Letter: Spanish language is a big part of America

Sunday, June 4, 2006 | 7:33 a.m.

Regarding Al Perez's May 30 letter - "Taking English-only to the extreme" - I would like to add to the list of cities that would require a name change from Spanish to English. I'm sure that his list barely scratches the tip of this inane and controversial English-only iceberg.

As of 1995, according to my atlas, there were approximately 736 cities and towns with Spanish names in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. Not included are the names of counties, mountains, valleys, streets and roads. The list could go ad infinitum.

Perhaps the "English-only" zealots would like to go further and demand that all the native American Indian names of the aforementioned also be changed!

In closing, I submit to the proponents of "English-only" that they enlighten themselves to the historical fact that Spanish was prevalent in these regions long, long before the Pilgrims, forebears of the "English-only" zealots, ever set foot on Plymouth Rock.

Ponder this:

Las Vegas, Nevada - The Meadows, Snowy? Snowfall?

Los Angeles, California - The Angels, Fabled Island?

Francisco Lorenzo Baldivia, Las Vegas

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