Freedom is not a
detachment from responsibility to do whatever you want. That is a self-
destructive idea that erodes freedom, resulting not only in the loss of
oneself, but in the degradation of the entire community. Of course, we often reflect on what it means to be an American when
discussing immigration. America has long offered the hope of freedom
for immigrants who are yearning to work for a better future for
themselves, for their families. To those tempest-tossed, to those
tired, poor, huddled masses yearning to breathe free, America has
lifted its lamp beside the golden door. Implicit in this worldwide
welcome was a basic compact that those who came here, however arduous
their journey, must undertake the responsibility of citizenship. Of
course, many people gleefully do. In fact, America's very survival as a beacon-handed land requires
those who immigrate to assimilate and adopt the values proposition that
makes our country unique in the history of the world. Those values
include respect for others, the acceptance of law and order as a
prerequisite for the orderly functioning of society, and the desire to
participate constructively as a citizen. Those who refuse to assimilate
or reject these time-honored values take advantage of the sacrifices
and hard-fought gains of generations of Americans who have built and
often died for what we cherish and what we so eagerly share with people
from around the world.
Identified stereotypes
Immigrants must assimilate and adopt American values or they are taking advantage of the sacrifices of previous generations.
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