Theodore Roosevelt's ideas 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.' - Theodore Roosevelt 1907
z
Why do you think this should change for 2012? Any input? What did he get wrong?
56 comments:
Here's what I'm sick of: naturalized American citizens who keep speaking of their country of origin as "my home country."
Just sayin'.
TR was dead on!
The sad thing is that, even though TR is regarded as a great president, if a current president said EXACTLY what he did, he'd be a 'racist.'
What's changed? Internationalist Progressives are in control now, bursting with liberal white guilt and insisting against all evidence that all cultures are equally valuable.
It is not enough to simply leave others alone, which they are right about. Bushian grand schemes to make "them" like "us" are their own version of progressivism.
No, to these progressives, Western Civilization is a blot on humanity, and the quicker we tear it all down the better.
As a Norwegian-American (one of those hyphenated types), I am loathe to think that my native land would be so easily disparaged by Teddy.
Just remember, my Viking ancestors were the scourge of the earth a scant 900 years ago, and it won't take much for me and my ilk to pull those dusty ol' horn hats and battle axes out of the chest in the attic, if this kind of talk keeps up....
I'm just sayin'.
AOW, chill out. Maybe something's getting lost in translation. MAybe they mean to say native when they say home. I personally use the word native even though I wasn't born in France but I can see people confuse the two.
And you know what I'm think of? People reminding me that I'm French all the time. I'm an American like they are.
It works both ways.
FrogBurger
I meant "Sick of" and not "think of"
La Raza wouldn't like Teddy much, would they?
Stewart Catches Fox News Editing Obama-Again!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTZOYhbUp0E&feature=youtu.be
Lol, most of the right are still living in 1907!
TR also said something about our not having room for "HYPHENATED-AMERICANS."
How many times do you think of yourself or refer to yourself as an Armenian-American, Z?
I've never seen you do it, and I doubt if your parents or any of your relatives made a practice of referring t themselves that way.
My Italian grandparents certainly never did -- and they came here considerably before TR was elected. My grandmother and my older relatives would have been offended if any one had referred to her as "an Italian-American."
There's nothing wrong with with being proud of where you came from, or speaking of your country of origin with affection, but if you're going to be an American, BE an AMERICAN.
I do NOT believe in "Dual Citizenship." I think it's been a terrible mistake to allow it.
Doesn't it say somewhere in the Bible, "No man can serve two masters, for he will grow to love the one and despise the other" -- or something like that? I can't remember the exact words in the KJV.
~ FreeThinke
I wish we WERE living in 1907, we wouldn't have to see what this president has done to the Constitution.
I hope you don't get ALl your news from Jon Stewart. As you must know, Democrats, too, say that Obama said he can't do what he proceeded to do.
But, thanks for the link!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfZ3kaKZoIw&feature=player_embedded#!
By the way, Liberalmann, my post from a few days ago includes the video of Obama saying he can't do this....nobody made anything up.
I suggest you revisit that.
Thanks
Nothing has changed since Roosevelt's time. He was absolutely right. Just because we have a bunch of people sneaking into the country, dragging their kids with them, does not mean we should relax any laws. We can, and should, make individual allowances, but to change the law solves nothing.
Now, we have Liberalmann being as selective in his quoting as he accuses others.
Hint to Liberalmann: The Daily show is on the Comedy Channel. It is a starter news service for young people who move their lips while reading. You need a new reference.
Obama makes it abundantly clear that he knows what the law is. His executive order was to shift the attention of the American people from the absolute failure that is his Administration. It is that simple.
Obama doesn't care about Hispanic kids, or anyone else's kids but his own. After all, he is a liberal man.
even the Left's champions of multicultualism are coming to the realization that a country needs a core leit kultur to keep the varoius communities out of conflict, and without it, relogious fundamentalism and conflict get out of hand.
Note to Muslim's: It's NOT shari'a law!!!!
Z,
Somebody beat me to the punch on the hyphenated thing. So I'll move on to the thought I've held pertaining to culture. I'm am amazed at the way immigrants before multiculturalism assimilated to the American culture.
It is the fondest hope for the left to wipe out American culture so that the one commonality is gone clearing the way for a cultureless society based on their view that wipes out borders between countries etc.
As a unique American culture evolved the left was busily engaged in wiping it out. They are still at their work. This whole multiculturalism movement is about supplanting American culture.
They seem to want to concentrate on the "children", which in the case is people 30 years old that have been here 5 years. Tell me what parents dragged a 25 year old "child" into the us. Please. So adults are now children when it pertains to illegal immigration and health care?
Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
Well Law and Order Teacher maybe you can tell us how you define American culture.
I assume you believe it is exclusively conservative and something out of a Norman Rockwell illustration.
Utter nonsense.
Ducky,
I knew this would smoke you out. American culture is that which is common to the people. In other words, music, food, clothing, etc., I have been told by students from other countries in my classes that it is very easy to tell an American in one of their countries.
According to them, we stand out like a sore thumb. You with your fondness for film, should know the great role played by movies in spreading American culture worldwide. Art and entertainment are instrumental in spreading culture. After all, why is there a National Endowment of the Arts?
As for the core values of Americans, we are democrats, who believe in individual freedom and expect the government to be restrained by our written constitution from violating our natural rights, those given to us by our creator.
Our republican form of government allows us to communicate with our leaders through our representatives who are bound to their duty through the constitution to protect our rights.
In fact, government exists solely to protect our rights and if it is negiligent in this, it can be "altered or abolished." The Declaration explains our form of government and the Constitution is the "how-to" manual.
Culture is all these things plus the constitutionally protected rights to pursue happiness without the undue interference of government.
Like it or not, Ducky, you and I are connected by our "American-ness." Or in other words, our American culture.
Kumbaya, brother!
Well you seem willing to admit that this American culture is an amalgam. Pretty obvious but not widely held.
Growing up in the 60's in Boston I got nailed by multiculturalism.
World music opened up. The black bluesmen were "discovered" and started touring outside the South Side. Modal jazz was replacing bebop after Coltrane took chords as far as they could go.
Elliot Carter and John Cage were over at Harvard.
Painting became something largely rejected by conservatives a abstraction gave way to pop and minimalism.
The first "art house" opened on Brattle Street and the French, Japanese, Italian, Scandinavian, Polish, Spanish started pouring in and I realized film could be transformative. Something Hollywood avoids to satisfy the market.
City Lights books was going strong.
And the conservatives largely hated it all. Seems to me the world got a little big for them.
But now we're a bunch of passive consumers and kids who listen to Bieber and Lady Gaga. The Kardashians.
Capitalism won out, it always does.
Ducky,
All culture is at it's core an amalgam to an extent. The hallmark of the American culture is to assimilate various pieces of other cultures, mainstream it and make it "American."
The contributions to culture and formed into an American culture are too numerous to mention. Some originate here, some elsewhere, but all are combinations. Culture assimilated is culture held collectively. And American culture is held collectively until it is irradicated buy those who don't want it to exist.
There is a reason history teaches us that every conquering power goes after scholars whose job it is to disseminate accumulated common knowledge. This dissemination must be crushed in order to crush the soul of the people to resist. Conversely, that is why this knowledge so important in the resistance to tyranny.
That's why the printing press may be the most important invention in history because it allowed this knowledge/culture to written and disseminated in print as well as orally. This accumulated knowledge serves as a linchpin of culture that is hard to destroy.
Ducky, is this a joke? "Well you seem willing to admit that this American culture is an amalgam. Pretty obvious but not widely held."
I doubt anybody is unwilling to admit this country is an amalgam and welcomes it...except it's quite a different thing to BECOME AN AMERICAN, which immigrants used to die to do...and LIVING IN AMERICA WITH ONES ONE CULTURE COMING FIRST. That does not create an amalgam. That creates understandable resentment, poverty for those not willing to meld, etc.
Your wishful thinking is silly.. your sweeping CONSERVATIVES DIDN'T LIKE IT...says who?
I know a LOT of Democrats who didn't like it, trust me.
Conservatives didn't listen to jazz? Didn't like abstract art? :-0) They listen to Lady Gaga? Beiber? REALLY?
And THANK GOD Capitalism has won out.
Law & Order...I just read your comment regarding culture in America and thank you SO much for that...excellent.
Spot-on!! That's the way it should be than we wouldn't have all these so-called "American's" being offended by the American Flag, the National Anthem, and God Bless America logo.
Law and Order Teacher said...
As for the core values of Americans, we are democrats,
I really wish you would re-word that.
Conservatives didn't listen to jazz? Didn't like abstract art?
ROFL...
ROFL...
ROFL...
God, are you dense. Go downstairs and throw some darts at a Rockwell painting will ya?
98Z...you think I'm DENSE?
Can you explain why? I'm thinking you're aiming at Ducky, but...!!
98Z...you think I'm DENSE?
Can you explain why? I'm thinking you're aiming at Ducky, but...!!
Z, you're quite correct. I highlighted the wrong quote, yours of his vs. his. Hit the "Post" when I should have previewed. I do apologize.
But, I am still laughing at Mr. Multiculti. *facepalm*
That is well said, and describes the ideal process perfectly. Multi-culturalism does not work. Have your Chinatown's and Little Italy's but when operating as a citizen, all must follow the same laws and be subject to everything everyone else is. You do know muslims are Exempt from oblabbercare right?
You know dhimmitude is a muslim word that describes how non-muslims will pay their costs and taxes for them..
I don't know how anyone can be behind that, but libtards never cease to amaze do they.
Hey Fredd, Any time you are ready, you and I will go as Vikings to Greenland and Rule the Entire place !
We need that global-warm-a-thigamabob to get going real good though. I don't like it cold.
Amazing how, in some peoples' minds, acceptance of culture seems to dependent on whether one likes it or not.
Last I heard, we were free to like or dislike, whatever we so desire. Perhaps, that's a little too Randian for some. Then again, some people have such a debilitating desire to be accepted as someone's definition of hip.
..and yes, most abstract art is gibberish, completely left up to the interpretation of the observer. Just because pointy headed twits spend obscene cash on crap, it doesn't necessarily make it good or great. Besides, most abstract art is simply an understanding of color combination to evoke a mood and most of the monied class that buys it does so because it matches the coffee table. Not hard.
Nazi propogandists realized the power of art, as visual emotional stimulation, from the start.
Liberalmann said...
Lol, most of the right are still living in 1907!
June 20, 2012 8:09 AM
Your drool cup is full.
Kid said...
That is well said, and describes the ideal process perfectly. Multi-culturalism does not work. Have your Chinatown's and Little Italy's but when operating as a citizen, all must follow the same laws and be subject to everything everyone else is.
The first thing my grandfather did, as soon as he had the wherewithall, was to move away from the Polish section (South Side of Chicago). Said he would never learn English if he didn't get away from the pollacks. :-)
You do know muslims are Exempt from oblabbercare right?
Surprise, surprise....
USMC.. :) My wife's parents are pure Chinese.
Her Father, now gone was Flying Tiger.
After the war, he came to America by himself with 10 bucks in his pocket. Worked it and started a very successful Chinese restaurant in Detroit - when it was livable. When he had enough, he brought his wife over. They had 7 kids.
4 of them entered the military.
He and they spent every available second learning how to be American.
My wife, born in Detroit, doesn't know a word of Chinese, outside of the names of various delicacies that you can enjoy at Dim Sum. (pork and shrimp dumplings are my fav, but there is lot's more) And if you haven't tried Dim Sum, you must. But read the reviews of any place you want to try first, as it can be extremely good or turn-off bad.
Kid "libtards never cease to amaze do they."
I just watched a liberal woman argue with Michelle Malkin; it was like watching a stupid sinking ship go down. In order to combat the truths from Malkin, she resorted to Pat Tillman's situation as if they're similar.
We have a lot to worry about with people that horrid.
Your CHinese wife's family's story is typical of 'the old days'...I'll bet her family'd have died rather than take any state help; my grandparents wouldn't have if it meant their LIVES...to come to the great America and ask for handouts?
What a different world we have.
And what a truly honorable man your father-in-law was(or IS, hopefully?!)
98Z...you crack me UP! And re my comment and yours, I'm relieved because I respect you and hated to think you thought that ill of ME!
Great comments, thanks!
Z,
I watched that too. I guess that passes for discussion of a topic. I would have laid down the law to my classes if they treated each with that much disrespect. As usual leftists react with anger when they are confronted by facts that they can't refute. Name-calling is childish, but so is leftist thought.
Z, I Never wanted anyone elses money, never asked for anyone elses money, and No one ever gave me any money. For anything that I didn't work for.
And I have never been rich. Still not, though I'm comfortable. I don't worry how I'm going to pay the bills or take care of the run of the mill emergency. Maybe that IS rich. In any case, it's not Yacht/Bentley rich.
I guarantee you her Dad never asked anyone for anything they he didn't intend to -and did- repay.
Too many losers out there these days.
It's not a workable scenario. The world can only afford to have the standard number of losers, :) and people only attain happiness through hard work and its associated accomplishments beside.
Anyone doubt that? Then ask yourself why the most unhappy people in America are the people on welfare.
We have a president who is an Indonesian-American.
He is culturally not an American.
He can't pronounce words like we do.
His closest friends were Pakeestanees.
When he speaks of our traditions, he means those of the Internationale.
Of course he considers himself an African-American. The only thing he has in common with American blacks are his melanin levels.
98ZJUSMC said…"You do know muslims are Exempt from oblabbercare right?"
____________
Funny think about wingnuts. Have no facts? Just make shit up!
They listen to Lady Gaga? Beiber? REALLY?
-------
No, the kids do. A capitalist system turns art and culture into product and pitches it to the least common denominator to maximize profit.
Culture? I miss the days when we had one. I especially abhor what Hollywood has done to world film culture.
@ Lib-Mann
Muslims aren't yet definitively exempt from Obama-care, but the possibility exists that they could be.
To be certain of an exemption you have to be in Congress, a labor union, or a friend of Nancy Pelosi
Of course, it could be a moot point by Monday. ;-)
L&O ...it was almost sad watching that liberal foundering under Michelle Malkin's facts. They are irrefutable and the liberal was blubbering, wasn't she.
Liberalmann...I hate to tell you, but that IS true. In Islam one doesn't buy insurance; it's against some sensibility of the faith. THey'll get a pass. Stupid, but that's the liberal PC giving in again.
Ducky, don't look now, but you're not the harbinger of 'proper culture'...I understand your feelings about the whole thing, better than you think, but while you might not like some things in the culture they are, be definition of the word, part of the culture..and many like it.
It escapes me, but...there you are.
Viburnum, well said.
And the muslim thing probably WILL happen..waivers for them like pacifists got waivers from the draft, etc.
Duck said, "A capitalist system turns art and culture into product and pitches it to the least common denominator to maximize profit."
That statement makes no sense at all. Perhaps you can tell me why the biggest and worst capitalists fund huge arts endowments.
Carnegie. Rockefeller. etc.
Z,
Off topic....Possibly of interest to you.
You want culture, ducky? Then EXHORT people to seek what is best, not that which is mediocre or serves a crass limited political objective (ie - "Piss Christ"). Perhaps THEN you will have a culture WORTH preserving.
ps - That which is "best" doesn't NEED supertitles or "accessible" interpretted displays.
...and products of "culture" which have been preserved over the centuries were NEVER developed FOR commercial pursposes. The works of Swift and Pope were developed OFF Grub Street, NOT on it.
After you make your Grub Street version of "King Kong" and have stung the Rubes who went to see it for $10 a head, THEN you have the money to make your "art film" for your "audience of one genius." But NOT before. It doesn't take a "genius" to know that you have to experiment and fail many time before you are CAPABLE of producing a work FIT for the attention of a genius who could "appreciate" it properly.
btw - There's a "reason" why conservatives hate "multiculturalism."
How many weeds would YOU want to allow into YOUR garden?
Oh, but I want the "greatest diversity of plants" in it.
Then best let the weeds in "one at a time"... or your garden will soon be over-run.
The big push in the 70's for "multiculturalism" was ALL intended to develop the "experts" needed to develop and supply the "global market"...
...and developing "experts" to answer questions posed by capitalist politicians represents the "end" of theory, not the beginning of theory concerning "culture". The "real" theoreticians are working on the "questions" that the politcians and capitalists AREN'T asking and can't even IMAGINE asking.
AOW, Dr Jasser is amazing. I think you know we heard him speak once.
We need `10000000 Dr Jassers.
Canardo,
Nobody –– and I mean NOBODY –– listens to John Cage or Elliott Carter.
The latter is simply an eccentric put on –– an interesting but decidedly queer, marginal figure.
Carter’s music, like most “serious” music of the 20th century never had and never will develop an audience. It is all-but incomprehensible even to trained musicians.
God bless him for living beyond the age of 100. And I am happy –– for him –– that he achieved the recognition denied to much greater musical figures –– men of towering genius such as J.S. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann and Brahms, and I was happy to learn that he published at least forty new works between the ages of 90 to 100. But, despite what-seems-to-me excessive adulation and overexposure in his own lifetime, whatever clothes that old Emperor may be wearing are not particularly flattering.
Harvard, by the way, has never been a particularly good place to go for a first class musical education.
~ FreeThinke
I say we should give everyone a fair shot. We should have an Indian President as long as their name is Nikki Haley, A Hispanic President,as Long their name is Marco Rubio or Suzanna Martinez and a "Proud" African American President as long as their name is Allen West or Conaleeza Rice.
But the liberals would prefer a Hispanic President named Filipe Calderone
AOW. no different than you saying, my home town or my home state. Think about it!
Amen to that.
The art industry's fascination with scatalogical processes is perplexing to say the least.
The Antichrist will be the one responsible for arranging and setting up these events in order for this many people to be killed Granted, this task doesn't come easy at first, but all it takes is a few extra steps each day, done consistently, that will maximize your results in the long runOEM vs
Visit his website at to learn more about printers and ink cartridgesDo it because you can Grudges contract the body, mind and spirit Kids like it simple, too, so if calling your Champion Cavalier King Spaniel Bootsie works for them, consider keeping the hoity toity name strictly for AKC purposes
[url=http://officialnflfalconsstore.com/]Matt Ryan Jersey[/url]
[url=http://www.frankgorejersey.net/]Frank Gore 49ers Jersey[/url]
God is not like any human being with whom we have had a relationship Man, you'll be amazed at all of the information, tips, and ideas you never even imagined existedYou may become a hero or heroine Yah check this out
[url=http://www.heathmillerjersey.net/]Heath Miller Jersey[/url]
Despite a troubled job market, Ripple says she wouldn't have majored in studies that might have brought her more job prospects. "I genuinely enjoy and have a passion for International Business and Marketing and I would have majored in it no matter what. Had I known the economy would have been like this perhaps I would have made plans to immediately get my MBA afterward or had plans in place to move right away." Your career path has becomes a process of choosing positions where you can learn or enhance a skill as part of a skill set that serves you over the long haul. Long before she was famous and had won her oscar, SAG Awards, BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Emmy Awards, Dame Helen Mirren had the slightly less glamourous role of attracting punters to use the rides at an amusement park in Southend on Sea. Its unclear whether she won as many accolades in this period of her life "The price we can afford." The club's general manager, said they had such an account forget: playing a month salary plus brokerage commissions and other expenses add up, converted into less than 20 million RMB. There Nowitzki, the average ticket price set at 400 yuan and not expensive to sell 5000 tickets for each home computing, a ball just ticket sales is 200 million, seven or so a month home, a light box-office revenue will be able to more than 1000 million. The general manager, said optimistically: "Coupled with the sponsor to increase investment, to sign such a superstar Dirk Nowitzki, cost recovery is not difficult." Has become the entire assessment particularly laid out to supply career steering?
Post a Comment