American Quote by Theodore Roosevelt
““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. We are a nation, not a hodge-podge of foreign nationalities. We are a people, and not a polyglot boarding house.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public address, date unknown
The quote argues that true American identity requires exclusive allegiance to the nation, rejecting hyphenated or dual identities.
In simple terms: Being American means being solely American.
Key Takeaway
Embrace a single national identity.
Themes
nationalism
identity
unity
Mood
defensive
assertive
Type
political
ideological
When to use this quote
- political debates
- immigration policy
- national celebrations
- education curricula
Key Concepts
citizenship
cultural assimilation
political rhetoric
Questions to Reflect On
- How does hyphenated identity affect civic participation?
- Can a nation thrive while embracing multiple cultures?
A Different Perspective
It overlooks the multicultural reality and contributions of diverse backgrounds.
![“[Charles] Reznikoff was in between faiths, in between worlds... a double, hyphenated American. I think it probably goes deeper than that.” quote by Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/718/paul-auster-351_deeper_charles-reznikoff-was-in-between-faiths_579112.jpg)
