Teddy on being American

Theodore Roosevelt's=A0 ideas=A0 on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN in
1907.

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes
here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he
shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an
outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or
birthplace, or origin.

But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an
American,
and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here.

Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an
American at all.

We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but
one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room
for but one
sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Chakolate...

This is just so wrong. We have lots of room - this is a big country.
Did he think that because an immigrant was proud of his heritage that he
wasn't a good American?

JD Cooper...

You are just so wrong.

david...

well, i suggest we first consider that he said it 99 years ago. times
were different. and i believe the essence is still there. i think he
wasn't thinking of heritage, but of nations. for example, he didn't want
Italians as citizens if, in a possible war with Italy, the citizen would
be loyal to Italy instead of the U.S... well, that's my guess at the
intention.

and i personally believe we should have a national language of English,
but we do not. this is costing the country because of the need to provide
services to immigrants who choose to not learn English. that statement
may seem politically incorrect, but I'm positive that if I were to
relocate to France or Germany or China (or many other countries), they
would rightfully expect me to do my best to learn and speak their
language.

Theodore Roosevelt 1907
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