In her letter to the editor Aug. 26, Lewiston High School teacher Rachel Rodrigue stated that, in my letter which appeared Aug. 14, I said immigrants have no right to hold on to their native culture, language or religion.

Those are her words and certainly not what I wrote, and since she chose to take statements out of context and attempted to paint me as racist, I am compelled to set the record straight.

I neither stated nor claimed in my letter that immigrants have no right to hold on to their native culture, language or religion. I spoke of adapting to the country that accepts them.

I was married to a beautiful lady for 51 years, who was born Japanese and died American. She came here speaking only limited English and, while never forgetting her culture, language and religion, she did not insist nor expect that our country, community, schools or churches must adapt to the ways of her native land. Instead she set about immediately learning of what she was eligible, became fluent in spoken and written English within that time, and dressed in the styles of this country because she was proud of being in America and becoming an American.

Twenty years of residing and traveling in numerous countries with different cultures around the world, and observing their immigration policies, gives me the facts to speak on the subject.

John R. Davis, South Paris