diverse our country really is. The primary opponents of English as a national language are Hispanic politicians and lobbying organizations. These Hispanics are very resistant to the idea of America as a melting pot. They would prefer the idea of a salad bowl with all of the ingredients thrown together, but not melted, so that they retain their own distinctive traits (Gallegos, 1994). But what about the Hispanics who are being led by these organizations? It is hard to say whether or not they whole-heartedly agree with their leaders. Some may even think that resisting assimilation by maintaining the Spanish language is detrimental to America as a whole. In the nineteenth century, Alexis de Tocqueville said, The tie of language is perhaps the strongest and the most durable that can unite mankind. As long as there are many groups in America that disagree with this statement, there will not be an uniting language to bring America together under one culture (Gallegos, 1994).The lack of a single culture in America is also conveyed by the strong need for political correctness in this country. If America were not so culturally diverse, we would not have developed this method of politeness that has become increasingly popular. This is also an example of how much this country has changed. A few years ago, no one knew what the term politically correct meant. But as we approach the twenty-first century, it has invaded society like a plague. If we do not conform to this concept of political correctness, we are labeled as slanderous, almost to the point of being outcast by popular society. There seems to be a cultural war going on in America waging between the freedom of speech and the need for political correctness. When Charlton Heston told an audience that white pride was just as valid as black pride or red pride or anyone elses pride, he was called a racist. When he said that gay rights should go no further than anyone elses rights, ...
