That brings up another issue: Why should possible statehood for Puerto Rico be considered if many of its residents don speak English?
• First, a commitment to common rights, responsibilities and ideals, not a dominant language, bonds Americans. • Second, since 1917, as American citizens, they have defended American values abroad — more than 2,000 have made the supreme sacrifice. • English and Spanish are Puerto Rico’s two official languages and, recognizing the need to become bilingual, recent government efforts have increased English education in our public schools. • In fact, Puerto Rico in 1902, became the first American jurisdiction to make English an official language. It joined Spanish as one of the island’s two official languages. • English is the official language of the federal courts and all U.S. agencies as well as the language of banking, commerce, real estate and the hospitality industry. • There is broad support in Puerto Rico for the House bill, which would accelerate English fluency among children by targeting age ten as the year in which they would speak English. • Remember that it was a PDP (common
