The US and state governments try to be language-neutral. My ballot for the 2021 California recall election is in English, Spanish, and Chinese. But no serious person can deny that, although it’s not official legally, only one of these languages is the national language of the USA. It’s staring right in front of you.
All of our founding documents are in English. The papers of record, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal are all in English. American children read English-language works like Huck Finn and The Great Gatsby. The lyrics to the national anthem are in English. In 2013, Spanish-language broadcaster Univision launched FusionTV to expand into the English-speaking market. Even the road signs in the border community of Laredo, Texas say “STOP” instead of “ALTO.”
Similarly, did you know the United States has a single national color, even though it’s not official? It’s hidden in plain sight before you. Unlike the national language, there is no movement to codify it. But we might as well have codified it in 1976, when to celebrate the venerable occasion of the American Bicentennial, the covers of the passport were changed from green to navy blue.
The navy blue US Passport is printed in English, French, and Spanish, but only one of these is the national language. Likewise, the Stars and Stripes are printed in red, white, and blue, but only one of these is the national color.
But first, a quick aside across the pond…
Red Arrows
The “navy” in the name “navy blue” is the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. But even though they coined the color and were the first truly global naval superpower, they seem to have quite the affection for the color red.
Blue Angels
America’s affection for the navy blue color predates the country itself.