'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
Thursday, May 27, 2010
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Let me see if I understand the question:
ReplyDeleteIf a person enters the country legally, meets all of the posted requirements for naturalization, and goes through the ceremony and ritual of becoming an American citizen, does some entity a right to question their allegiance, demand certain behaviors, (and change their skin color?)?
Let us suppose the answer is "yes" (before I go any farther, I believe the answer in absolutely not.), is it "yes" only with respect to Spanish speakers? Spanish-speakers of non-European ancestry? How about Portuguese-speakers? Danish in Nebraska? Amish? German in lots of places? Swedish?
How about Lakota? Navajo? {dang, I've run out of electrons to fini