Why is Spanish so important?

At the beginning of the semester, I posed the question of why everyone was making such a big deal about Spanish, while seemingly ignoring other minority languages in this country. I still maintain that in a perfect world each language would be highly valued and be put in the spotlight of linguistic literature and research to the same extent that Spanish has. However, I also understand that Spanish is native language of many citizens of this country, and this large population is probably the reason that Spanish is receiving so much attention. I also want to say that Spanish holds a special place in my heart as a native New Mexican. Even though I didn't learn the language from my parents, I still feel that it forms a core part of my identity, and I hope to pass it on to my children someday. I don't even know what I'm trying to say with this blog entry, but I guess it boils down to the fact that I am of two minds. On the one hand, Spanish is a treasure that definitely should not be forgotten or lost. On the other hand, I wish that other languages received the same amount of attention and value as Spanish. Maybe there are parts of the country where this plays out, and I hope so.