"Very few Americans actually function as citizens anymore." -- Scott Ritter
It wasn't that long ago that the sight of a roomful of immigrants after they've passed their citizenship tests warmed our hearts. Who could fail to be moved as they raised their right hands and swore to support the Constitution and obey the laws of the United States?
In recent years, however, American hostility toward illegal immigrants has poisoned the well of our welcome. Not even those who qualify to take the test to become naturalized citizens are immune. Our ambivalence is now also reflected in the test itself.
Heretofore, the questions were multiple-choice civics class specials. But beginning in October 2008 a new set of questions, which U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have been trying out for two years, will be incorporated into the test. It's ostensible motivation is to generate a better understanding of our history and government institutions in those who seek to make the US their new homes.
Apparently the test is no longer multiple-choice and just naming the three branches of government won't be sufficient -- applicants may also be asked why there are three branches. Acceptable answers would include variations on preventing the power of government from becoming concentrated in one branch.
While, according to USA Today, "Immigration advocates want to ensure that the new test does not make becoming a citizen more difficult. . . groups that want to control immigration want to ensure newcomers are not simply memorizing information."
A normal reaction to passing the test, especially the latest version, would be to assume that your new compatriots will be flattered by what you know about their country, like when tourists make an effort to speak the local language. But some Americans may suspect that you crammed for the test just to infiltrate our country and set up a terrorist cell.
Equally pernicious, though, are those of us who will resent an immigrant for knowing more about their country than they do. The author has no stats or poll results to support this conclusion, just hunches gained from a lifetime of living and working outside both the city and the academy.
Not only don't most of us care to be reminded of what we don't know about our government, neither have we much interest in acquiring that knowledge. Viewing our government as corrupt, we either consider it beneath us or fear we'll be tainted by it.
Also, in the great American tradition of "the business of America is business," we see little value in knowledge that doesn't make us money. Our singular ability to forget literature and art classes once the courses end attests to that. As for government, we leave it to those who are paid to understand it.
But, according to Naomi Wolf in a recent AlterNet interview therein lies the problem: ". . . there's this class of politicians, scholars and pundits who do the Constitution for us, so we don't bother educating ourselves." Whereas, the nation's founders "wanted us to know what the First Amendment was and what the Second Amendment does for us."
Thus, "we don't feel the kind of warning bell of 'Oh, my God, arbitrary search and seizure! That's when they come into your house and take your stuff and scare your children!'"
You're liable to be met with a blank stare if you express concerns over the Bush administration's erosion of the Constitution. Try reciting it to Americans (and explaining it. Ever read it yourself? It's no walk in the park.)
Don't put it past an American if he or she responds: "Maybe they went a little too far back then." For instance, when it comes to warrantless spying, many Americans are steeped in the "if you do nothing wrong, there's nothing to worry about" ethos.
"After all," he or she might explain, "they only had to worry about a king oppressing them or someone who might want to be the king of their new country." (As if, with Bush and his court, those concerns are foreign to us.)
Russ Wellen is the nuclear deproliferation editor for OpEdNews. He's also on the staffs of Freezerbox and Scholars & Rogues.
"It's hard to tell people not to smoke when you have a cigarette dangling from your mouth." -- Mohamed El Baradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency
The Year starts with Christmas, then New Year, Tax season, then Valentine's Day, then Easter, then Memorial Day, then 4th of July, then Labor day, then Thanksgiving, then.. Christmas once again. Church on Sundays, Biblical studies, mortgage, kids, soccer, swimming, football, baseball, NASCAR, braces, new car, new roof, new heating system, weddding or two, death or two, dog, cat, gas prices, weight loss, weight gain, local taxes, retirement, life insurance, teeth, too much sugar, guns, drugs, alcohol, Britney Spears..
And you say they must behave as citizens and read something?
by
Mark Sashine (46 articles, 19 quicklinks, 235 diaries, 3358 comments)
on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 7:20:27 AM
