Making it harder for immigrants to become citizens!

[Heather]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/01/citizenship.test/index.html

[deltecs]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/01/citizenship.test/index.html

Excuse me, but I'm 57 and took the test in an article in Fox News Online.  I passed all 10 questions and was amazed that when people off the street were asked these questions, most just barely passed with 6 out of 10.  These historical and government questions on the Constitution, voting and civic duty are everyday items that all citizens should not only know, but embrace for the freedoms we enjoy.  This test is not difficult for any immigrant to pass.  A 60% grade is needed for passing.  That's less than 2 correct out of every 3 questions.  Every 8th grader should be able to take and pass this test with 100% grade.  It is the uninformed citizen who fails in his/her civic duty by not knowing all these answers without study.  This is the government that is elected by those same ignorant voters with the resultant officials.  No wonder America is in financial and political mess.  With uninformed, ignorant and uncaring voters, we are going to get the representation we deserve; stupidity.

[DalesCarpentry]

They should make so you have to speak English to become a citizen. Dale

[Heather]

They should make so you have to speak English to become a citizen. Dale

No doubt!!  Do they give the citizen test in Spanish???

[DalesCarpentry]

I would bet they do give it in Spanish. Many years ago when I lived in South Miami the Miami Courthouse was talking about handing all their paperwork in Spanish and you would have to ask for the English version if you did not speak Spanish. I left Miami shortly after hearing that. I wonder if that ever went through? My be someone from this forum live in Miami and could let us know. Dale

[swampratt]

Want to be a citizen with all the rights, then what will you do for the USA...How about serve in the armed forces for 4 years ...You fight for our country and then you can become part of it..
You will more than likely learn a trade and have some respect for the country you live in..

If you are an 80 year old lady , i do not have an answer..

The thought of serving in the armed forces would weed out a lot of slacker applicants

[jamesrus]

Im sorry but i believe immigration needs to be slowed down. This country is being overrun and the government is allowing it. There is a legal way to immigrate to this country and i believe it is too easy. Anyone can memorize a few dates and parts of some documents. I agree with the mandatory military service, i have long been a proponent of this. I have no problem with people speaking Spanish, Swahili, Portugese, or Russian here, but at least be able to speak the language of the country you want to become a part of. My child is being taught Spanish as a part of her schools curriculum. This is not right. Foreign language was an elective when i went to school not a requirement. I have many Spanish friends and co-workers and the sad part is many of them who are fluent in Spanish but were born here also believe the same as i do. NO i am not picking on just the people of Spanish descent. The same applies for all nationalities coming here. My family came here from Scotland, Ireland, and France by way of Canada to South Louisiana. In my family you can hear Celtic, lots of South Louisiana French dialect, even a spattering of German, but we all speak English fluently.

Ok nuff rambling, time to hear my skin sizzling.

jamesrus

[Sourdough]

Before I retired in 2001, roughly 40% of the troops at Ft Wainwright were foreign nationals.  I talked to many and asked why they were in the US Army.  They all said they had come to the US either on student, or tourist visas.  When their visas expired they would join the Army to keep from being deported.  While serving in the army they then had the opportunity to apply for citizenship with out having to return to their native country.  It was a loophole and they were exploiting it.  But since they were serving with honer I did not have a problem with that.  In fact they have my utmost respect.  Met one couple that were both serving, that had come from South Africa.  Had a very interesting talk with them.

As I have said before my niece married an Illegal named Salso, from Guatemala.  After they were married he could not apply for citizenship here in the US.  Salso had to return to Guatemala and apply at the US Embassy there.  He had to stay there until his paperwork was processed which took six months.  Then he got his green card and was able to return to the US.  Salso has since applied and gotten his US citizenship.  The only disagreement he and I have ever had is over his refusal to teach his daughter Spanish.  He says she is an American she needs to only speak English.  He really stresses Americian History to his daughter, and pushes her hard on that subject.  Salso is working to lose his Spanish accent.  Salso does more to help my Father with lawn and home maintenance, than any of his Sons or Grandsons that live in the area.  He says he is supposed to help family, he married into the family so they are his Grandparents also.  Can't find fault with that.  I've had to take back many of the things I said when I learned Sabrina was going to marry Salso.  Salso was an Illegal alien and I did not like that.  I've since learned a lot more about him and his situation.  The reasons he came to the US.  They were a lot differant than I realized, and I have to say under the same circumstances I would have done the same.

No this does not mean I am becoming a liberal, I still think we need to control our borders.  And a lot better than we currently do.  Salso agrees with me also.  He hates Mexicians

[bilmac]

It's a hard question. Individually probably the majority of illegals are good people. Actually if I lived in Mexico with no hope of getting into the US legally, I would probably do the same thing.

On the other hand I don't think the US can accept anyone in the world who wants to live a better life. That would quickly turn us into a third world country too.

Some things we do need to do is: Stop the hemmorage at the boarder, make the green card system again, start deporting illegals, don't have to do it all at once but start.

[deltecs]

According to the Fox News article the questions were in English and the applicants had to demonstrate understanding and speaking English.

[Sourdough]

You know this strikes a nerve with me.  I have been against all immigration for many years.  As a kid I thought we let all these overpopulated countries send their excess people over here and soon we would be over populated ourselves.  Now that I have been overseas myself and see the squaller many of those people live in.  I also know several people that have come to the US for a better life.  I no longer feel immagration is a bad thing, but I do feel it needs to be limited.  We definitely need to control our borders.

Also I am going to write the story as told to me by a young Russian boy that fought many fights and finally made his chance to come to America, at the age of 11.  Today he is a senior in high school, and you would not be able to tell him from any other high school senior.  His mastery of the language is perfect.  Yet I remember when he came here he was one of my students.  He did not speak English and I did not speak Russian.  His adopted Russian Mother had to translate for us, but I almost cry when I think about what this young man went through.  And how he is so appreciative to his adopted Father and Mother for bringing him to America.  This young man fought other street kids for rotten food they found in dumpsters just to survive.  His adopted American Father is a short, non-discrept little man, that most people would not pay much attention to.  But to this young man he is a big HERO.  And in my book he is also a hero.  Unfortunately we can't save them all.  I'm also going to tell about the Army couple from South Africa, what they told me they went through to get here.  And how they will die before going back.  And there is Salso, my brother's son-in-law.  Lionhunter: since you have talked to him more than I have get with me so you can add some more facts.  Rog