Citizen.
So, on Friday I became an American.
For me, it’s just been a vindication of the past four years - I’ve been here, I’ve contributed to the economy and I’ve been a good boy, so give me that blue passport. Just the next step along the path, really. Plus, I got to keep my British and Irish citizenships. I guess I was viewing it as not too much of a big deal, in some ways.
But, at the citizenship ceremony in Philadelphia, it was an eye-opener to see what other people thought. It’s easy to forget where and what some other people have come from.
I was in there with maybe 80 other people from all over the world. Before we all had to do the oath, they read out the list of countries where everyone was from, and some of these places are proper toilets - places like Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan and so on. Places where you could get shot for criticising their government or even wearing the wrong clothes. Plus, these are countries where you’re not allowed to hold dual citizenship, so these people were giving up their citizenships. For people like that, becoming a US citizen is a far, far bigger deal, and is truly life-changing.
They probably had to go through a whole lot more crap than I did - for me it was easy. I married an American, applied for a green card, got it, then waited. Easy. Some of these people probably went through legal hell just to enter the US. Not to mention the extra hoops people from these countries have to jump through, having to learn English, and, in a very real sense, having to sever ties with their home country.
There were people standing close to me crying as they said their oath, hand on heart. And there I was mumbling it with my hands by my sides.
So, I guess, for me, not much really changes. I can vote in November (I am also now a registered Democrat) and apply for a US passport. But, for some, everything changes, and, for these people, I wish them the very best of luck.
Sit down Eddie, I’ve got some sad and tragic news!
…You don’t look very upset about it!
Rik is awesome when he corpses. :D
(Source: anti-pope)
Via The Golden Age of Ballooning
Tumblr on Flipboard on my iPad. I approve.
How to troll a whovian
- while they are sleeping draw tally marks all over them
- get a recording of the noise of the TARDIS, play it when you’re around them and watch their reaction
- put pictures of weeping angels everywhere and underneath write “an image of an angel becomes an angel”
- …
(Source: matturday)
