The Hyphen

Americanism by Teddy Roosevelt

...

There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But 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 English 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. But if he is heartily and singly loyal to this Republic, then no matter where he was born, he is just as good an American as any one else.

The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian-Americans or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality, than with the other citizens of the American Republic. The men who do not become Americans and nothing else are hyphenated Americans; and there ought to be no room for them in this country. The man who calls himself an American citizen and who yet shows by his actions that he is primarily the citizen of a foreign land, plays a thoroughly mischievous part in the life of our body politic. He has no place here; and the sooner he returns to the land to which he feels his real heart-allegiance, the better it will be for every good American. There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else.

For an American citizen to vote as a German-American, an Irish-American, or an English-American, is to be a traitor to American institutions; and those hyphenated Americans who terrorize American politicians by threats of the foreign vote are engaged in treason to the American Republic.

...​

 

Especially considering that "the" John Wayne was said to be racist. (As was large sections of the nation in the past), In fact, the hyphenated terms were coined specifically to replace more offensive terms used on people. They may not be the best of terms in an idealized "America" ("one nation, indivisible", etc), but I don't know why people who themselves help foster and maintain the division (by rejecting other groups) would then criticize the terms that reflect that division.

 

I think it is silly to think we can tell someone what they are and are not allowed to call themselves.

 

That quote is oft attributed to John Wayne and can be found here as an example.

It is not a stretch to imply that those who were or are proud of this country's heritage might be offended by those who wear the symbol of the hyphen. History has not yet recorded the damage that the hyphen has done or will do to this nation, so it may be difficult to compare at this point to other national symbols and perhaps Mr. Wayne was a bit premature. I would add that not only is the hyphen itself offensive, but so too is the fact that the people who use this symbol don't put America first when they use it.

Here's another quote from this American Patriot...

"Republic. I like the sound of the word. It means people can live free, talk free, go or come, buy or sell, be drunk or sober, however they choose. Some words give you a feeling. Republic is one of those words that makes me tight in the throat - the same tightness a man gets when his baby takes his first step or his first baby shaves and makes his first sound as a man. Some words can give you a feeling that makes your heart warm. Republic is one of those words." - Davy Crockett played by John Wayne in the Alamo​

 

I think it is silly that some people find it acceptable for folks to reside in this land and hold an allegiance to a foreign country or continent.

 

How dare someone find pride in their heritage.
Why thats not how a nationalist nation thinks!
maybe i should use big letters ... i believe the 2nd half of that poem says something about sending it on to 50 of your friends if you love the USA

 

Americuh fer Americunz, I sez!!1!1!

Please, Rufus.

Honoring one's heritage is not evil.

 

Whatever it is, it does not unite a country.

 

There should be no such thing as contributions from hyphenated-Americans, there should just be Americans that made contributions. Who cares where they came from or how much melanin is in their skin? America is not an ethnicity it is a group of people who share a common ideology and political philosophy central of which is freedom. Why not focus on the content of people's character rather than the color of their skin or their (or their grandpas) nation of origin? You can't have a melting pot if folks are unwilling to melt.

 

The Duke was a first class human being and a nice guy.

 

This is more about the intent than the literal.

If the purpose is to proclaim a division from other Americans and a disrespect for all that is American in a negative sense, then it's not constructive. If the purpose is to proclaim an identity among Americans in a positive sense while respecting that which is American, then there should be no problem with it.

 

Huh? Caused by what very thing?
Division is caused by human pride. Both those rejecting and discriminating against others, and then people being proud of their own culture. It's just two sides of the same coin. The discrimination just depends on who is the "majority". I hope this is not another conservative type of pointing at only the other side's wrongs, while American history is deemed to be pure, as if its ideals had been always upheld consistently, until modern rebels came and ruined it.

That's a nice ideal, problem is, you can't get people on either side (those who try to hang on to their heritage, or those who reject others) to follow this ideal. For one thing, the whole "melting pot" concept assumes this pot is "neutral", and everyone is giving up their unique identity in favor of the whole. But while that is the idel, in many cases it has leaned towards a certain culture (Anglo), so in practice, it becomes everyone else giving up their culture in favor of the dominant one. That is why hyphenation came up. After all, this is not an ancient nation like the European, African or Asian cultures, but rather the result of one of those "Old World" cultures supplanting a separate ancient culture that was already here. What some have pointed out, is that rather than a melting pot; it would be better to have a "stewing pot", where there is both individuality and blending together.

Still, given human nature, we can only expect so much of these ideals to ever come true. We should realize that, and see how it fits in with the Bible's description of man, rather than just demanding everyone else to change their behavior.

 

I disagree, but then I really don't care about uniting the country.

My allegiance is to Christ.

 

This is quite obvious, for you support the things which are undermining it.

 

In comparison to the cause of Christ, it is supremely unimportant.

It was only when Christianity was made compulsory in the Roman Empire that the idea of a Christian church-state became anything but ridiculous. Governments never, ever, promote the cause of Christ, and are not to be depended upon.