1 "... good relationships we have established with our Jewish-American neighbors ..."

This is indeed how civilized people treat one another. Hats off to them.

2 If they're not Americans first then fuck them all. Stick that in a hat,cat.

3 wb, I understand your sentiment, but there are valid reasons to use the hyphenated descriptive on SOME occassions, and that have nothing to do with loyalty. I beleive Amiral Nimitz was used as an example of a German-American during WW2. The purpose was to show that ethnicity wasn't a crime, nor was it a set of shackles to the motherland. That you could be a German, by blood, and ethnicity, but an American in your heart of hearts.  Lots of hyphenated Americans have died for this country. I'm asking if you could please consider this when you comment? Thanks.         
 
             
 
                        USA, all the way!

4 "If they're not Americans first then fuck them all."

Wasn't that the old motto for Ellis Island?

5 Osamahatesamerica:


No, that was Teddy Roosevelt's take on the subject.


The US Constitution is not subservient to an inscription calling for America to take in the world's wretched refuse.


"If they are Americans first then fuck them all." Is that your credo?

6 Professor Weaver,
 
Thank you for your suggestion. I want you to know that I have given you words careful consideration and used them as another viewpoint to look at my summation. I am always willing to do that and am actually greatful when presented with an opportunity to do so.
 
I must say that I am still drawn to the same conclusion that there can be no other thing that goes in front of being an American. I know it sounds rather Gump but it's that simple, at least for me being of a  simple mind and still an eager student to those of careful and more learned considerations, such as yourself.  I realize there are other factors that always come into play but believe that unity in word leads to until in deeds. My greatest hope, dear Professor, is that it will lead to untiy in equality FOR ALL  in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. But I am an eteranl optimist willing to choke the living shit out of any mother fucker that needs it so that we can all get along..... But again, thank you for your input and I hope that I will be able to keep reading and enjoying your insights. They are reassuring and that in and of itself has a positive affect. 
 
Yes Sir I am with you, USA all the way! 
  

7 Jeff, I have to ask you: What have I ever posted that makes you think I "hate" America? Find an example and support your claims instead of making unsubstantiated accusations.

8

I think the point here is that whatever they may be called, hyphenated or otherwise, America has to come first. Teddy wasn't saying you had to renouce the bit of your old home that gives you a bit of color, but he was making it clear that being American means you are as one with other Americans. Imagine if he was saying it like this; German-American is not OK, but German-American is.

Emphasis should be on what unites us, and what we hold dear, and in common. That is why the Pledge of Allegience is something I feel should be expected from any patriot. Just to be clear, your freedom of religion should allow you to say it without the 'Under God' part, if you so choose. Whether you include that part of the pledge or not, you should have no problem with the rest of it IF your a patriot.

Anyone who can't say at least the shorter version, I don't see how you can call yourself an American. Clearly your 'national' loyalty is to something other than the Republic. Clearly, the Republic is secondary to some other 'political' affiliation, or cause. Possibly the Republic is a rival to your 'other' cause, and you are in fact living as a traitor. Maybe your a member of the Islamic Thinkers Society, and standing on, and ripping up the Flag is just your way of getting aquainted with the neighbors. They are Muslim-Americans, not Muslim-Americans. That is how I see it.

So be happy if your Irish, or Norse, or African. But be extra specially happy your an American, and make sure your BOLD about it. I think Teddy would approve this message. 
       
 USA, all the way!

9 wb, I'm not a proffessor, and I never finished college. I'm just a guy who has a lot of books, and reads them. I think the compliment is a bit overwhelming. Thanks for your appreciation all the same.   
 
                 USA, all the way!

10 Very good Jeff!
TR ran on a "no hypenated American "platform, they were a little worried about loyalty to the Kaiser Willhelm. Those words couldn't be more true than they are today.
 
So has anyone thought about a Chenney/ (?) ticket for 08? I wouldn't rule out a hillary /sharpton ticket. That was the reason he went to PR to protest navy  bomb training and got thrown in jail, that's also when he lost the weight. I can hear it now, bitchery saying" tell you what fat boy, you get me the black and hispanic vote and you're in with me, oh yeah, and lose some weight too...." At least he can run as a black man and not a man who wants to be all black but isn't.... allblackoboma hmmmm has nice ring to it. 

11 Professor Weaver,
Consider it an honorary title then. Bestowed by WBU. And for the record, it means teacher and that's what you do with your posts. You get others to think, that is a gift and I simply wanted to acknowledge it and thank you for using in a way that is positive. If you'll excuse me it's back to the gutter.....

12 Osamahatesamerica:


No, that was Teddy Roosevelt's take on the subject.


The US Constitution is not subservient to an inscription calling for America to take in the world's wretched refuse.


"If they are Americans first then fuck them all." Is that your credo?


Address what I wrote, you slithering worm. Don't try to change the subject and deflect things back on me.


Your pathetic "rules for radicals" don't work on me. Not everybody is an idiot like you.

13 Michael... kudos on that.

A question about this:

"your freedom of religion should allow you to say it without the 'Under God' part, if you so choose."

I've never heard it said otherwise! Are you saying it wouldn't offend you if you were at a ball game and someone next to you replaced "God" with "Allah" or "Durka Durka!!" ?

14

durka durka? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA....

15 Well, I guess the good news is that at least it's one ethnic/religious group defending another without being apologists (i.e., implying they brought it on themselves).  Slim as it might be with the pervasiveness of lefto-fascism in media (even in the ROK, it seems), hopefully this will help stop some of the lies from the comics.
 
One note on the comments, however; is that the whole argument against describing Americans of Korean descent (gee, that flows off the tongue, doesn't it?) as "Korean-Americans" is damn silly, IMO.  Feel free to inject any racial/cultural/religious descriptor, but hell, it's the English language that says the adjective (in this case, Korean) goes before the noun (American). 
 
If the word order is supposed to indicate the intensity of loyalty and patriotism, then what do we call all those non-hyphenated "Americans" who enjoy the luxury and privelege of their self-loathing, revionistic, apoplectic view, speech, and actions under the security of their birth and/or citizenship?  I know what I would call them, but it sure wouldn't be a choice on a census form!  All I'm saying is make character and actions be the judge, not the word order in the label used to distinguish themselves in a multicultural society.

16

"Are you saying it wouldn't offend you if you were at a ball game and someone next to you replaced "God" with "Allah" or "Durka Durka!!" ?"             

To be quite honest, while Islam offends me with its inherent violence, anyone who is pledgeing allegience to the Flag, AND to the Republic for which it stands, is making the correct promise. If they choose to sanctify that promise with thier religious belief, or swear by what they hold as sacred when the make that pledge, then I'm fine with that. I admit that the words "Under Allah" make no sense when held in contrast to the national character of the last few hundred years. But if that is what binds your pledge, so be it.

Clarifying that, our Constitution is the soul of the Republic, and Sharia can't ever replace that. My red line for allowing a Muslim credentials as a moderate, are if that Muslim is against the imposition of Sharia, and opposses its subversion of non-Sharia legal systems. In America, that means that if you pledge allegianceto the Flag, and the Republic, you also pledge allegience to the US Constitution, which includes the First Amendment and it's 'establishment clause'.

So my bias against Islam is moderated by my wish for all of us to have our individual liberty. If you pray to Allah, fine, but if your an American, make the pledge, and if you can't accept US Constitutional law, then your pledge is hollow. If you didn't mean it, and you should go somewhere where your ideas are welcome.

Osama, I've had friends with religious beliefs you can't hardly mention in public. I've been present for religious ceremonies that would have got me thrown out of Church if anyone knew. I don't condemn free exercise by wierd religions. They don't create violent political organizations, train terrorists, and fund crimes against humanity. Freedom of religious choice is a sacred right in America. Crimes commited because of your religion, are still crimes. Murder remains murder! Rape remains rape! Terrorism remains terrorism.

If I put magic runes on bullets before I load them into a thirty round clip, I'm well within my Constitutional rights. If I shoot those bullets in commission of a crime, I've gone outside the law. If I use Voodoo to turn my neighbor into a zombie (ignore implausibility) I'm commiting a crime. If I cut off my Son's head because he has rejected Allah, I have commited murder. (note plausability).

Now you have me posting long again. Geez!

Your freedom to be a Nazi stops when you want to overthrow the US Constution.  THERE!  Pledge Allegience dammit!  And don't lie! If you can't do that, your not a citizen, and need to find yourself a new homeland you CAN be loyal to.

USA, all the way!

17 JC    Well put. I'm not sure of the quote .... " A man is defined by his actions" .  That is an awesome point.         USA, all the way!

18 Osamaisatroll:


I ignored your flaming, so now you're going to pretend to ignore me. Stupid leftist. Who do you think you're fooling, you passive aggresive cunt?

19 Michael...I totally agree, except I'd say anyone replacing "God" with "Allah" would probably have to have balls the size of watermelons to do that at a ball game! Now you've made me really damn curious about what you've witnessed that would get you thrown out of your church! Do tell.

20 "would have got me thrown out of Church"  On the low end, my wife was told by one of her churches, that she couldn't have Mormon friends, so she stopped going to that one. On the other end of the spectrum, I've seen a "summoning" attempt, circle of protection, candles, Latin, and the whole nine yards. No summoning seems to actually have occured, but if you believe in karma, one of the participants died in a freak drowning accident that same day.  Actually, there are a few things I'm not willing to describe here. But we didn't break any laws, so I will clarify that. I am very convinced in the existence of a spiritual component to reality. Christianity is where I found my peace, and I'm happy there.                        
                 
USA, all the way!

21 Summoning attempt? Geesh. I've never seen anything like that. Creepy results too. I try to stay away from goat skins and black candles!