Posted on 05/21/2007 9:17:12 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
In a crowd of nearly 100 eager faces of newly sworn-in citizens on the grounds of Mount Vernon yesterday, three men in the front row stood out. Their black shoes shone to glossy perfection. Their backs were ramrod straight. One wore the crisp white uniform of the Navy. Another, the drab khaki of the Marines and a third, the dress uniform of the Army. Two had campaign ribbons from serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Until yesterday, the sailor, the Marine and the soldier were among more than 40,000 "green card" service members -- non-citizens serving in the U.S. military. After swearing to defend the Constitution, Petty Officer Reginald Cherubin, 30, Marine Sgt. Brian Joseph, 38, and Army Sgt. Jeremy Tattrie, 24, joined another group: the more than 26,000 service members who have become U.S. citizens since the Iraq war began and the Bush administration expedited the citizenship process for military members. Seventy-five service members have received their citizenship posthumously since then.
It was sight of Iraqis pulling down Saddam Hussein's statue in 2003 that led Tattrie, Canadian by birth who was in college in Florida, to join the military.
"I felt the call to duty," he said, clutching one of the small American flags that immigration officials had just passed out. "I just felt the urge to serve my country." Even though when he enlisted, the United States wasn't, technically, it.
The three were sworn in as the military and the country are engaged in a vigorous, divisive debate about what place immigrants should have in the armed forces and society at large.
The ceremony at George Washington's home took place as lawmakers on the other side of the Potomac River began debating a controversial immigration bill that would, among other provisions, grant legal status to virtually all undocumented workers........
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Navy Petty Officer Reginald Cherubin, left, from Haiti, Marine Sgt. Brian Joseph, from St. Vincent, and Army Sgt. Jeremy Tattrie of Canada had been among the more than 40,000 non-citizens in the U.S. military until yesterday, when they became U.S. citizens in a ceremony at Mount Vernon
I wonder are these legal immigrants turn citizens JUST ASKING I got give props to these guys
Following a long, long tradition. Earning citizenship through blood. My grandfather did the same. He joined the United States Army in WWII, served in the Buckeye Division, received a Purple Heart in the Argonne, and earned his citizenship with his honorable discharge.
Are they proposing that all 12 -20 million current illegal aliens be drafted into the military if they want citizenship?
I’ll go for that!
“He joined the United States Army in WWII”
In WWI — not WWII.
The Washington Compost is trying to continue the leftist myth that if you’re against illegal immigration, you’re against all immigration. I refuse to play.
Leave it to the WP to lie about an issue even when it's something as nice as a swearing in ceremony for new citizens. America is engaged in a vigorous, divisive debate about what place ILLEGAL immigrants should have in society, nobody ever questions legal ones.
You could tell about bias of that article that so hard for Wash Post try hide it you see it
I don’t think many would argue that ONE acceptable path to citizenship is through the military.
But you are missing the point of the article and that is a further confusing of the terms "immigrant" and "illegal" immigrant. These are popping up all over the place and serve as a distraction, not as informative journalism.
I seriously doubt it if the US armed services would knowingly accept enlistments from those not legally entitled to be in the USA.
They should be asked one question, "When will it be convenient for you to be sworn in as a US citizen?"
For those who served honorably, I am all for recognizing the citizenship these people earned. I do feel a bit of leeriness, however, of allowing non citizens into our military.
I have always honored and welcomed new immigrants who have followed our laws and desire to become American citizens.
When I was sponsoring some soldiers in Iraq, I sent some knives to their commanding officer. It was his choice as to who would receive the knives.
The soldier that first received one of my knives, was a former Korean citizen, and this was his gift, on the day that he became an AMERICAN!
His commanding officer chose wisely that day, and I am proud that I helped welcome him into our country.
CALL! CALL! CALL! CALL! AND KEEP CALLING TILL THE LINES FRY!
WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! TILL YOU RUN OUT OF INK IN YOUR PEN!
Bombard the Democrats as well, especially the ones that ran on an anti immigration plank and the ones in marginal districts who could be vulnerable. keep pounding on them.
make note that these are "legal" immigrants.
I imagine many would consider it a good thing to allow illegal aliens serving in the military to be allowed to become USC’s. It’s not a good thing. Just like it is not a good thing to overlook crimes committed by native USC’s that break the law.
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