Proud to Be an American

My path to citizenship was not direct. I came to the States from Canada in 1997, in love with an American, not America. We were living in Los Angeles when I realized that I would be staying in the U.S. and I began the tedious, bureaucratic process of applying for employment authorization and "permanent resident alien" status by standing in line with literally thousands of other people encircling a federal building on the trail of the mythical "green card." Some weeks or months later, I was asked for my Social Security number, which of course, I didn't have. I thought that it would arrive sometime after my legal status had been established, but I found out that all I had to do to "qualify" for a Social Security number was to ask for one. My vague recollection of the transaction includes talking to someone through a small hole in a thick window; sort of like getting a ticket for a movie.

It only took about a year before I could work legally, but more than two years longer until my resident alien status became permanent in the autumn of 2000. That summer I had wanted to visit Canada but was told that if I left the country at that point I might not be permitted to return and would have to repeat the whole application process from the beginning. The visit to Canada waited until next summer. When we returned, my alien I.D. card was swiped through a card-reader and... I was in! Helen, on the other hand, a native-born, passport-carrying American was questioned and scrutinized much longer.

Then, as it had for so many people, 9/11 changed things. In the ensuing analysis of what it was the terrorists had attacked, I was forced to take a closer look at America, who was against it and what it was for. Studying what the founders envisioned, in the Declaration and the Constitution, I understood that the United States was designed to be the best possible political and governmental "place" for sovereign, responsible individuals to live in liberty and realize their human potential. I recognize myself as a sovereign, responsible and freedom-loving person so, by inclination, I am already an American. The fact that English is my mother tongue and I think in feet and inches helps, too.

Six months after 9/11 we moved into our new home in Washington, DC, symbolically putting ourselves closer to that which was threatened. Our thinking and writing about America and its place in the world brought us to the National Mall a year and a half later where we spoke in support of our troops and the idea that each one of us is an embodiment of America. I think it was only my aversion to bureaucracy that caused me to wait until April 2004 to actually apply for citizenship. It would be the official recognition of something that was, in my mind, already a fact. It would also allow me to help in the re-election of George W. Bush, which, if you recall, was by no means certain. The wheels of the Department of Homeland Security grind exceeding slow, however, and as close as I got to voting in 2004 was watching the polls as other voted.

Eventually, after a third set of fingerprints were taken, I underwent the citizenship test in June of this year. It was a bit under-whelming. I had to hand write the sentence "He has a big dog." After asking where I lived the examiner wrote down my response and had me read the sentence "I live in the state of District of Columbia." If I couldn't perform those basic tasks I could have brought an interpreter to help me. There were also some basic questions such as "who is the President of the United States?" and "Who was the first President of the United States?" The question that seemed of most interest to the examiner was had I ever told anyone that I was an American citizen. Although it was almost universally assumed by people I met, I had never pretended to be a US citizen. If I had lived in Northern Virginia, I could have taken the oath that afternoon, but being a resident of the nation's capitol, I had to wait almost two more months before appearing at the federal court house on Constitution Avenue.

This the oath. "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

I'm pleased that the phrase, "so help me God" still concludes the oath of allegiance and I was stirred by the phrase "support and defend the Constitution." That's what the President says he'll do, too! It's always surprising when people don't understand that the foundations of government are in the Constitution. And, of course, I couldn't help but think that some Supreme Court Justices should be reminded of this vow, for it mentions "domestic" enemies, too.

Well, it's official... and I'm proud to be an American!

Peter and Helen Evans, "http://peterandhelenevans.com. This husband and wife team - freelance writers and speakers - teach a philosophical approach to conservatism. They are also real estate agents in the Washington, DC area.