I must admit I am also bothered when Obama says every American should learn Spanish. Here’s my take on it (which of course both left and right would not find satisfactory): I want a separation of language and state. No official language. No two official languages. No efforts by the government to promote or dilute culture or language of any type.

I took four years of Spanish in public school, and I know about dos palabras — two words. This is my fault, but reflective of the waste of public schooling.

I wished I knew Spanish better. It’s a beautiful language. I do agree with liberals that Americans would perhaps be better off if they knew more languages, like many other cultures do. However, most Americans don’t need to learn Spanish to get along fine. Let them live in peace. And (this is where I’ll lose the right) some Americans don’t need to learn English, either. Some parts of this country barely speak English at all. I have no problem with that, in particular, and at this point I’d just wish the government, especially the national government, got out of the language (and education) business entirely. People have a natural incentive to communicate with one another. Given the English skills imparted to the average American by the state’s educational system, I think it a grave mistake to have the government either promote English more exclusively, or mandate any other languages. Let people speak as they wish, in their own language, and freedom will produce the most harmonious and educated culture. The war on English, as well as paranoia of Spanish and other languages, is a government program. Get the government out of it and we might all know five languages, including English much better.

Besides, having the federal government promote any kind of speech at all seems to me a violation of at least the spirit of the First Amendment. I also hear Obama doesn’t know how to speak Spanish himself. Oh well. Do as I say not as I do is the motto of the political class.