Editor:

In the Nov. 1 editorial, “Rock the vote-even though it’s not 2008,” reference was made to the defeat of a proposal to make German the official language of the United States.

While the topic of the editorial (voting) is certainly important, the proposal mentioned did not take place.

Please see this link for an explanation of how such a rumor developed: www.snopes.com/language/apocryph/german.htm

Especially editors of newspapers should take particular care to ensure that their facts are accurate.

To cite an urban legend in the first line of one’s editorial does not speak well to the erudition of The Chronicle, regardless of how important the issue discussed may be.

Doug Hageman

Graduate Student,

Political Science