HONOR AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENSHIP
Posted on Thursday, October 2, 2008
As a nation founded by immigrants, America has a rich and storied history. As a people, we are proud of our great diversity and our country's infinite promise. We have long been called "the great melting pot", for we do not all look the same or sound the same. Not all of us come from the same background, practice the same religion, eat the same food, or were born with the same native language.
But we share something greater than any of these qualities: a love of our country and all that it stands for. We share the values of freedom and liberty, of democracy and justice for all. And it is our mutual belief in these ideals that defines us as a people and binds us together as a nation.
It is true that our diversity is one of America's greatest assets. Openness and freedom of opportunity were this country's founding principles and are her greatest strengths. What sets this nation apart from so many others in the world is the answer to the question of what makes a person an American. It has never been about lineage or bloodlines, and while we are rightly proud of our nation's history, it is not even a common past that unites us, but rather a common future.
Every day, people from all over the world pledge to become a part of this nation and a part of that shared future. Last week at the Clinton Library, I had the opportunity to welcome and congratulate some newly naturalized citizens, as they took a solemn oath as Americans and as Arkansans. On the very date that our country's Constitution was drafted 221 years before, 150 men and women became a part of this nation and of this state. It was a moving ceremony, and as I looked out at the crowd, I saw written across their faces and reflected in their eyes the American Dream realized.
For most, the road to citizenship had been long and arduous. Their decision to leave their homeland and come to our shores was an act of courage and faith. For the average person striving to become a US citizen, the process takes six to seven years-and that's a best-case scenario. I appreciate and admire these men and women who, despite the difficulties and delays, enter the country the right way.
It is time now for the federal government to face this reality and commit to the task of creating comprehensive immigration reform, so that qualified, hard-working people, like these, can participate in the American Dream without growing old in the process.
The fact that so many are willing to spend years of their lives working to obtain a luxury that many of us often take for granted, should humble us and serve as a reminder of our own sacred duties to our country and to each other.
Our Constitution stands as a beacon for all who are dedicated to the principles of government by and for the people. But it is more than simply the blueprint of our system of government, more than the guardian of our most sacred rights. It is a challenge to every American to see that the ideals it promises are fulfilled.
Now, perhaps more than at any time in recent history, we are faced as a nation with grave concerns. We owe it to ourselves and to one another-natural and naturalized citizens alike-to take an interest in these issues, to vote, and to work together to improve our communities, our state, and our nation.
------
Mike Beebe is the Democratic governor of Arkansas.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online