A short while ago, the president of the United States, the secretary of state, and the secretary of defense addressed leaders from this hemisphere at the Shield of the Americas gathering in Doral, Fla. Marco Rubio made his speech in Spanish (with a Cuban accent). Pete Hegseth remarked to the president that he only speaks American. I was not surprised by either gentleman's behavior. After all, Mr. Rubio's heritage is Cuban, and Mr. Hegseth has taken a decidedly America First position since he came into public prominence, even--or especially--as a television personality.

Hegseth and I share Norwegian roots and have a university in common. He was the valedictorian of his high school class; I was not. Evidently, he cares only to speak one language for some reason. That I speak five languages passably is simply a practicality. That he would be prideful about being one-dimensional on the language front seems out of place given that we are a land of immigrants, and students in our schools and colleges study world languages, often as a part of graduation requirements. Though I do recall well that a joke in the American community of Hong Kong when I lived there in the 1980s was that one definition of an American was monolingual.

To me, America First implies leading, not being separate from others. If we behave arrogantly and fail to recognize that we, the most prosperous country in the world (and this is not a new phenomenon, no matter what some would try to tell us), share this planet with others, and in fact, need others' assistance and support to make progress and succeed, we are consigned to struggling. Leaders need followers. Without teammates, no country, no matter how rich or powerful, can go it alone. And learning about cultural differences and languages seems vital to a nation's making headway. Perhaps my experience is different, as I grew up around people who immigrated to these shores from several countries and from Puerto Rico.

Having lived in eight states, I am well aware of how different we are from region to region and state to state. We know that everything from accents to colloquialisms to customs vary widely. I remember doing poorly on a spelling quiz in eighth grade after my family moved from western Massachusetts to the greater-Boston area where the letter R is often not pronounced. "Harbinger," as pronounced by my English teacher, sounded nothing like I believed it should.

The United States has an official language, but citizens of this country communicate in a wide variety of tongues. I have written on these pages that I speak Norwegian primarily because I grew up with Norwegian immigrant grandparents who spoke their native language around the house. The United States Constitution resides on my desk. I own myriad items of clothing identified by national symbols: shirts, ties, socks. I am proud to be an American, and am glad to work with others to improve the lot of people around the world and to address those who make this world less safe and inviting.

In that vein, I recently mused about what seems common-sensical and doable to me: We can strive for continued prosperity while also providing citizens with what is required to live healthful lives. To address national life as an either/or proposition seems unwise. To think of national life as winning and losing, rather than as compromising and collaborating, probably keeps us stuck in place.

At present, I provide consulting services for an independent school that requires every student to learn Spanish because that language is helpful, if not vital, in parts of the U.S. The school's founders are of a conservative bent politically, deeply patriotic, and understand the roots and continuing development of the nation.

That 4- and 5-year-old children at the school speak Spanish well for their ages is a source of pride. The youngsters feel connected to something beyond themselves and enjoy a sense of accomplishment in becoming proficient in a challenging task. After all, school should include exercises that stretch each student's capacity for learning, and should foster a spirit of enthusiasm for that which is new and different. Perhaps, other traditional American ideals--civility and humility--are reinforced as well in the environment.

I understand that Mr. Hegseth was probably attempting to make political hay--playing to the crowd--by offering the comment he did. However, his remark underscored a contemporary issue: Many of us tend to vilify and denigrate the "other." And in this regard, language matters.

The terms we use have meaning beyond their dictionary definitions. Coarse and vulgar words and put-downs of any kind have no place in our discourse. When I hear individuals say they are inclined to follow a leader because he or she speaks like they do, and that individual is abusive in content and tone, I pause. I headed schools for decades and cannot imagine employing an educator or enrolling a student who was openly profane and demeaning. The anti-bullying programs established in schools spring to mind.

My primary thought is that we should be motivated to lead as partners with the rest of the free world. Partners are not selfish and dismissive of others. Partners exhibit understanding and empathy, and strive to persuade others through intelligence and a commitment to ideals. To convince the rest of the free world that we value them and wish to be in partnership with them requires effort. If we start by listening as well as demanding, we might get somewhere. And I mean this for everyone: left, right, and center.

Arnold Holtberg of Hot Springs Village is principal of Holtberg Educational Consulting and a former teacher, counselor, coach and administrator in public, private, and international schools.

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