There are few places within the State of Ohio and in the United States of America that go untouched by the rest of the world. It used to be that we could live in the United States without having direct contact with other countries, cultures, or languages, and yet not live in total isolation from American society. But the 20th century convergence of air travel, all sorts of telecommunications, the Internet, the downfall of mercantilism and European empires, and the rise of globalization and American hegemony brought the world to every city and rural corner of Ohio and around the country.

Because every small town is in reach of a Wal-Mart with all its imported goods, because every farm town is engaged in global competition for agricultural goods, because every factory town is struggling with downsizing and the exportation of industrial jobs, and because every big city is seeing an influx of people and products from all over the world, now is not the time to stick our heads in the sand and ignore the 21st century reality that surrounds us.

When the Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs learned of a legislative proposal to declare English as the official language of the State of Ohio, it did not hesitate to step up and ensure that the interests and concerns of the Latin@ community were not ignored.

For now, let us take for granted that no legislation today should threaten, or much less violate, the civil and human rights that everyone enjoys in the United States thanks to the noble fight and sacrifice of our civil rights leaders — especially those in the 1960s and 1970s. The commission’s proposed changes to the draft legislation include guarantees that protect civil and human rights. Indeed, the subject of how Latin@s engage with the legislative process is a subject for another “Su Opinión” article.

Let us focus on the educational and economic irrationality of adopting an isolationist approach to language and culture.

As a first draft, the Ohio English Unity Act did nothing to provide for the education of those new Americans and other immigrants who have come to Ohio and want to learn English. Nor did it even acknowledge the need for multilingual education for Americans who speak only English. This multilingual need is not one manufactured by the commission or by any one ethnic group. Indeed, President George W. Bush and other legislators declared 2005 to be the year of foreign language instruction, devoted to placing an emphasis on the importance for all Americans to learn a second language and beyond.

Therefore, the work of the commission has been to transform the original legislative proposal into one focused on education, which promotes the English language among newcomers, and other languages among Ohioans. To the credit of State Representative Courtney Combs (R-Hamilton) and his staff, we have come a long way in working to change the legislation. At this time, however, the final product may not yet meet the goals of the commission.

The readers of ¿Qué Pasa, OSU? likely already know and value the importance of a well-rounded education. Students who are denied the treasure of knowing a second language are missing out on a wonderful education. These students are likely to know less about their own language and culture than those who have learned a second language, and they are also limiting their career opportunities with regard to jobs open only to those with multilingual capabilities.

Hopefully, our policymakers and elected officials can come to the above realization before it is too late.