For a nation that pride's itself on its diversity and history of immigration, we don't do that great of a job of accepting them, especially in recent years. It's already hard enough to be an immigrant, leaving one's home, family, and friends to basically start over and only hope that the decision will pay off eventually.

My parents moved here from India when I was only a year old. They both already knew English pretty well which made it much easier for me to learn it while I was growing up. However, most immigrants don't arrive with that luxury. Learning a new language doesn't become an immediate priority until they have to be continually exposed to it, whether through their jobs or in school (for themselves or their children). Before entering these environments, their main concerns are centered around just living and adjusting to this foreign situation.

It's a shame to see reports and videos of Americans telling fellow Americans that they should only speak English in a public setting such as in a store or out in the neighborhood. One fears the other for a brief moment of not being able to understand something around them for less than a few minutes during their day. However, the other person lives in constant fear and anxiety of wondering whether or not they're following certain customs correctly, how to read certain signs, and misunderstanding something every time they leave the house.

The only reason English just so happens to be the dominant language of the world is because of colonialism. Furthermore, those born and raised in the United States, or born in any other English speaking country for that matter, were born and raised there due to nothing else but chance. Which is why, blaming someone for not having a good handle of the language is completely unfair and inconsiderate and leads to disparities in health, education, and other areas. If we as a nation are going to be welcoming of immigrants, we need to account for language barriers, without treating it as a form of punishment.