The Late Charles Krauthammer Supported Linguistic Unity

Charles Krauthammer, the longtime Fox News contributor, political commentator, Pulitzer Prize winner, best-selling author, and Harvard-trained psychiatrist, died on June 21.

In 2006, while writing for Time magazine, Krauthammer observed: “History has blessed [the United States] with all the freedom and advantages of multiculturalism. But it has also blessed us, because of the accident of our origins, with a linguistic unity that brings a critically needed cohesion to a nation as diverse, multiracial, and multiethnic as America. Why gratuitously throw away that priceless asset?”

Charles Krauthammer understood very well that English has an enduring and historic role as America’s common, unifying language.

Charles Krauthammer’s words ring as true today as they did a dozen years ago.