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night. For the first time ever, this address will be given in both English and Spanish.

Senator Rubio’s plan runs contrary to our mission to promote English learning and English as the official language of the United States government. As a result, upon hearing this news, U.S. English Chairman Mauro E. Mujica sent a letter to Senator Rubio, calling on him to support the unifying role of the English language and strongly urging him to reconsider his decision to give remarks in Spanish.

U.S. English firmly believes that Americans should be free to speak whatever language they choose in their daily lives. We also advocate that in order to remain unified, we must embrace our common, shared language: English. Addressing the nation in Spanish sends an opposing message.

Do you agree that Senator Rubio’s State of the Union response should be given solely in English? Do you believe providing money for free English learning classes would be a better way to make Hispanics feel included than to continue addressing them as a separate population?

President Obama will address the nation with his State of the Union speech tomorrow night, February 12th. But it’s not too late for your voice to be heard… contact your Members of Congress today and ask them to urge Senator Rubio to give his remarks in the language shared by an overwhelming majority of Americans… English.

Click here to find contact information for your United States Senator, and click here to find contact information for your Representatives in the United States House.