One Proud Immigrant

tallcal101 · May 22, 2008

My lovley wife,whom I met in China 8 years ago and spoke not one word of English, became a US Citizen today. Her desire to become a citizen was not to bring her family here,or to take advantage of our health care system,or to take anything away from any of her now fellow tax paying Americans.

She leaned English,has been paying taxes from the second week she arrived March 26,2003 and has educared herself on our history and the Constitution.
Her family in China (they came for a visit but prefer China) could not be happier or prouder of their daughter and sister. Some where in Guanzi Province a family is celebrating one of our newest citizens with a big bash tonight.They love America and what we stand for,but don't want to live here.

We will have a quiet dinner at home tonight to celebrate Jings Jings amazing accompliment.
I asked her what the single most important part of being a US citizen is now that she has arrived. Without any hesitation she proudly proclaimed: "My vote in November".
She's not being influenced by my choice,I can assure you of that.

For all the wack em and shoot em and round em up and hang em from their toes sorts on this site, I hope this may show another side of immigrants. After all,we are all immigrants.

terryandrene · May 22, 2008

Congratulations to our new citizen who, like Rene', had to learn English and convince a judge that she was also conversant in our basic history and governmental concepts guided by our Constitution. Rene' was naturalized in your nearby Santa Barbara and was equally joyous upon receipt of her new status of voter.

arkjarhead · May 22, 2008

tallcal,
That's great. I only got one problem with what you said. We are not all immigrants. Look up the word immigrant in the dictionary. It says something along the lines of a person that moves from one country to another to take up permenant residence. I have never done that. I was born in America and have always lived here. I get tired of people saying we are all immigrants because we aren't.

Just to let you know my best friend who is basiclly like a brother to me is much like your wife. He was born in China. Thrown out by his parents at the age of 10 because he is legally blind and went to live in a train station in Beijing. While living there he was adopted by a missionary from the States. He came here to visit and his adopted mom was killed in a car wreck. She had a cousin and her and her husband couldn't have kids so they adopted him. Then I met him and we became best buds. I have nothing against immigrants, I just prefer not to be called one.

greg334 · May 22, 2008

Tallcal,
Tell her thank you from all of us for the long journey she made and for doing this legally.

tallcal101 · May 22, 2008

Thank you Ark,Terry and Rene. It really is a big day,I'm kinda of surprised how emoitional it was for me,I did not see it coming.
Ark, with all due respect,the only "real" non immigrants,in my opinion,were all but wiped out by the "invaders"who we are all decended from.What makes us who we are is our differences. We were driven by a need to escape the religious extremeism in Europe at the time. Since we are only 3 to 4 generations, at the very most, from being europeans,Aficans,Asians and everything else,I think it may be premature to consider this experiment called democracy much more then an experiment at this point.

By the tone of the national debate over a black man or woman perhaps becoming the next leader of the free world,I'm inclined to think we have a ways to go before we can define ourselves as one nation. We are no longer invaders,less we forget the land grabbing and home burning renegades we must have appeared to the real first Americans to be.
How we treat each other is what will eventually define our Republic,in spite of our differences.
Thanks again for your kind comments.

LDB · May 22, 2008

First, congratulations to your wife on her achievement. That is something to be proud of. I suspect, however, that she was not a criminal alien, rather a legal immigrant. That makes all the difference in the world. While not named by name, I'm sure I'm one of the "wack em and shoot em and round em up and hang em from their toes sorts on this site". When we're talking about criminal aliens, yes, in a metaphorical way. Criminal aliens have no business here. Legal immigrants have every right and reason to be here.

I've got to give the nod to Ark on this one because he is right. We're mostly American citizens, not immigrants. We may be descendants of immigrants, but we're not immigrants, just as we're not slave holders or slaves. Those were prior generations. That is history to be learned from but it is not a current event to be atoned for.

Your wife and any other legal immigrant is to be congratulated and welcomed. They will be better citizens than many many others who were born here. They'll know more of the history of the country. They'll care more about their citizenship. We need to continue to welcome the legal immigrant. It's the criminal aliens we need to ostracize.

ratwell71 · May 22, 2008

Thank you.

ratwell71 · May 23, 2008

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus

arkjarhead · May 23, 2008

TallCal,
There are quite a few reasons I don't like to call everyone immigrants. One is it cheapens the plight of immigrants such as your wife and my friend/brother.

It also cheapens the plight of Marines I knew in the past that joined the Corps while still living in Mexico and their first taste of America was a Drill Instructor in the their face cussing them and calling their mom's everything but a child of God. These same Devildogs go overseas and fight before they are even citizens. Some have even been killed in this country's service before they become citizens and are awarded their citizenship at their funerals. I'm sorry I can't put myself in with people like that. Because I don't deserve to. I haven't earned that right. I can't honestly say I would move to another country, join their military, fight their war, and hope to live through to get my citizenship. That takes heart, and a love for their future country. I think we can all agree on that regardless of how we feel about the war. Although I doubt we will all agree because of course this is EO and that could never happen.