[Niteflyr]

I have been living in this country for the best part of a Century. During all that time I have never been asked for proof of my citizenship. I fly the Stars and Stripes on a pole right outside my front door, and I am Infuriated with the very thought that anyone especially one of our elected officials would have the audacity to question my citizenship.

I understand...sympathize..and basically agree....but we are going to have to make some sacrifices in the old way to solve this problem and get back to the country we use to be...the problem is too huge. I'm a pilot type and I remember when the pilots of an airliner left the door open to the cockpit...and because of a few radicals those days are sadly gone forever...the illegal immigration problem is a much larger problem in this country than Islamic terrorism IHMO....and a much larger threat to the American way of life.

Signed: Alan "gladly show my papers..or whatever is required to prove I'm I'm an American citizen" Q

[An Old Man]

Alan, Just to be sure that you really do "I understand...sympathize..and basically agree..."

I also have many documents such as certificates of education, professional licenses and court documents certifying me as an expert in my field. However, those documents, standing alone without the benefit of sworn testimony of the person responsible for their issue, are worth not much more than the paper they are written on. Most important to this discussion, none will prove that I am a citizen of this country or any other for that matter.

I do have access to some very good printing presses that can produce outstanding copies of any document or currency that needs to be produced. Unfortunately, even if I were to produce a vast quantity the documents mentioned so far, nothing will be proven except that many people have the ability to put names on licenses and other certificates.

My original post and this followup are not meant to deride your achievements as evidenced by the papers you mentioned.

With that in mind, How can any person prove who he is? I know who I am because my parents told me my name. I know I am a citizen of the United States of America because I say I am.

The police do have a need to know the status of the imigration process for people who are becoming citizens. They do not have the right to question either of our citizenships.

PS: I think that the title to the story is not what it should have been.

In addition to all the papers I have, the FBI has my fingerprints on file and the Marine Corps has a record of every the scar on my body. I think maybe I can prove who I am can you?

Semper Fi
An Old Man