Quotes About Nationality

Citizenship should be based on those who have a close and real relationship with this country and its inhabitants.

The Corsican nobleman di Buonaparte was now entirely transformed into the French general Bonaparte. The process had been long and difficult: loyal Corsican; mercenary cosmopolitan, ready as an expert artillery officer for service in any land or under any banner; lastly, Frenchman, liberal, and revolutionary.

Where'er I wander, boast of this I can,Though banish'd, yet a true-born Englishman.

Some Americans need hyphens in their names, because only part of them has come over; but when the whole man has come over, heart and thought and all, the hyphen drops of its own weight out of his name.

Some Americans need hyphens in their names because only part of them has come over.

You catch any white man off guard in here right now, you catch him off guard and ask him what he is, he doesn't say he's an American. He either tells you he's Irish, or he's Italian, or he's German, if you catch him off guard and he doesn't know what you're up to. And even though he was born here, he'll tell you he's Italian. Well, if he's Italian, you and I are African even though we were born here.

I don't even consider myself an American. If you and I were Americans, there'd be no problem. Those Honkies that just got off the boat, they're already Americans; Polacks are already Americans; the Italian refugees are already Americans. Everything that came out of Europe, every blue-eyed thing, is already an American. And as long as you and I have been over here, we aren't Americans yet.

I also believe I met William Gaddis once. He did not look Italian.

Was Beatrice capable of such machinations? I could not say. Our acquaintance was of a brief duration, but she was American and, in my experience, Americans are capable of anything.

He was a Frenchman through and through, and I had always been susceptible to Gallic flourishes.

some reason the French love to laugh at Belgians. Belgian jokes are like Newfie jokes in Canada or Vermont jokes in New England (we can testify that the same cookie-cutter stories circulate freely between languages).

Could it be, God forbid, that nationality is only a superficial, insignificant layer of the onion that is your being? What would you think of the man who would say of himself 'I am an overcoat' just because he happened to be wearing one?

From the Author's Note: In my conversations with Mexican people, I seldom heard the word American used to describe a citizen of this country – instead they use a word we don't even have in English estadounidense, United States-ian.

I am an American aquarium drinker

A man can't help where he's born. A cat can have kittens in the oven, but that don't make 'em biscuits.

They will have difficulties to overcome,' I admitted. 'Including the differences in their religions. However, marriage is always a chancy business, Katherine. I have known individuals who appeared perfectly suited, by family background, religion, and nationality, who were thoroughly miserable.' 'So you believe in taking the chance?' 'Certainly. What is life without some risk?

A whore, we've established that, filthy, it goes without saying, but whatever else the hell I am, I AM NOT ENGLISH.

Papa Ubu: Yes, gentlemen, but however beautiful it may be, it can't compare with Poland. Because if there weren't any Poland, there wouldn't be any Poles!

Not your first visit to the States?" "Oh no, I'd been in Canada two years ago." Good God, I thought, have they not heard that we Were those queer colonists who would be free, Who took our desperate chance, and fought and won Under a colonist called Washington? One does not lose one's birthright, it appears. I had been English then for many years.

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.

Toda nostalgia es nipona. No hay nada más japonés que languidecer sobre el propio pasado y sobre su anticuada majestad y vivir la fluidez del tiempo como una trágica y grandiosa derrota. Un senegalés que echa de menos el Senegal de antaño es un nipón que no sabe lo que es. Una chiquilla belga llorando a causa del recuerdo del país del Sol Naciente merece la nacionalidad Japonesa por partida doble.

Our part of Poland was under Russian occupation from 1939-1941.

I always say I have two hearts - one beats for Poland and the other for Germany.

Poland is my home, my roots are here. There is nowhere I would rather live.