<quote>
"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." <quote>

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

I don't see anything wrong with T.R.'s ideas here, why did we get so screwed up, and how come so many people think screwing things up further is the correct path ?

I have always thought TR was a great American. But this isn't 1907.

TR was more than a good president, or an outdoorsman, or a great speaker...........he had heart, he understood what it means to have heart and to use that heart for a good purpose. On my desk and in my mind I have one of his quotes.......I live my life by it........"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."

Snake Pliskin's interpretation: "Step up, go for it, live your life to the fullest, you only live once, do the right thing..............just give your best."

1907 or 2006, heart is heart, the right thing to do is the right thing to do.

Sorry, I'm getting a little soapbox, but T.R. has that effect on me.

What is the relevance of todays date compared to the words of T.R. quoted above......it seems to me that time has prooven him to be spot on.

I think that was a home run, Snake P.
Besides, I'm pro immigration, just anti-illegal alien.

"he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else"
"to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin"

The above two statements, taken from the orignal post, are interesting because Indians weren't even citizens when this statement was made and wouldn't be until 1926.

What is the standard cooling off period before enemies of the U.S.government can become part of it ?

I only refer to the quote O used. 1907, before any of the world wars, just for a start. In this country now there are refugees (both from wars and because of religious, political and other beliefs). People here on work visias, people with dual citizenships (my wife could have one if she wanted). Most of theses types of things did not exist during TR's time.

While a lot of what he said sounds good, and people often long for a simpler time the truth is times have changed and some of hims quotes just sound good and no longer apply. This is one of them.

Just as a reference my wife works in the ESL dept at a noproffit that helps prepare imigrents for citizenship.

By the way ESL stands for "English as a second language"

I hear a LOT about what is realy going on with imigration.

back then we were still homesteading land for free, and more people meant more towns and more food.......not today

i say end all immigration......i tmakes no sense at all to continue our immigration policies weather they are legal immigrants who come here with alot of money and immediately buy up homes and help jack up home prices.......or illegal immigrants who come here for manual labor and work hard...... but drive down working wages....

reform our country to be able to take care of all of our present citizens before adding anyone else... by "take care of" i dont mean be able to give them all welfare, i mean a system where one parent working 40 hrs a week can still raise a healthy familly on modest means....

that will never happen as long as the wage labor keeps getting driven down and housing prices are driven up.....

yes we are all immigrants.....but we are all eaters too and it makes no more sense allow excessive immigration than it does to allow excess eating.......we are actually having enough kids on our own that we wont have jobs for or houses for..... why make the problem of reforming this country worse?

and i am not anti-latino, just anti immigration...... i speak spanish and love hispanic culture and if i had the money to move.....i would choose to live in mexico or costa rica over the USA any day of the week. hopefully i will be able to make that move in about five years

Interesting posts from many....I wonder how you guys would post on this issue if you lived on the wrong side of the tracks.

Not slamming anyone just making a observation is all.

Snake
He did have heart I still play today in the lands he set aside for future generations.

snake- that is one of the best quotes ever in my opinion

These things which you point out as being different are no reason to not still apply the words of T.R. quoted above !

Not following the logic spelled out by T.R. in the quote above is what allows those differences to make such a huge negative impact on our great country...........

You guys must be sarcastic or something, and I'm not getting it....?