It is the constant rhetoric where the hyphenated American is used, especially in the last twenty or so years. This is not to say that such a term was never used before in the public sphere, but it mustn't become normative (in my opinion.) As a young republic, the United States needs to focus on assimilating its first and second-generation immigrants into becoming American first.
I think your argument would benefit by eliminating the scapegoating. If anything, I suspect the mainstream media reflects the mainstream culture more than the inverse. Regardless, the argument about whether the media causes or mirrors this is a separate argument from the one you seem interested in here. I think. Who is your audience? Are you encouraging your audience to think of themselves as Americans first, or are you encouraging your audience to despise the media? Those are two distinct messages. Which one are you really interested in here?
Thank you for your comment. I am encouraging the reader to appreciate the importance of viewing and living as Americans first. The article focuses on the history of multiple waves of immigration and the encouragement of assimilation.
The term 'media' might be used as a proxy to reflect the underlying mainstream culture. But media outlets can be responsible for influencing public opinion and sometimes exacerbate existing social tensions.
With regard to the claim that hyphenation gets in the way of assimilation, I think this is dubious, regardless of which founding father or other authority you chose to quote from as evidence otherwise. I see no reason why using a hyphenation such as Irish-American, and to conceive of oneself as such, should cause any intrinsic difficulty with regard to patriotism. One of the most intrinsically American things is the immigrant and there is nothing to prevent the hyphen from signifying pride in this quintessentially American thing. After all, no one says they are Irish-German. Because to be one is to distinctly not be the other. But to be an American is quite a different thing because unlike becoming Irish or German, anyone can become an American. To be an American is to assent to a set of beliefs and ideals and values and aspirations about the world and how to participate in that world. To do so does not require eschewing your roots or your heritage. So I disagree with your main argument and I suspect that your real interest is not in making it as much as it is in wrapping yourself up in the seeming virtue of it in order to play woke grammar police and slander The Others for you audience in way that gives them permission to despise people and feel virtuous about doing so. If this is in anyway true, it is toxic and destructive, and to quote from your headline, it is "divisive."
I agree with the following: "But to be an American is quite a different thing because unlike becoming Irish or German, anyone can become an American. To be an American is to assent to a set of beliefs and ideals and values and aspirations about the world and how to participate in that world."
As I have elaborated throughout my article, America continues to celebrate a rich heritage. As a result, it's not unusual to hear people speak fondly of their various "old country" roots.
But unfortunately, over the last twenty years, I have witnessed certain aspects of the culture become obsessed with identity politics, including "old country" ethnocentrism, which is harmful to maintaining national unity in a relatively young nation. Thus, my interest is to promote the importance of integration and assimilation toward fostering a sense of national unity and belonging.
Yes, exactly. That's one of the reasons I detest the rhetorical whip of identity politics, and whipping up controversy around so-called "oppressed" groups.
This has always bothered me, even with surnames. I think people do it to appear complicated or sophisticated, just my guess. Whatever the reason, i wish it becomes unfashionable in my lifetime.
Our country is plagued by some powerful leftist forces which are tearing apart the very fabric of the Republic, if we can call it a Republic anymore. What our forefathers meant for this country to be is slowly being "fundamentally transformed" into a European-style Socialist country and we must reverse this course or "the Republic for which it stands" will.
Hi.Referring to the first part of your article ,which is a good one ,I ' d like to say that not all hyphenated Americans are bad.Migrants sometimes are quiete often , the ones who work really hard to make a country great
I am curious how you've concluded that the article attempts to convey that all or some "hyphenated Americans are bad." Please reread the article and let me know if you have time.
The article criticizes promoting and politicizing hyphenated Americans as an identity in mainstream culture. Instead, America, a young nation, needs to focus on promoting the integration and assimilation of legal newcomers so that they "become" Americans, especially their children. Of course, this doesn't mean newcomers ignore or forget their ancestral roots (after all, America is a land of immigrants, starting with the Indigenous peoples who arrived from Asia thousands of years ago). Still, they respect their new home as their new, settled nation. Please let me know if you need further clarification.
Thank you for your comment. Identity politics is often fixated on judging individuals based on a perception of abstract categories, including political affiliation, sex, race/ethnicity, religion (and even sexual preference these days.) This identity politics is a dangerous phenomenon because it places individuals into a "group" that hinders connecting with fellow citizens as people, as human beings (even if certain stereotypes associated with a "group" are true).
Identity politics was developed in the late 80s as a response to the perceived failure of civil rights laws to eradicate "identity-based" injustices, but it's proving to be toxic. But identity politics is noticeably more rampage in areas with Democratic strongholds than Republican.
Many people who come to this country have no intention of changing their culture, they just want the benefits that it offers. Likewise, many people who say they are Christians do not care about God, they just want the benefits He has to offer. Many have applied His principles of the Word, but do not have any intention of following Christ. And if one is a follower of Christ, they are not of this world but are of the Kingdom of God living out the Kingdom culture on earth.
Thank you for your comment. You’ve raised a number of important points.
Many people will have been raised in Christian culture as the norm but don’t appreciate its root nor intend to follow Christ.
Many people who say they are “Christian” harbor views and speak words that ultimately defy the inspired Word of God expressed in the Bible. I am no saint, and aware of my many flaws. Nevertheless, I am often (still) shocked when hearing people quote scripture, speak of God, and talk of Christianity but then equally spew rhetoric that contradicts the teaching of Christ.
Many can appreciate that the current legal/illegal immigration system is not coincidental.
The American Enterprise Institute scholar Nicholas Eberstadt once pointed out that "The Biden administration’s witless posture on immigration — its maddening insouciance about our southern border and stubborn lack of concern about illegal entrants — seems almost designed to provoke anti-immigration outrage."
The government has the ability to enforce law and order, and high vetting to the same degree that they conduct surveillance and monitors its citizens.
America is not an 'idea', such as Francis Parker Yockey acclaimed, but is the result of a distinct people, Western in character, diverse in its myriad Western sub-groups. I see no problem with addressing oneself, as an 'extra-european', but claiming the native status of American.
When I was in 6th grade we were given an assignment. We were to ask an adult in our family what our family background was, in other words from where we originated. My grandmother told me I was American but she understood the teacher's lesson. She told me our family background was kind of different. She was from Lorraine, France. My grandfather was from Athens, Greece. My mother's entire family was from all around Ireland. She told me to use the "Fr" from France, the "eek" from Greek and the "ish" from Irish and to tell my teacher my family was Freekish. Since that was my family background they chose to just use what they were............ American. I did my presentation to the class just the way my grandmother explained it and received an "A+" because I was the only kid whose family 'historian' (comedically)showed we were unhyphenated American.🇺🇸
Thank you for sharing your story. A grandmother reinforcing their grandchild's American identity is much in demand these days. These days, naturally occurring divisions among fellow Americans are further intensified, and hostile sentiments are enhanced through the education system and media outlets. We need to light that spirit of a patriotic American.
ThankYou. I also strongly believe we all need to find a way to help the young children. Men(?) enthusiastically contributed to their birth but then like cowards abandoned their mothers. The children are left without a "typical" American family and especially with no decent honorable male role model with even a small amount of integrity I suspect their mother has. Most of these mothers should be held up as Martyrs by Congress instead of felons and drug addicts like George Floyd was. Sadly some of the children look to the wrong source as a role model. I agree completely that our education system encourages hostility, hate and divisions. Media outlets especially music and social sites are unabashedly divisive. In 2012 Obama Signed:
2012 MODERNIZATION OF SMITH-MUNDT ACT (HR.5736)
WHEN OBAMA SIGNED👆HE ENDED THE BAN ON UNITED STATES DOMESTIC PROPAGANDA.
That👆Is Why MSM(yes FOX also)Is Getting Away With Lying To Us. The US Gov't Also Known As The Biden Administration Is Using Them As Their
Propagandists.
DEMOCRAT PROPAGANDA AND CENSORSHIP IS ALSO BEING SPREAD BY
FACEBOOK, GOOGLE AND AMAZON. TWITTER WAS USED UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT BY ELON MUSK‼️
AMAZON IS CENSORING BOOKS‼️ THEY WILL NOT RELEASE A LIST OF THE BOOKS CENSORED.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE. BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS WHEN YOU VOTE. REPORT IN WRITING ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS TO THE MODERATOR AND YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF.
I tell people that no matter how much politics may matter to people, that we are humans and Americans first. I strongly believe that, and I loathe the hate and dissension people stir up for no good reason. Whether I agree with them or not politically, being an American human is more important than whatever group we side with.
The ‘person’ needs to study, absorb and understand America’s history and founding, including the Constitution and even the Federalist papers, in a way appropriate for their age group. In addition, a shared understanding of America’s ideals is essential for promoting national unity.
Thanks for your comment. I don't disagree. This Republic is, indeed, a monument to Western civilization, particularly based on an English political and cultural framework.
Not just English, but Anglo-Saxon common law, and northern European law; in essence, the extension of the life-experiences of the entirety of the Western experience - from Greco-Roman, Teutonic, and Nordic experiences.
The Founding Fathers were children of these antecedents, and expressed them in the founding documents. The Republic is, by definition, a Western compact, expressly fashioned for peoples of the Western experience.
So where would that leave those Americans whose ancestors came from Africa? Certainly the contributions of these Americans and of their ancestors to our American culture are many. They were here since the country’s infancy. How does that fit with the Republic being “expressly fashioned for peoples of the Western experience.”
Thank you for your feedback. I encourage you to reread the article, which addresses how formal language in the media counteracts efforts toward a more robust national identity by integrating hyphenated-Americanism.
I'm a part-time reading lover, I read an article where I saw the ways political bosses integrated immigrants into corrupt urban political machines caused many native-born Americans to fear for the future of democracy. What are you about its sir?
Thank you for your feedback. History shows that a subset of Americans will always look upon newcomers with suspicion throughout every generation. That isn't going to change for as long as human nature exists (and therefore isn't unique to the United States). Immigrants should be willing to rigorously assimilate and integrate into American society by learning the history, customs, and laws of the United States and be ready to raise their children as Americans. That's a start towards diffusing natural suspicions that are bound to arise.
The 'hyphenated' often refers to the attachment of a different nationality or ethnicity (e.g., German-American, French-American or Japanese-American), which I believe is unnecessary and detrimental to national unity. "Native American" is meant to describe an American whose ancestry is traceable to the peoples of the United States before the arrival of settlers from Europe, and I personally avoid using this kind of language as much as possible.
There seems to be a claim here that "the media" bears some sort of unique responsibility for "the addition and acceptance of the hyphen."
What evidence is there to support the claim that if it were not for "the media" the hyphen would not be in use?
It is the constant rhetoric where the hyphenated American is used, especially in the last twenty or so years. This is not to say that such a term was never used before in the public sphere, but it mustn't become normative (in my opinion.) As a young republic, the United States needs to focus on assimilating its first and second-generation immigrants into becoming American first.
I think your argument would benefit by eliminating the scapegoating. If anything, I suspect the mainstream media reflects the mainstream culture more than the inverse. Regardless, the argument about whether the media causes or mirrors this is a separate argument from the one you seem interested in here. I think. Who is your audience? Are you encouraging your audience to think of themselves as Americans first, or are you encouraging your audience to despise the media? Those are two distinct messages. Which one are you really interested in here?
Thank you for your comment. I am encouraging the reader to appreciate the importance of viewing and living as Americans first. The article focuses on the history of multiple waves of immigration and the encouragement of assimilation.
The term 'media' might be used as a proxy to reflect the underlying mainstream culture. But media outlets can be responsible for influencing public opinion and sometimes exacerbate existing social tensions.
With regard to the claim that hyphenation gets in the way of assimilation, I think this is dubious, regardless of which founding father or other authority you chose to quote from as evidence otherwise. I see no reason why using a hyphenation such as Irish-American, and to conceive of oneself as such, should cause any intrinsic difficulty with regard to patriotism. One of the most intrinsically American things is the immigrant and there is nothing to prevent the hyphen from signifying pride in this quintessentially American thing. After all, no one says they are Irish-German. Because to be one is to distinctly not be the other. But to be an American is quite a different thing because unlike becoming Irish or German, anyone can become an American. To be an American is to assent to a set of beliefs and ideals and values and aspirations about the world and how to participate in that world. To do so does not require eschewing your roots or your heritage. So I disagree with your main argument and I suspect that your real interest is not in making it as much as it is in wrapping yourself up in the seeming virtue of it in order to play woke grammar police and slander The Others for you audience in way that gives them permission to despise people and feel virtuous about doing so. If this is in anyway true, it is toxic and destructive, and to quote from your headline, it is "divisive."
I agree with the following: "But to be an American is quite a different thing because unlike becoming Irish or German, anyone can become an American. To be an American is to assent to a set of beliefs and ideals and values and aspirations about the world and how to participate in that world."
As I have elaborated throughout my article, America continues to celebrate a rich heritage. As a result, it's not unusual to hear people speak fondly of their various "old country" roots.
But unfortunately, over the last twenty years, I have witnessed certain aspects of the culture become obsessed with identity politics, including "old country" ethnocentrism, which is harmful to maintaining national unity in a relatively young nation. Thus, my interest is to promote the importance of integration and assimilation toward fostering a sense of national unity and belonging.
Solid. To the point.
Likes are not working.
But, I will give you a 👍
Thank you!
👍
Yes, exactly. That's one of the reasons I detest the rhetorical whip of identity politics, and whipping up controversy around so-called "oppressed" groups.
Great Article and Very Good Advice.
This has always bothered me, even with surnames. I think people do it to appear complicated or sophisticated, just my guess. Whatever the reason, i wish it becomes unfashionable in my lifetime.
Our country is plagued by some powerful leftist forces which are tearing apart the very fabric of the Republic, if we can call it a Republic anymore. What our forefathers meant for this country to be is slowly being "fundamentally transformed" into a European-style Socialist country and we must reverse this course or "the Republic for which it stands" will.
Agreed.
A well written explanation of the consequences of forgetting "E Pluribus Unum", “out of many, one.”
Thank you, much appreciated!
Hi.Referring to the first part of your article ,which is a good one ,I ' d like to say that not all hyphenated Americans are bad.Migrants sometimes are quiete often , the ones who work really hard to make a country great
Thank you for commenting; it's much appreciated.
I am curious how you've concluded that the article attempts to convey that all or some "hyphenated Americans are bad." Please reread the article and let me know if you have time.
The article criticizes promoting and politicizing hyphenated Americans as an identity in mainstream culture. Instead, America, a young nation, needs to focus on promoting the integration and assimilation of legal newcomers so that they "become" Americans, especially their children. Of course, this doesn't mean newcomers ignore or forget their ancestral roots (after all, America is a land of immigrants, starting with the Indigenous peoples who arrived from Asia thousands of years ago). Still, they respect their new home as their new, settled nation. Please let me know if you need further clarification.
I'm a MEGA , born again / American
Does this make me a full blooded American, or is it identity politics?
Thank you for your comment. Identity politics is often fixated on judging individuals based on a perception of abstract categories, including political affiliation, sex, race/ethnicity, religion (and even sexual preference these days.) This identity politics is a dangerous phenomenon because it places individuals into a "group" that hinders connecting with fellow citizens as people, as human beings (even if certain stereotypes associated with a "group" are true).
Identity politics was developed in the late 80s as a response to the perceived failure of civil rights laws to eradicate "identity-based" injustices, but it's proving to be toxic. But identity politics is noticeably more rampage in areas with Democratic strongholds than Republican.
Many people who come to this country have no intention of changing their culture, they just want the benefits that it offers. Likewise, many people who say they are Christians do not care about God, they just want the benefits He has to offer. Many have applied His principles of the Word, but do not have any intention of following Christ. And if one is a follower of Christ, they are not of this world but are of the Kingdom of God living out the Kingdom culture on earth.
Thank you for your comment. You’ve raised a number of important points.
Many people will have been raised in Christian culture as the norm but don’t appreciate its root nor intend to follow Christ.
Many people who say they are “Christian” harbor views and speak words that ultimately defy the inspired Word of God expressed in the Bible. I am no saint, and aware of my many flaws. Nevertheless, I am often (still) shocked when hearing people quote scripture, speak of God, and talk of Christianity but then equally spew rhetoric that contradicts the teaching of Christ.
Many can appreciate that the current legal/illegal immigration system is not coincidental.
The American Enterprise Institute scholar Nicholas Eberstadt once pointed out that "The Biden administration’s witless posture on immigration — its maddening insouciance about our southern border and stubborn lack of concern about illegal entrants — seems almost designed to provoke anti-immigration outrage."
The government has the ability to enforce law and order, and high vetting to the same degree that they conduct surveillance and monitors its citizens.
Nice, and articulate Article.
America is not an 'idea', such as Francis Parker Yockey acclaimed, but is the result of a distinct people, Western in character, diverse in its myriad Western sub-groups. I see no problem with addressing oneself, as an 'extra-european', but claiming the native status of American.
When I was in 6th grade we were given an assignment. We were to ask an adult in our family what our family background was, in other words from where we originated. My grandmother told me I was American but she understood the teacher's lesson. She told me our family background was kind of different. She was from Lorraine, France. My grandfather was from Athens, Greece. My mother's entire family was from all around Ireland. She told me to use the "Fr" from France, the "eek" from Greek and the "ish" from Irish and to tell my teacher my family was Freekish. Since that was my family background they chose to just use what they were............ American. I did my presentation to the class just the way my grandmother explained it and received an "A+" because I was the only kid whose family 'historian' (comedically)showed we were unhyphenated American.🇺🇸
Thank you for sharing your story. A grandmother reinforcing their grandchild's American identity is much in demand these days. These days, naturally occurring divisions among fellow Americans are further intensified, and hostile sentiments are enhanced through the education system and media outlets. We need to light that spirit of a patriotic American.
ThankYou. I also strongly believe we all need to find a way to help the young children. Men(?) enthusiastically contributed to their birth but then like cowards abandoned their mothers. The children are left without a "typical" American family and especially with no decent honorable male role model with even a small amount of integrity I suspect their mother has. Most of these mothers should be held up as Martyrs by Congress instead of felons and drug addicts like George Floyd was. Sadly some of the children look to the wrong source as a role model. I agree completely that our education system encourages hostility, hate and divisions. Media outlets especially music and social sites are unabashedly divisive. In 2012 Obama Signed:
2012 MODERNIZATION OF SMITH-MUNDT ACT (HR.5736)
WHEN OBAMA SIGNED👆HE ENDED THE BAN ON UNITED STATES DOMESTIC PROPAGANDA.
That👆Is Why MSM(yes FOX also)Is Getting Away With Lying To Us. The US Gov't Also Known As The Biden Administration Is Using Them As Their
Propagandists.
DEMOCRAT PROPAGANDA AND CENSORSHIP IS ALSO BEING SPREAD BY
FACEBOOK, GOOGLE AND AMAZON. TWITTER WAS USED UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT BY ELON MUSK‼️
AMAZON IS CENSORING BOOKS‼️ THEY WILL NOT RELEASE A LIST OF THE BOOKS CENSORED.
PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE. BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS WHEN YOU VOTE. REPORT IN WRITING ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS TO THE MODERATOR AND YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF.
🇺🇸GOD BLESS AMERICA🇺🇸
When I was very young I thought it was cool that no matter what your last name was, it was an American name.
I tell people that no matter how much politics may matter to people, that we are humans and Americans first. I strongly believe that, and I loathe the hate and dissension people stir up for no good reason. Whether I agree with them or not politically, being an American human is more important than whatever group we side with.
I couldn't agree more. Thanks for your comment.
To be or to become an American, a person did not have to be any particular national, linguistic, religious, or ethnic background.
The ‘person’ needs to study, absorb and understand America’s history and founding, including the Constitution and even the Federalist papers, in a way appropriate for their age group. In addition, a shared understanding of America’s ideals is essential for promoting national unity.
I suggest you read the Constitution, the Preamble (can't have one, without the other), and the Federalist Papers, especially John Jay, #21.
This Republic is a monument to Western civilization.
Lose one, then lose the other.
Thanks for your comment. I don't disagree. This Republic is, indeed, a monument to Western civilization, particularly based on an English political and cultural framework.
Not just English, but Anglo-Saxon common law, and northern European law; in essence, the extension of the life-experiences of the entirety of the Western experience - from Greco-Roman, Teutonic, and Nordic experiences.
The Founding Fathers were children of these antecedents, and expressed them in the founding documents. The Republic is, by definition, a Western compact, expressly fashioned for peoples of the Western experience.
Looking forward to more of your Work.
So where would that leave those Americans whose ancestors came from Africa? Certainly the contributions of these Americans and of their ancestors to our American culture are many. They were here since the country’s infancy. How does that fit with the Republic being “expressly fashioned for peoples of the Western experience.”
sir, I like Your explanations. Can you tell me is a Hyphenated American a Good American? I'm a little confused about it.
Thank you for your feedback. I encourage you to reread the article, which addresses how formal language in the media counteracts efforts toward a more robust national identity by integrating hyphenated-Americanism.
I'm a part-time reading lover, I read an article where I saw the ways political bosses integrated immigrants into corrupt urban political machines caused many native-born Americans to fear for the future of democracy. What are you about its sir?
Thank you for your feedback. History shows that a subset of Americans will always look upon newcomers with suspicion throughout every generation. That isn't going to change for as long as human nature exists (and therefore isn't unique to the United States). Immigrants should be willing to rigorously assimilate and integrate into American society by learning the history, customs, and laws of the United States and be ready to raise their children as Americans. That's a start towards diffusing natural suspicions that are bound to arise.
It was well-written. Please sir can you say Is Native American hyphenated?
The 'hyphenated' often refers to the attachment of a different nationality or ethnicity (e.g., German-American, French-American or Japanese-American), which I believe is unnecessary and detrimental to national unity. "Native American" is meant to describe an American whose ancestry is traceable to the peoples of the United States before the arrival of settlers from Europe, and I personally avoid using this kind of language as much as possible.