So says Jeb Bush, and of course he’s right. Kudos to him for saying so, and let’s hope the other candidates quickly agree. We don’t all have to eat the same foods, and we should be a welcoming nation, but there is some common glue needed to keep our multiracial, multiethnic society together. Here’s my top-ten list of what we should expect from those who want to become Americans (and those who are already Americans, for that matter). The list was first published in a National Review Online column, and it is fleshed out here in this congressional testimony.


1. Don’t disparage anyone else’s race or ethnicity.

2. Respect women.

3. Learn to speak English.

4. Be polite.


5. Don’t break the law.

6. Don’t have children out of wedlock.

7. Don’t demand anything because of your race or ethnicity.

8. Don’t view working and studying hard as “acting white.”

9. Don’t hold historical grudges.

10. Be proud of being an American.