Within three months of my arrival in the US, I developed an idea that any person in the world could be an American. With an understanding of, and a belief in, the Constitution, any foreign-born person adopting those principles could consider themselves American and be accepted as such by the general population. Conversely, an American abroad would likely never be fully accepted as a citizen in any other country.
I tested this theory in my own life. While I am proud of my English heritage and my uniformed service for my country, I now consider myself American. Whenever I express this development I am never contradicted or meet with an argument. Naturally, I closely followed the recent debates about immigration. It seems to me that these debates have been poorly conducted by all sides. Rhetoric and insult debases what is a crucial matter for the future of the United States.
The old saw that “life isn't fair” begins at conception. We do not get to choose our country of birth. The most fortunate are born in westernized democratic countries. The most privileged are born as US citizens. Americans do not have to feel guilt about their good fortune but I do think that Americans should promote the ideals of freedom, opportunity and the principles of law and constitutional government. And strive to live by these ideals and expect their government to represent their collective interests.
The American example to the world is not served by condoning or allowing the flaunting of law. The American standard is that the law must be enforced equally, fairly and without prejudice. As citizens, we are entitled to agitate and campaign for changes in law we do not like. It is not our privilege to ignore laws with which we do not agree. One of the reasons that today's immigration debate is so rancorous is because law passed by Congress some twenty years ago has not been enforced equally, fairly and without prejudice.
There are many countries, especially European, now facing social and economic upheaval because their governments did not devise comprehensive immigration policies. Much of the social unrest is a result of an unwillingness by many immigrants to assimilate and embrace the ideals and culture of the host country. And the host countries pander to the new arrivals in the name of cultural diversity.
There is a danger that this is happening in America. We do not serve the interests of the country and its new arrivals by encouraging separate identities. Why are government and business forms published in languages other than English? I thought we already established that “separate but equal” was a terrible idea.
In America we have given ourselves identity labels. Many introduce themselves as Irish-American, African-American, Cuban-American, Vietnamese-American etc. This is absolutely fine in a country where almost all citizens and can trace a foreign heritage, as long as the emphasis is on “American.”
