You have got to be kidding me.  He just described the experience of every high school foreign language student in this country.  I should know - I was a straight A student in German for four years, but I had to speak English-only during our class trip to Germany.  Foreign language studies in this country are pathetic, and we do look like idiots when we go abroad.

But hey, it's the language that kickstarted a century of greatness, or whatever.

May I, good sir, introduce you to humble period.

This thing right here
 -----> . <-------

You put it at the end of a sentence.   Do you know what a sentence is?  If so, put a period at the end of it.

This is the internet, not ticker-tape, so ... is not necessary.

Not that punctuation would particularly help your diary, but, it's a start.

First, the context was framed entirely in the context of "our kids".  Generally, people don't oppose their children learning new things unless it's seen as controversial (sex, evolution, gays, the usual bits).  Learning Spanish, French, or even Arabic isn't seen as being terribly controversial by the American public.  For example, the teaching of Russian was (relatively) abundant in some private and magnet schools during the cold war.  In fact, a major reason why foreign language became part of our school's curriculum was primarily at the behest of parents who felt we were lagging behind foreign nations.  

Anyway, I'd say the mere fact that he said immigrants should learn English pretty much canceled-out anything potentially harmful that followed.

I think bilingualism is a good thing. Unfortunately we don't have enough teachers to offer bilingual education to all our students in public schools.

OK, you're a concern troll.

We have done more with just our English language as mode of communication than any other country has achieved over past century.

What?
Do you mean we have accomplished more than any other country just because we speak English or because we use language?
Are there other countries that don't use language as a mode of communication?

"do you even know that french actually mock americans whenever you try to speak french, "

Have you ever been to France? or Asia?

My experience has actually been the opposite, most folks are very accomidating, and give you the benefit of the doubt if you even ATTEMPT to speak their language?

My italisn is always rusty, but I usually see a smile on their faces as I struggle to read the menu.

On the other hand, I have almost had to hang my head in shame, I have actually seen "the classic Ugly American" scream in English at folks in their own countries, as if I TALK LOUDER they will understand me.

Zenophobia may be the greatest of all myriad American sins.

If you look at us right and left coasters, we tend to be more progressive IMHO because we are immersed in the cultural milleau, as compared to folks that happen to live their entire lives in Kansas, never leave the country, never interact with "foriegn cultures."

I think one of the BEST things I did for my kid was taking her at a very early age to Mexico, to Europe, to England and Ireland.

Also, when you go to Japan for example, those people are very happy to try to speak English to you, they have YEARS of manditory English in their school systems.

I think, multi-linguilasm should be praised, not ridiculed.