The Boundaries of Identity
What many in the anti-hyphen crowd forget is that, when Roosevelt said those words in the early 1900s, the dominant immigrant groups in the United States were German, Irish and Italian. These are the folks T.R. feared would not assimilate? How silly. All of these groups would go on, in a pair of world wars and a half dozen other major foreign conflicts in the 20th century, to send their children to fight and sometimes die for this country. At home, they worked hard, paid taxes, built roads, toiled in factories and contributed to society in a thousand ways. They never deserved to have their loyalty questioned -- by Roosevelt or anyone else.
Today, while nativists won't admit it, Latinos are following this tradition. They give and give to this country -- then give some more.
My critics need to step back. It's none of their business how anyone else refers to themselves. We don't need their permission.
Even for a public figure in a public forum, how one identifies oneself is a private matter. My choice of words doesn't hurt anyone. Besides -- with the possible exception of reporters in Ferguson, Mo., -- Americans still have the right to free expression. This is how I express myself.
Those at the other end of the spectrum, the folks on the Latino left, have other issues. They want to attack me over how I pronounce my name, whether I speak Spanish, and how authentic they judge me to be. Again, none of their business.
One side demands that I respect the country and flag. The other side demands that I respect my culture and heritage. Yet neither side respects boundaries.
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Ruben Navarrette's email address is ruben@rubennavarrette.com.
Copyright 2014 Washington Post Writers Group
