"The human bond that he feels at home is not an illusion."
I feel that the author is trying to point out that a foreigner will always pledge his allegiance to his country. It’s an inner reality that he has in which he remains true to his customs, values and tradition. I picked this quote because I like the fact that the author highlighted the importance of feeling at home. My family is from Nigeria and we still practice customs taught in Nigeria, for example respect for elders. It’s a bond and connection that has been built in for generations. We will always have our hearts in Nigeria regardless of where we are.
“Many modern internationalists talk as if men of different nationalities had only to meet and mix and understand each other. In reality that is the moment of supreme danger---- the moment when they meet.”
When persons of different nationalities come together, modern internationalists expect them to meet and become acquainted and form relations on top of their differences. However, the author may suggest that the moment when they meet is actually the worst because everyone has a preconceived notion about how persons of other nationalities should be. Sometimes meeting the people may reinforce the belief, whether good or bad. It can potentially form hazardous relations or establish great ones- hence “supreme danger.” For example, people tend to look down on Mexican people because some come up poor and work hard and live in crammed conditions. A lot of people rudely joke that that is how all of them live and that is not true. But when the ones who are poor come to America, it reinforces those perceived stereotypes of Mexicans. Instead of meshing, some sneer at them and assume them to be automatically inferior. It can be dangerous for them because people with such attitudes surround them. Hence why modern internalists feel it is the better way is to meet and mix and understand each other that way relations could be better and there would be no room for supreme danger.
“In truth it is inequality that is the illusion.”
The author states that there is more sneering than laughing. We do not understand customs of other nationalities, their morals or beliefs. They come to America which is really no mans land and we treat them unequally whether we know it or not. There is an extreme disproportion between men and all the while we have a common struggle.
