Teddy Had It Right


I’ve been doing my so-called “day job” and getting nutted-up whilst others around me were obstructionists, I was under a time crunch, and subsequently not getting sleep at night because the mind wouldn’t shut down. I’m sure you’ve all been there. Therefore, the dearth of posts.

In the meantime, a friend sent me a wonderful quote from President Teddy Roosevelt, which bears repeating here:

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 man’s becoming in very fact 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, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile.

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.

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Even back in 1907, Teddy had it right.

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5 thoughts on “Teddy Had It Right

  1. 11 30 05

    That is why he is one of my favorite Presidents ever!!! And did you know he was the first President to have dinner with a Black man in the white house? Amazing stuff! I am happy you are back and hope your eye feels healed. Have a good day Blo Zep.

  2. Blo,
    You are right, Teddy did have it right back then. It is common sense.
    Bush needs to include that in his next speech about our borders.
    I need to go, my adorable little 18 month old wants me to read dr. seuss’ Fox in Sox..

  3. Rebecca: Wow. That takes ME back: Dr. Seuss’ “Fox In Sox.” Makes me kinda wistful. . .sigh.

    BWH: I would expect no less, sir. You would disappoint me had you not written such.

    Mahndisa: No, I didn’t know that, what a step for him and the Presidency — which likely no one knows because that would help to acknowledge his Presidency in a positive fashion. Eye feels much better, and many of my small kitten wounds have healed. He is still an absolute trip.

    LMC: Now that you mention it, writing that post makes we want to read more about Teddy and discover what kind of person he really was. Any recommendations?

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