Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Dual Citizenship a conflict of interests?

I was born in this country. According to family history we can trace our roots back to Artemas Ward the first Commander in Chief of the Revoluntary Army. However on my mother's side her grandmother came from Poland to escape Hitler. That said I don't agree with any attempt to change the constitution to allow a foreign born president. Not just because I'm one of those 'strange' liberals who believe we should stop tinkering with the Constitution, it goes much deeper than that.

I don't support the idea of dual citizenship. Other issues with Arnold aside, I have a problem with someone who is elected to represent the citizens of the United States that doesn't love his adopted country enough to decide he wants to be a sole citizen of the United States. I know people that have dual Israeli/US citizenships. They vote in Israeli elections, so while there is always going to be an interest in the country of your birth, these people that have dual voting rights have a very obvious conflict of interest. The State Department maintains no figures on the topic, but some researchers estimate that as many as 25 million residents could hold dual citizenship.

To me it's a lack of committment, like "Okay United States let me in, but I'll keep this other citizenship...just incase." One of the proudest moments my Polish great-grandmother told us about as young children was when she became a United States citizen. The feeling of emotion almost in a hushed tone as she would tell us how scared and how proud she was to be lucky enough to be not only here but to be a citizen here. So I do know there are those who do come here and select us as the only one, they give up any other citizenship.

To me when you take the Oath required to become a citizen you are claiming sole citizenship in the United States:

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 the 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; andthat I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

Having a dual citizenship means you violated that oath, and if you can't keep the oath are you really a US citizen?

The time will probably come when the Constitution is amended to allow under certain situations a person to become President that was not native-born. My issues with dual citizenship will remain whether that becomes a reality or not.

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