[Loovikeillilen]

Theodore Roosevelt on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN

Are we "SLOW LEARNERS" or what?

Theodore Roosevelt on Immigrants and being an AMERICAN

"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 man's becoming in very fact 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, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...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, January 3, 1919 I've always hated the hyphenated American label! I'm of Irish descent but many generations have passed since my family migrated here so above everything else, I'm an American.
Politicians are so afraid to say what Teddy Roosevelt did because they're afraid of offending someone, particularly the Latino voter. Can any of you imagine a politician today saying that we have room for only one language...English?! For the record, I think that anyone wanting to become a citizen should be required to speak our language first. I don't like calling a business in Texas and being told to "Press 1 for English..." That's BS!
Maybe one day, we'll get another politician that is willing to voice the same thoughts as Roosevelt, but I'll not hold my breath!