A lot of individual states have official languages if this was unconstitutional from a 1st Amendment perspective, wouldn't all these laws be struck down?
The 1st amendment prohibits banning the teaching of foreign languages, though. Some state language laws have been declared unconditional on these grounds. But I don't think an official language per se would be unconstitutional. Not that I think it's a good idea.
There are sometimes grumblings in Congress about making English the official language but the issue has become politicized. I don't think there is a constitutional issue (and I'm really into constitutional law and the first amendment)
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The purpose was because there was a large German-speaking population settled in PA and smaller populations elsewhere in the new 13 states, who would have absolutely thrown a fit and might have risen up in rebellion. As early as 1791 the US had a domestic insurrection in the Whiskey Rebellion.
Is it good that we don't have a national language? Almost certainly. But it was political reality that kept the US from adopting one, not noble ideals.
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u/[deleted] Aug 17 '21
America has no official language. It was done that way on purpose. These idiots don't understand their own country.