Assignment #1: Choose a quote from Bourne and write it out in your blog. Under that write your interpretation of what you think the author is trying to say and explain that. Then, after that write out your own explanation of the meaning of this passage and why you chose this specific quote and how it relates to this class.

"But if freedom means a democratic cooperation in determining the ideals and purposes and industrial and social institutions of a country, then the immigrant has not been free, and the Anglo-Saxon element is guilty of just what every dominant race is guilty of in every European country: the imposition of its culture upon the minority peoples."

My interpretation: Diverse cultures make America what it is today. Different perspectives, and different struggles, create our unique country. Ideally, the freedom America suggests is that we can all co-exist together, however it seem like this paragraph is saying that we are not truly free. Because it's saying to be more "American" is to be more "Anglo-Saxon" like, which even if it seems that way as of now, is not true.

 My Explanation: This passage is explaining that America is witnessing change happen, slowly but surely, and that we should really start thinking about what makes America what it is today. Now that even the "aliens" are "strong enough to take a share in the direction of their own destiny" where are we headed and what is that suggesting? We know that throughout history, with the existence of racism and slaves, that "white" people dominate the United States culture. There are comedians who joke about it all the time, like Louis C.K, but at the end of the day that isn't really what America is about. It's just the biggest struggle we're having as a country. We've always been about trying to be the land of the free and bring about the peace, so that we can live our everyday lives and co-exist together as easy as possible. Now that we are approaching that, does that make us better or worse? I think that's what this passage is saying and Bourne is arguing that it makes us better.

I feel this passage relates to the class because we are involved in politics, and we are studying politics  and if ever we wanted to be a politician, would we be willing to sacrifice all that we are, for the sake of being a "true american"?