The Hypen by John Wayne
THE HYPHEN
The Hyphen, Webster's Dictionary defines,
Is a symbol used to divide a
compound word or a single word.
So it seems to me that when a man calls himself
An "Afro-American," a "Mexican-American,"
"Italian-American," An "Irish-American,"
"Jewish-American,"
What he's sayin' is, "I'm a divided American."
Well, we all came from other places,
Different creeds and different races,
To form a nation...to become as one,
Yet look at the harm a line has done-
A simple little line, and yet
As divisive as a line can get.
A crooked cross the Nazis flew,
And the Russian hammer and sickle too-
Time bombs in the lives of Man;
But none of these could ever fan
The fames of hatred faster than
The Hyphen.
The Russian hammer built a wall
That locks men's hearts from freedom's call.
A crooked cross flew overhead
Above twenty million tragic dead-
Among them men from this great nation,
Who died for freedom's preservation.
A hyphen is a line that's small;
It can be a bridge or be a wall.
A bridge can save you lots of time;
A wall you always have to climb.
The road to liberty lies true.
The Hyphen's use is up to you.
Used as a bridge, it can span
All the differences of Man.
Being free in mind and soul
Should be our most important goal.
If you use The Hyphen as a wall,
You'll make your life mean...and small.
An American is a special breed,
Whose people came to her in need.
They came to her that they might find
A world where they'd have peace of mind.
Where men are equal...and something more-
Stand taller than they stood before.
So you be wise in your decision,
And that little line won't cause division.
Let's join hands with one another...
For in this land, each man's your brother.
United we stand...divided we fall.
WE'RE AMERICANS...and that says it all.
The Hyphen, Webster's Dictionary defines,
Is a symbol used to divide a
compound word or a single word.
So it seems to me that when a man calls himself
An "Afro-American," a "Mexican-American,"
"Italian-American," An "Irish-American,"
"Jewish-American,"
What he's sayin' is, "I'm a divided American."
Well, we all came from other places,
Different creeds and different races,
To form a nation...to become as one,
Yet look at the harm a line has done-
A simple little line, and yet
As divisive as a line can get.
A crooked cross the Nazis flew,
And the Russian hammer and sickle too-
Time bombs in the lives of Man;
But none of these could ever fan
The fames of hatred faster than
The Hyphen.
The Russian hammer built a wall
That locks men's hearts from freedom's call.
A crooked cross flew overhead
Above twenty million tragic dead-
Among them men from this great nation,
Who died for freedom's preservation.
A hyphen is a line that's small;
It can be a bridge or be a wall.
A bridge can save you lots of time;
A wall you always have to climb.
The road to liberty lies true.
The Hyphen's use is up to you.
Used as a bridge, it can span
All the differences of Man.
Being free in mind and soul
Should be our most important goal.
If you use The Hyphen as a wall,
You'll make your life mean...and small.
An American is a special breed,
Whose people came to her in need.
They came to her that they might find
A world where they'd have peace of mind.
Where men are equal...and something more-
Stand taller than they stood before.
So you be wise in your decision,
And that little line won't cause division.
Let's join hands with one another...
For in this land, each man's your brother.
United we stand...divided we fall.
WE'RE AMERICANS...and that says it all.
0
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I have a shiny new nickel that says this poetic essay WAS NOT written by John Wayne who has been dead for nearly 30 years.
My rule of thumb is that if it's on the Internet it's not true.
George Carlin didn't write the essay attributed to him.
Neither did Andy Rooney.
Nor did Robin Williams.
No general ever told a female reporter she could be a prostitute.
No PoW ever passed a note to Jane Fonda.
I have yet to hear of any of these Internet stories proving true.
John Wayne died in 1979. Do you really think he wrote this essay about hyphenated names? If he did, it was the first, last and only essay I ever saw credited to him. Wayne was hardly a scholarly man writing about social issues nor was he an artistic writer given to creating prose. Even simple rhymes such as these.0 -
You might be right Saxon Pig. I just happened to be listening to the CD that shows Wayne's picture on it with the American Flag in the background with the words "John Wayne America Why I Love Her" on it and tought I'd post the Lyrics of The Hypen which I thought might be by John Wayne. I had never heard of the The Hypen until I got this John Wayne CD. 0 -
Saxon Pig: On my CD cover (back) it notes that John Wayne produced an album in 1973 in which he recited vignettes of this country's greatness, and three decades later "the John Wayne Family has authorized the re-issue of this classic tribute to the USA." I've probably had this CD for five to ten years. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by SaxonPig
I have a shiny new nickel that says this poetic essay WAS NOT written by John Wayne who has been dead for nearly 30 years.
My rule of thumb is that if it's on the Internet it's not true.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ewDbT3PYHE
Must be a fake too.0 -
Then I suppose neo-nazi is definately not american 0 -
quote:Originally posted by reloader44mag
Then I suppose neo-nazi is definately not american
What's a neo-nazi?0 -
quote:Originally posted by kimi
quote:Originally posted by reloader44mag
Then I suppose neo-nazi is definately not american
What's a neo-nazi?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gINu_MToseU0 -
quote:Originally posted by kimi
quote:Originally posted by reloader44mag
Then I suppose neo-nazi is definately not american
What's a neo-nazi?
Go to www.answers.com and search neo-nazi. very informative, they sound like a nice bunch too bad they're hyphenated0 -
The Hyphen poem makes me misty everytime I hear it.
Miss ya, Duke.
D.0 -
Man, that'll really get you to thinking!
Who knows, maybe The Hypen was inspired by Teddy Roosevelt's interest with the hypen as noted below. Maybe Teddy's values got entirely too little attention paid to it and up pops the African-American thing, and the Nazi thing. Maybe we all have to show our hypens before this American Road to Bable is complete.
"There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism.... A hyphenated American is not an American at all... Americanism is a matter of the spirit, and of the soul...The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English-Americans, French-Americans...each preserving its separate nationality.... The men who do not become Americans and nothing else are hyphenated Americans.... There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American.
"Theodore Roosevelt0 -
quote:Originally posted by AZEX
The Hyphen poem makes me misty everytime I hear it.
Miss ya, Duke.
D.
Man I miss him, too, bigtime.0 -
Holy Crap! Something posted on that internet that is TRUE! And properly attributed!
I'm going to go lay down now. I've never seen this in my 20+ years online......
Merc0 -
I have a 33rpm record album, the orginal of this recording, had it for years, got the Duke's picture and the flag on the cover.
W.D.0 -
You know, Capn, now that you mention that album, I am almost positive that I have seen it. Great keepsake. 0 -
If people have a recording of this then I guess he said it. I still doubt that he actually wrote it but close enough. I slouch corrected. Where can I send the nickel?
OK, ONE Internet essay proves to be mostly true.0 -
[8D]--The Duke, probably said "Show me another Hyphen, pilgrim and I'm giving you some more breathing holes--
--[xx(][xx(]--JIMBO0 -
[8D]--The Duke, probably said "Show me another Hyphen, pilgrim and I'm giving you some more breathing holes--
--[xx(][xx(]--JIMBO0 -
God will know his own[8] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by SaxonPig
If people have a recording of this then I guess he said it. I still doubt that he actually wrote it but close enough. I slouch corrected. Where can I send the nickel?
OK, ONE Internet essay proves to be mostly true.
Keep the nickel Sax, if I had it, you'd likely have it back before you know it. [8D]0
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