I don’t consider myself old; older, perhaps, but not old. I was born in the early 1950′s, like so many of my baby-boomer brethren.
Most of us grew up pledging Allegiance to both the Flag and the Republic, and loving Our County unabashedly.
This didn’t mean blind love. As we grew, we saw the injustices perpetrated against minorities, and some of us questioned different military and political adventures overseas. Some were valid, some questionable, but all worthy of intelligent discussion and debate.
This is who we are.
Sadly, some of the debate stopped being intelligent, or discussed.
But most of the people here, whether native-born or legally-adopted, felt a love for the United States, for her history, her culture, her soul.
We were and are Americans. And persons who moved here wanted to assimilate, to become as we. E Pluribus Unum.
Not just long-term visitors from a foreign land demanding we speak their language or adopt their culture.
President Theodore Roosevelt said it best,
“In this country we have no place for hyphenated Americans. A hyphenated American is not an American at all. This is just as true of the man who puts ‘Native’ before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or French before the hyphen. Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance.”
I’ve Irish and German heritage. I’m proud of having both. But, I’m an American. This is who I am.
Well and truly said. My heritage is only my heritage, not my identity.In a similar vein, I was once chastised by a disabled vet for not carrying my Life Member DAV card. I told him, "My identity is not based on something I did 35 years ago. Yeah, it happened TO me, but it's not who I am today."People REALLY need to get over themselves, and get out more. Geez!
Posted by Rev. Paul | September 7, 2011, 9:49 amWell and truly said, yourself, Rev. Paul! More people need to be who they are, not who they were.
Posted by Guffaw in AZ | September 7, 2011, 10:20 am"…long-term visitors from a foreign land demanding we speak their language or adopt their culture."Not to even be given thought unless and until said foreign land also offers their services in English – and celebrates 4th of July – for my benefit when I "visit" that country. (Not!)"I pledge allegiance …" which gives me the rights as well as the obligations. Including the right to question and criticize my "employees" in Washington and their policies – without having to be declared a traitor or disloyal.Regardless of my heritage.
Posted by quizikle | September 7, 2011, 3:37 pm@quizikle – Amen, brother!
Posted by Guffaw in AZ | September 7, 2011, 7:25 pmHear, hear, I am in complete accord!Greg
Posted by Anonymous | September 7, 2011, 10:18 pmI am a purebred American mutt, and damn proud of it.
Posted by Larry | September 7, 2011, 11:11 pmAs always, thanks for reading and commenting, Greg and Larry!
Posted by Guffaw in AZ | September 8, 2011, 7:48 am