Teddy bear immigration

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: April 17, 2006
1:00 a.m. Eastern


© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com


Teddy Roosevelt had an interesting viewpoint on the issue of immigration in America. His thoughts so much sound like a majority of the mail I have received lately on the issue I felt compelled to share them with all WND readers.

Teddy Roosevelt 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 language ... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.


I agree with Teddy completely.

It all starts with good faith. Persons coming to this country to make a better life for themselves must operate in good faith – not in clear violation of the law. They must obey the law and desire to do so or they can not call themselves Americans. They must want to assimilate and not want to be a something-American.


I am not a Scottish-Welsh-German American. I am an American. I get so sick of hearing about Mexican Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans and German Americans. We are Americans. I don't mean to offend anyone, but let's get over all this identity nonsense and be what we are if we want to enjoy the amber waves of grain and purple mountains majesty: Americans.

It is all well and good to be proud of one's heritage. I think it's a wonderful sight to see parades and events that celebrate one's native lands. But when that pride translates into a fanaticism that holds the Mexican flag at the same level of respect as the American flag, the fanatic wishes to change America into something it is not. When immigrants want Americans to learn their native language instead of learning English, they not only do not wish to assimilate, they are operating in bad faith.

I agree with President Roosevelt on the language and the flag of our land. They both represent and embody who we are and what we stand for. How many have fought, bled and died for both, and yet immigrants are willing to cheapen that? Not on my watch.

The now famous march of April 10, 2006, has stirred the pot with millions of Americans. The obvious change in tactics, like carrying American flags, did little to convince most people that they are not illegally living in this country. If anything, it put a face on just how willing they are to not only break the law, but then to say "and there is nothing you can do about it" by showing up in the street and not getting arrested.

While I marvel at the ability of the organizers of these rallies to mobilize thousands of people to take to the streets to protest enforcement of existing immigration laws, I believe their plan will backfire.

I live in Phoenix, Ariz., and can tell you my life was not altered one iota when 100,000 immigrants took the day off. The car wash was still open. My favorite restaurant still served food and life went on. The same organizers are making a very big mistake in holding the proposed May Day boycott on behalf of millions of illegal workers. The organizers want Americans to feel what a day without illegals would feel like. I for one can't wait. In all my years of running businesses, the worst thing an ungrateful employee could do to themselves was take an extended amount of time away from the office. They thought they would show me how much I would miss their contribution. They would attempt to punish me and then return to hold me up for higher wages or more vacation time.

Guess what? I found that I could actually do better without them. The other employees who appreciate their jobs were glad to see them out of the office. They found the absence of negative energy rather refreshing. It made their workplace much more inviting. In one instance, I had several people encourage me not to welcome the person back. We survived and prospered.

As Teddy said, we should want people to come to America to help us build for the future. They should come in good faith and become in every facet an American. I think we can all agree that immigrants wanting to come to this country legally and in good faith are welcome. But make no mistake about it: They must have an allegiance to America – undivided and complete.

Being an American is a privilege in my world, not a right. Yes, I was born here and I know that gives me a right, but I count it as a privilege.

You see it how you want. You have that right. I for one can tell you that there are hundreds who have written me about the illegal-immigration issue. The mail has been getting angrier by the day. Doctors, lawyers, business people, housewives and most recently law-enforcement officers who are all saying the same thing: This is America – not Mexico, not Africa, not Ireland, not Japan – AMERICA. Let's keep that in mind on Election Day when we cast our votes. I suggest you only vote for the candidate who votes for America.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/artic ... E_ID=49773