All of us, from the wealthiest to the young children that I have seen in this country, in this year, bloated by starvation - we all share one precious possession, and that is the name American. It is not easy to know what that means. But, in part, to be an American means to have been an outcast and a stranger, to have come from the exiles' country, and to know that he who denies the outcast and the stranger still amongst us, he also denies America.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Being American is defined by shared identity despite diverse origins, and it requires welcoming outcasts and strangers.
- In plain terms
- We are all American, and we must treat strangers well.
- What can you take from it?
- American identity includes those who have been outcasts.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who is the stranger among us?
- What does it mean to be American?
Another view
It idealizes the experience of all Americans as sharing the status of outcasts.
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