Open letter: Response to Theodore Roosevelt's opinions on Immigrants

Another installment.  A light response; was getting warmed up.  I'm interested in rational discourse instead of everyone assuming that everyone believes in what they do; maybe get people to think critically about their own opinions a bit more.

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This makes me curious about a couple of questions of the recipients:

1. Which specific points that the president made below do you agree with?
2. Do you think that the fact that a former president said this makes it more compelling?  If so, how do you reconcile this with the founding fathers who were slaveowners or believed that women shouldn't be allowed to vote, etc.?
3. How do you reconcile the president's statements below, "the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American" and "Any man who says he is an American, but something else also [i.e. Polish, Irish, etc.], isn't an American at all.  We have room for but one flag, the American flag" with pride of origin that we as Pollocks might want to celebrate?  Or is there a disconnect where it's okay for us but not for others?  Where do you draw the line and why?

I thought it would be more interesting and enlightening if maybe we can get a dialogue started than simply passing these kinds of emails around without knowing just where people stand on these things.  Especially if the intent of these emails is to try and change people's minds; the emails serve only to preach to the choir who already buy into the sentiments unless there is something else compelling about them.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!

-Jason

  [email protected] wrote:

bob

----- Original Message -----

From: [email protected]

Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 7:38 AM

Subject: A MUST read.....

A great history and genealogy lesson.   The year is 1907, one hundred years ago..... READ PRINT UNDER PICTURE 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 langua ge... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." Theodore Roosevelt 1907 Every American citizen needs to read this! KEEP THIS MOVING

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