“Just as we pull up to this place…I notice two very large American flags…It's as if there was a need to emphasize the Americanness of this place. "We are American" says the first flag. "No we really are!"”

—  Margaret Cho

says the second. It struck me as enormously sad, somehow awkward and tragic.
From Her Books, I Have Chosen To Stay And Fight, NATIONALISM

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Sept. 14, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Just as we pull up to this place…I notice two very large American flags…It's as if there was a need to emphasize the Am…" by Margaret Cho?
Margaret Cho photo
Margaret Cho 179
American stand-up comedian 1968

Related quotes

Margaret Cho photo
Donald J. Trump photo

“There is no global anthem, no global currency, no certificate of global citizenship, we pledge allegiance to one flag and that flag is the American Flag!”

Donald J. Trump (1946) 45th President of the United States of America

Thank You Tour - Cincinnati, Ohio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBqIUF-cdgY#t=15m38s (01 December 2016)
2010s, 2016, December

Theodore Roosevelt photo

“If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn't doing his part as an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding-house; and we have room for but one soul loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people.”

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American politician, 26th president of the United States

1910s, Letter to the American Defense Society (1919)
Context: In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American. If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn't doing his part as an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, of American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding-house; and we have room for but one soul loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people.

Frederick Douglass photo

“Shoot down the Confederacy and uphold the flag; the American flag.”

Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman

1860s, What the Black Man Wants (1865)

Antonin Scalia photo

“If I were king, I would not allow people to go about burning the American flag. However, we have a First Amendment which says that the right of free speech shall not be abridged.”

Antonin Scalia (1936–2016) former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

And it is addressed, in particular, to speech critical of the government.
New York Times (July 19, 2012)
2010s

“the coolest thing the police ever did was invent their own flag thats just a desecrated version of the american flag”

Dril Twitter user

[ Link to tweet https://twitter.com/dril/status/1228031674413268997]
Tweets by year, 2020

Antonin Scalia photo
Theodore Roosevelt photo

“In this country we have no place for hyphenated Americans.”

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American politician, 26th president of the United States

“Civilians are only morally bound to salute our flag. We are legally bound. All Americans are morally bound to die for our flag, if called upon. Only we are legally bound. Only we live our lives in a day to day readiness for that sacrifice.”

Source: The Sand Pebbles (1962), Ch. 5; speech of Lt. Collins
Context: Civilians are only morally bound to salute our flag. We are legally bound. All Americans are morally bound to die for our flag, if called upon. Only we are legally bound. Only we live our lives in a day to day readiness for that sacrifice. We have sworn our oaths and cut our ties. We have given up wealth and home life, except as San Pablo is our home. It marks us. It sets us apart. We are uncomfortable reminders, in time of peace. Those of you who served in the last war know what I mean.

Sarah Vowell photo

Related topics