Perry: English is the National Language

As the curtain comes down on what is inevitably the last few days of Rick Perry’s bid for the highest elected office in America we get treated to yet one more “Perryism.”

English should be declared the national language of the United States of America.

It came up yesterday at an Iowa town hall as Perry opened up the floor to questions. This is when a local brainiac got up and stated that he thought English should be the official national language.

“That’s a statement. That’s not a question,” responded Perry, and then added “and I can agree with it.”

This has come up for a vote on prior occasions. In 2006 the Senate voted to adopt English as the official language, only to have that part stripped out of the immigration bill. In 1795, it is said that German lost by one vote as the official language, but I think that is mostly urban legend.

There is no official language, and it’s for a good reason. We are a nation of immigrants. 47 million Americans speak another language than English. Adopting English as the official language is the ultimate racist message.

But I guess the point to be made, if there is one to be made, is this: what makes Rick Perry think he speaks English?