That's a common story for most immigrants to the USA that I know.  I always thought that signing an oath to support and defend the Constitution should be a requirement to being an elector for any US office.  Why not, upon graduation from public school, sign the Declaration of Independence and make that declaration YOUR declaration?  Legal immigrants are so proud to become Americans — native-born Americans do not go through such a process and do not share the same understanding.

Conservatives step up!  The Leftists have no honor and seek power only.  This turning of the other cheek does not work in preserving of the republic.  Reformation is on the horizon again...

I search for Truth rather than God, because I don't know what God looks like.  But how does one evaluate 'truth'?  I take it further, in order to know the truth I must at the very least be truthful in my thoughts and speech — and call myself out when I tell myself something that is not true.  I find that 'truth process' to be liberating — what appears once the veil has fallen?  Clearing out all the lies I have been adhering to or propping up is empowering, like the lights have been turned on.  The truth is a revelation, and there is no getting the answer from someone else, ultimately that journey is your own. ;-)

Yet this constant press for 'diversity' appears to be in fact the imposition of 'uniformity' with huge swaths of dialogue categorized as 'hate speech' and therefore prohibited — the 'rainbow' is getting painted over, certain colors are not welcome.  It's not a rainbow anymore, it is a shackle plated with fool's gold.

Because the truth shall set you free.

Hear, hear!

I like "Not merely to swell the catalogue of people. No, sir, it is to increase the wealth and strength of the community; and those who acquire the rights of citizenship without adding to the strength or wealth of the community are not the people we are in want of …"  And that's the way it was for a century.  People did not emigrate to the US for the social safety net — there was none!  They came for freedom, for the opportunity to settle on land that they could own outright — no where in Europe was that the case except for the titled aristocracy.

Today, the attempt is to swell the catalogue of socialist-leaning voters, with no obligation to American law or a culture of independence.  We've come a long way, baby...

Currently in order to immigrate to the US, the immigrant must study American history and ultimately swear allegiance to support and defend the US Constitution.  To become a Canadian citizen, the immigrant swears allegiance to the Queen — same for every British commonwealth.  America is a nation founded upon 'principle,' not governed by a 'principal.'  Those fleeing tyranny should be happy to renounce the ways of their oppressive culture and adopt a culture of freedom and self-reliance, not demand the same culture of oppression from which they escaped.  America is the beacon of Independence not dependence.

And as a result, today's Americans know little about "real republicanism" and the uniqueness of the American system of governance based upon the inalienable rights of humankind that no government can take away.

Grecian horse indeed!  To become an American is to renounce the ways of tyranny from which most have escaped.  Socialism doesn't work any where else, we don't have to let it in here.

Mike, those eye-witness accounts of healing and 'liberation' are my favorites to hear!  Let the Truth be told.  As a child, I attended church every Sunday (sometimes Fridays, too).  One grand father was a Church of Christ minister, another step-grandfather was a Southern Baptist preacher, I attended Catholic school (much to the consternation of my Southern Baptist grandmother).  My mother remarried a Jew, and I have been to Temple for all the rites of passage of my fellow Jewish family.  My other grand mother was a Christian Scientist, where healing the sick and raising the dead is a matter of practice — it's on the cover of Science and Health, by Mary Baker Eddy.  There are too many stories to tell of miraculous healing as a result of prayer to deny.  I credit my own health and empowerment with the same 'source.'  

For me, Christ is in the spirit of the allegory.  How does one pass on profound wisdom across nations, languages, and time?  While I accept the Christ story as an allegory, I do treat it as an expression of profound truth.  As a reformer, Jesus serves as a liberator from the obligations to priests and dogma, and breathes new life (spirit) into the sacred way.  It is the 'Way' that liberates.

I believe God takes on whatever form you will accept.  There are literally thousands of religions and belief systems, but there is commonality between them all — turn away from evil and do good, because as you sow, so shall you reap.

These are the 'values' that America was founded upon and — dare I say — dependent upon for a free People.  The Americans threw off the yoke of authoritarianism of church and state and embraced an enlightened Reason for chartering the structure of a democratic-republican government which above all protected the lives, liberty, and property of the People who chartered it. 

Note, that the precepts of "honesty, truth, temperance, gratitude, and the love of man, acknowledging and adoring an overruling Providence, which by all its dispensations proves that it delights in the happiness of man here and his greater happiness hereafter" are still guiding principles without regard to specific dogma.  This is what America was founded upon — and We the People are the foundation, not our government.  Are these the values in practice today?  Where they are, life is better than where they are not ...

Socialism and Capitalism are not opposites!  Sheesh. 

America is not based on capitalism, it is based on LIBERTY and protecting it.  The government was tasked with regulating COMMERCE, not capitalism and have no authority to implement 'socialist' doctrines that make the people subservient to the dictates of the government.  America was founded the other way around, the government is subservient to the people AND their inalienable rights.  Socialism makes the government the authority to whom all most obey — not just commerce, but all human activity. 

Instead of letting the People provide for themselves, the socialists claim the authority to regulate that provision and distribute according to their own intent.  Socialism is a power grab, and it is insatiable.  The American democratic-republic was chartered to protect the People from such machinations.

The Scandinavian countries are starting to crumble under the weight of multi-culturalism.  The truth is, those 'socialist' countries that are touted as the best examples of socialism can attribute their success to their adherence to western values and social mores.  The people in these countries regulate themselves according to Judeo-Christian values and traditions.  Their long-established cultures become diluted with foreigners who do not adopt the culture of their new countries.  As well, the youth who have no spiritual education have very different motivations and expectations — their identities are being written for them. 

People dependent upon government subsidy demand more and better service, to be treated as a right to the neighbor's 'capital.'  Sweden, Norway, Finland are struggling with massive influx of people who have no desire to assimilate — no, they are adamant about spreading their culture.   Socialism doesn't really work if everyone needs it — it works for a while when most people are productive independently, but as those workers switch from contributing to consuming, the economics cannot hold, followed by massive inflation, and economic crash.  

The human spirit is not empowered by socialism, except to liberate oneself from it, which is the only thing that has ever freed humankind.

Wow, looks like this quote has become popular with Muslims.  As a 'proverb' it certainly rings true for me, as I find it equally applicable to any zealot's religious dogma.  Christianity and Judaism also view the current incarnation as temporal.  Maybe it isn't a prison but I have heard a preacher refer to life as 'reform school.'  We are free, but not free from the consequences — those that live with that consciousness are then indeed 'bound' to temper their lusts for blood and power.  

The quote is deep, philosophical and worthy of consideration.

Any attempt BY THE GOVERNMENT to extend one's views on religion is a violation of freedom.  Freedom of religion includes the freedom of speech to express it.  And we are free to respond in kind.

LOL!  Robert, you are one of the most purposeful people I know. ;-)  How many causes are you fighting for?  Do you not take a stand regularly?  You have a big heart.  You act like you don't know who you are or why you do what you do.  You may fool yourself, but you can't fool me!

The confusion is due to the premise of the word 'capitalism.'  Marx and Engels use 'capitalism' to represent the antithesis of Marxism.  So capitalism is the 'enemy.'  What has happened as a result is the corruption of the concept of 'commerce.'  It is Commerce that America promotes, not capitalism.  There has never been 'capitalism' and we don't have it now.  Capital has been rendered useless with a debt-bearing fiat paper currency (one of the Communist planks) — your money is not backed by capital but by IOU's.  Commerce is the life blood of a nation.  The intent of Marxism is to centralize all commerce with the government — they become the agent for supplying all, as if you could only buy and sell through Amazon, only without the wide selection.  Every country to embrace full on Marxism has crashed because they killed commerce.  Let's use the word commerce instead of capitalism.  Capitalism isn't a thing, but commerce is everything! ;-)

The struggle for Liberty is continuous!  The rise of the police state is a natural function of authoritarianism.

That's my prayer, too...

"Without propaganda and deliberate and false reporting, the government cannot rule the people."

Absolutely!  My family moved several times while I was growing up, each time to a new state and culture.  Later I traveled coast-to-coast and around the world.  I am humbled by the common people in the '3rd world' and admire the achievements of 'civilization.'  The people of the world are awakening, stretching beyond the bounds of governments that rule them.  Independence, liberty, mutual respect, responsibility ... it is the solution they have all been waiting for.  Only, waiting is not the solution, but to act, to reclaim one's rights, and to abstain from plundering each other for survival.  Socialism is a dismal con — I don't say failure because it is a racket that pays dearly.  But sooner or later, there is not enough to plunder to pay for citizens' loyalty — so to war they go!  

"An able, disinterested, public-spirited press, with trained intelligence to know the right and courage to do it"

Where the hell did they go?! Sheesh...

I agree, "to the furthest point of our tolerance" but there is a limit, and it must be made known or else the usurpation never ends ...

Mencken had no idea that one day the very medium we write notes upon would be spying back at us.  Apparently there is no right to be private or anonymous.