Are you an American

[rex6666]

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

still sounds good in 2008

[Moss88hunter]

Too bad everyone doesn't think like that!!!

Evan

[zombiewolf]

Here's another "Teddy" quote....


"Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people."(Theodore Roosevelt)



 ... Wadda ya think a that?

[beemanbeme]

St Paddy's Day, Sons of Italy, Polish Pride, Etc, etc. There are many social/ethnic groups that still keep ties with their heritage. And practice culinary and social customs from their origins even tho they have been in this country for a hundred or more years.  Many of these folks have relatives still living that have a real problem with the English language.  Many my age were raised in homes where English wasn't the home language. 
Funny, I noticed some of you want to include the Jews in your collective, blanket hatred of the Muslims. Just a few years ago, you would have been directing your hatred against the Christ killing Jews.  I guess politics AND religion makes for strange bed fellows.
I read in here that being a good American is not compatible with the Muslim religion. Other than knowing there are as many sects to the Muslim religion as there are to the Christian religion, I don't know a whole lot about the Muslim religion.  I do know that one of the ten commandments of the Christian religion is "thou shall not kill". So according to that, you can't be a good Christian and be a good American.  But we did a whole lot of killing in WW2.  If we hadn't, we'd be speaking German or Japanese.  A lot of good Americans of German and Polish and Italian and Irish and other heritages went to Europe and didn't seem to have a problem killing Uncle Charlie or Cousin Adolph so that the unabashed bigots in this room could spout their raw hatred.  "Godless Scum" indeed.  So much for "God is Love".   

[Brett]

Sorry Beeman, the sixth Commandment of God is "Tho shall not commit murder."   Murder being unjustified killing.  Even God knows some folks just need killin'.   

[DalesCarpentry]

Sorry Beeman, the sixth Commandment of God is "Tho shall not commit murder."   Murder being unjustified killing.  Even God knows some folks just need killin'.   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Commandments#Text_of_the_Ten_Commandments  Dale

[zombiewolf]

Here's another....




A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.
(Theodore Roosevelt) 


                                                 

[deltecs]

Here's another....




A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.
(Theodore Roosevelt) 


                                                 

In todays arena of political correctness and emotional decision making, so is good dose of common sense.

[Guy Pike]

Wow! For well over 50 years I have known that the Torah says: "Thou shall not murder," and now Wikipedia backs it up. I should really study more of the other versions! NOT!

[DalesCarpentry]

Wow! For well over 50 years I have known that the Torah says: "Thou shall not murder," and now Wikipedia backs it up. I should really study more of the other versions!

I grew up my entire life on the fact that tho shall not kill. I always wondered what happened to the souls of of fighting people doing the killing for our Government. I agree most of these people needed killing but really never new how God would feel about it. Dale

[beemanbeme]

When this (and the other one) thread started, I told myself I wasn't gonna get involved. There is no discussing with someone that thinks he is doing God's work and that God is whispering in his ear, and his ear alone.
"God knows some people just needs killing" did God whisper that in your ear?  I hope I'm the one holding the gun, when God decides who needs killin'.
I'm outa here.

[rex6666]

Beeman
you might go check on the honey bees, I really don't think GOD is going to ask you to hold the gun.
I have no problem with people with relatives in other countries, or people that came here from
other countries. You have to ask your self WHY DID I COME HERE? I don't care what your religion is
you have that right because you are in AMERICA. It makes no difference where you came from
if you are going to live here and enjoy the freedoms we have then do so if you still want to be some where else then go. I here people all the time say I am @@@@@/American or i am ##########/ American. My relatives came to America before the civil war they were Irish i was born in America
I am an American. I hear people say i am ^^^^^^/ American, i ask when did you come here, the
answer is Oh my family came 100-150-200 years ago i and my father, his father were born here, but i am ^^^^^^^/ American. I have no problem with you being proud of your heritage, but when you
say i am ^^^^^/ American try to remember why your relatives came here.

[oldandslow]

About six years ago my son went back to collage and finished up his second degree before his GI Bill ran out. He told me about a class where the professor asked the students what kind of Americans they were. He received answers like "I'm African-American", "I'm Native-American', and so on. He was over 40 years old at the time and a little sharper than most of the kids in the class and when it was his turn he answered " I'm just an American, I was born here and that makes me just an American". He said the professor told them that was the answer he was looking for, that under the skin we are all just Americans. If everyone could look at it that way I think a lot of our racial problems wouldn't exist any longer.

[mitchell]

Sorry Beeman, the sixth Commandment of God is "Tho shall not commit murder."   Murder being unjustified killing.  Even God knows some folks just need killin'.   

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Commandments#Text_of_the_Ten_Commandments  Dale

amen brother!!!! aint nothing like watching a hellfire go through the roof of a little toyota truck .

[beemanbeme]

Rex666, Your point?  Is freedom of speech only free as long as it conforms to your parameters?  FYI, my folks have been around longer than yours(no, I am not an Indian) so if you want to try that peeing contest, you'll lose. But, in truth, it shouldn't be a contest at all.
There are many Americans that are Americans by mere accident of birth. Others, even tho their English may not be the best, have become Americans under considerable hardships. You might say they have earned the right to be Americans. So the question is, who is the better American? Which counts the most? Longevity or fervor?

[rex6666]

Beeman
the Question was not how long you have been here, or how hard it was to get here.
The Question was now that you are here ARE YOU AN AMERICAN.
I only mentioned how long my relatives have been here to make a point, some families
have been here 200 years and still calling themselves XXXXXXX/ AMERICANS.
I think we all know people that call themselves XXXXXXX/Americans, and if you show them a world map they can not even point to XXXXXXX. That is one of my points.
  This rant excludes NATIVE AMERICANS as you had no choice, your only problem was trusting
the xxxxxx/father.
TM do not hold your breath

[beemanbeme]

About the only folks pushing that hyphenated stuff --I'll admit I think it's as silly as hyphenated names-- are black folks. And you can kinda understand their distress since they truly can't trace their real roots anywhere.  Seeing as how at present there are over 50 some countries in Africa and when they were captured, they didn't have a concept of "countries".  And you never hear a white guy calling himself a Euro-American.

TM-- Just wait.  You're getting your land back! A slot machine token at a time.

My earliest male ancestor was a very fine criminal (also Irish) that was given the choice of being hanged or transported.  He choose transportation and was shipped to America where he was sold into bondage for 10 years.  My earliest female ancestor came here as an indentured servant with an 8 year obligation. A plantation owner bought her contract.  She bore him 3 bastard children.  None of whom are kin to me.
I don't guess all of us can be gentry.

[zombiewolf]

Here's another "Teddy" quote....


"Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people."(Theodore Roosevelt)



 ... Wadda ya think a that?

I think among others, in a fit of clarity, he was telling the TRUTH.  And it is every citizens responsibility to understand the significance of this.

About the first quote which I agree----But what I want to know, referring to my Native American relatives, when am I getting my land back as promised by the Great Father.

...TM7

A "brief" fit of clarity..... and I agree.


And for the Native Americans, it just makes me sick, the more I learn about how the "west was won".



When your a "mutt" like me, you get to pick your dominant heritage as it suits your mood.

If I'm mad, it's that German blood in me...

If I want to fight, it's the Nordic blood.

(When I'm trackin', it's the Souix blood!)

But I was born American (not my fault) and I'm still proud of those words written on the Statue of Liberty.

What were those again?


 

[zombiewolf]

"Give me your tired, your poor,
your huddled masses, yearning to be free,
the wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
send these, the homeless,the tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

[DalesCarpentry]

Yes I am 150% American. I was born here and am glad I was not born in any other country. I believe this is the best country on the planet. I would give up my life for my country in a second like I would for my wife and daughter. I am proud to be an American and no one can take that away from me as long as I breath. Dale

[rex6666]

Thanks fpr those words Zombiewolf
Ever see anything even close to that in any other country The U.S was taken all that need a place,
and for that we should all be proud.

[beemanbeme]

Zombiewolf, Don't feel bad about "how the west was won". The western tribes were practicing armed aggression and encroachment long before the white man ever arrived.  It's been going on every since man discovered that he could hit his neighbor in the head with a rock and take his wife and goods and move into his cave.

So anyone with half an eye can see that "lets talk" just doesn't work.  All that means is one side or the other is looking around for a bigger rock. 

[bubba]

God must think some people need killing.  More wars have been started in the name of Religion than for any other reason.  So much for turning the other cheek

[tallyho]

Just so y'all know, I was not born in the USA. I came here happily, gratefully and by conscious choice. Unless you have spiritual beliefs that suggest otherwise, we do not choose how, where, or when we are born.

Being born here (accidentally) as zombiewolf suggests with this line: But I was born American (not my fault) and I'm still proud of those words written on the Statue of Liberty. is no doubt a great advantage.

However I had different advantage. I got to be born and grow up elsewhere, and see the US from outside - and in doing so, I willingly chose it as the place I want to live. It is my fault that I am here. (not that I see "fault" in this case as a negative, but simply an acknowledgment of a choice I made  [img width= height= alt=" border="0]http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/Themes/babylon/images/post/thumbup.gif[/img] )

Those words on the Statue of Liberty actually mean something concrete to me. Though in my mind, the most important ones are not the ones describing my material conditions, but the four that I think sum up the reason most of your ancestors came here "yearning to be free". Some materially well off folks, as well as the huddled masses, wretched refuse, homeless and tempest-tossed came here to be free. I did.

"Give me your tired, your poor,
your huddled masses, yearning to be free,
the wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
send these, the homeless,the tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

When we lose the meaning of those four words, we cease to be what the Statue of Liberty represents.

And what we are doing right here, right now is fulfilling that yearning. I don't believe there is another country in the world where folks could so freely engage in discussions such as the ones we have on this forum. Since it is a private forum, we have certain responsibilities toward Bill (Greybeard) and his staff - but we need not fear "official" or government interference. (at least not yet  )

[rex6666]

tallyho that is what America is about and you not being born here is what America is about.
Don't know how long you been here and don't care, you know what America is about.
We need more people like you born here or not.

[Brett]

Zombiewolf, Don't feel bad about "how the west was won". The western tribes were practicing armed aggression and encroachment long before the white man ever arrived.  It's been going on every since man discovered that he could hit his neighbor in the head with a rock and take his wife and goods and move into his cave.

So anyone with half an eye can see that "lets talk" just doesn't work.  All that means is one side or the other is looking around for a bigger rock. 

Yup, can be traced all the way back to Cain and Able.