Natural Born Citizens

For the life of me, I wish someone would debate with me on the subject of birthright citizenship.  As I read about the views of the candidates in the Republican primaries, I'm awestruck at how many (Including my favorite candidate and Mr. Libertarian, Ron Paul), seem to be against granting automatic citizenship to the American-born children of illegal immigrants.

I was raised to be patriot.  I was taught to be proud of my country.  I was told that I could grow up to be anything I wanted to be; that I could be a doctor, lawyer, President, even rock star.  Most importantly, I was taught that the reason for such possibilities was because I was fortunate enough to have been born within the borders of the United States.  Perhaps it's because of my upbringing, but this is one issue wherein I actually get nauseous when I think about the views of those with whom I disagree.

I'm about 1/8th Cherokee, so when I hear some of the less compassionate conservatives talk about illegal immigration. . . I try to remember that all white people, including me (at least. . . 7/8th of me) came to this country not just as illegal immigrants, but as genocidal invaders.  So the thought of some politician of European descent deporting the infant children of our country, back to a place so terrible that their pregnant mothers would smuggle them here in the first place, I get livid.

So, this message is to some of the Republican candidates. . . Who do think you are, that after your ancestors settle an already crowded continent and slaughter the natives, that you have the right to tell an American-born, innocent child that they must go back to their parents' country. . . most likely in a place without access to potable water?  Especially in Texas. . . you're talking about deporting kids who were born in Texas back to the country from whom Texas was illegally stolen.

Doesn't sound very tenable as an American ideal.  Maybe my home state of Oklahoma should deport everyone who can't prove they have an ancestor on the Native American roll.  Maybe everyone who's not from Mexico should be deported from the Lone Star State.

So please, someone. . . I'd like to understand.  If there are any Ron Paul supporters out there, I make you this pledge:  If you can convince me that repealing the 14th Amendment is the right thing to do, then I'll volunteer as a precinct leader.

We're awake now!

For the first time since the 1960's, it seems the youth of our nation has been politically awakened and motivated.  From Barak Obama's upset in the Iowa caucuses to Rep. Ron Paul's amazingly devoted army of libertarian volunteers, the evidence is apparent.

I'm not excluded.  Never in my life have I been interested in a presidential primaries, but this year, I've been glued to C-Span.  I think--and I certainly hope--it will be a long time before politicians can once again bank on the lethargy of an uninterested youth.

Maybe it's because of the disputed election of 2000 or the disenfranchisement of Ohio voters in the 2004 election.  Or maybe it's seeing our fellow young patriots being sent oversees to fight and die for the procurement of fossil fuels that may, in our lifetimes, send our planet past the point of no return on the path to uninhabitability.  Whatever the cause, I know this. . . It's a wonderful thing.