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A Seriously Slippery Slope
Aug. 4th, 2010 10:41 amWe were watching the Daily Show last night like we usual do. I was half listening to what was being said when I felt a chill go through my spine. I had Peter run it back to make sure I heard what I thought I heard. There is a movement, which I really hope gets quashed very quickly, to repeal the 14th amendment which says that if you are born in the USA you are an American Citizen. The reasoning is that people run to the US and have an anchor baby so that child is their ticket to citizenship since if the child is born in the US then it is a US citizen.
I have to agree with John Stewart that the mother is probably thinking more about the miracle of life that she has brought into the world then, Yippie, I can become a citizen now.
Now I am the child of two American Citizens. My parents were the children of immigrants from various places in Europe. Peter’s parents immigrated to the US. He is an American Citizen because he was born here. His parents became citizens. I do know people who are here because their parents got work visas to the US and used that to become citizens. I know people who were born here but their parents weren’t but they went through the whole naturalization process. I can remember going to a friend’s family party when her father swore his oath of citizenship. I know people who came here as children and technically never went home but they were small children and infants and they haven’t known any other country but this one. And, yes, I do know people who slipped in the country and are living with their heads down hoping that no one notices them.
The problem is once automatic citizenship is revoked, how far back do you go? Anyone whose parents came in illegally has to leave? Anyone whose grandparents walked across the border (any border) has to leave? How many Senators and Congressmen would have to leave the country because they can’t produce the papers to prove that their ancestors were here legally? Who is here legally really? Those who can prove their ancestors were here when the Constitution was signed? How many people have copies of their ancestor’s immigration paperwork?
And when Lou Dobbs says that you are off the rails, you might want to rethink your position because Lou Dobbs thinks you have gone too far.
I am grateful that I am a US citizen and have the passport to prove it even if I do disagree with some of my fellow citizens.
I have to agree with John Stewart that the mother is probably thinking more about the miracle of life that she has brought into the world then, Yippie, I can become a citizen now.
Now I am the child of two American Citizens. My parents were the children of immigrants from various places in Europe. Peter’s parents immigrated to the US. He is an American Citizen because he was born here. His parents became citizens. I do know people who are here because their parents got work visas to the US and used that to become citizens. I know people who were born here but their parents weren’t but they went through the whole naturalization process. I can remember going to a friend’s family party when her father swore his oath of citizenship. I know people who came here as children and technically never went home but they were small children and infants and they haven’t known any other country but this one. And, yes, I do know people who slipped in the country and are living with their heads down hoping that no one notices them.
The problem is once automatic citizenship is revoked, how far back do you go? Anyone whose parents came in illegally has to leave? Anyone whose grandparents walked across the border (any border) has to leave? How many Senators and Congressmen would have to leave the country because they can’t produce the papers to prove that their ancestors were here legally? Who is here legally really? Those who can prove their ancestors were here when the Constitution was signed? How many people have copies of their ancestor’s immigration paperwork?
And when Lou Dobbs says that you are off the rails, you might want to rethink your position because Lou Dobbs thinks you have gone too far.
I am grateful that I am a US citizen and have the passport to prove it even if I do disagree with some of my fellow citizens.
