American Citizenship: Sharing in Our Glorious Heritage
Thomas R. Eddlem
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The New American, February 19, 1996
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Edward Everett Hale's classic fictional account, The Man Without a Country, recounts the fate of Philip Nolan, a former U.S. Army officer who curses the United States during his 1807 trial for sedition and wishes that he "may never hear of the United States again." Nolan is subsequently sentenced to have his wish fulfilled, and spends the next 56 years of his life at sea and in foreign ports, never seeing or hearing of the United States.
After a number of years, Nolan expresses his remorse as he passionately implores a young American sailor to "never dream a dream but of serving her [your country] as she bids you, though the service carry you through a thousand hells. No matter what happens to you, no matter who flatters you or abuses you, never look at another flag, never let a night pass but you pray God to bless that flag. Remember, boy, that behind all these men you have to do with, behind officers, and government, and people even, there is the Country Herself, your Country, and that you belong to Her as you belong to your own mother. Stand by Her, boy, as you would stand by your own mother."
Such sentiments are viewed with scorn and contempt by today's globalists, who view patriotism as little more than blind loyalty to mounds of stone within boundaries drawn arbitrarily on maps by men centuries ago. This denigration of the love of one's own country has served to cheapen in the minds of many the perceived importance of American citizenship by shunning our nation's glorious heritage of liberty. But the frontal assault on patriotism has been no less dangerous than the pernicious doctrine of "open borders," whereby the benefits of American citizenship have effectively become an absolute "right" for anyone who can somehow make it into this nation.
Of course, American citizenship is neither a "right" to which all aliens are automatically entitled, nor does it consist merely of a long list of welfare benefits. Indeed, citizenship does entail some important benefits. Natural-born Americans, and those privileged to become naturalized American citizens, enjoy the right to equality under the law; the protection of life, liberty, and property; and representation in the government. These legitimate benefits of citizenship -- along with the unconstitutional welfare benefits enacted since the New Deal -- have attracted many immigrants to this country. But with the true and legitimate benefits of American citizenship come some solemn responsibilities. For example, equality under the law requires obedience to that same law. With the protection of life, liberty, and property comes the individual responsibility of providing for both the common defense and for law and order. And representation in government through the voting franchise obligates citizens -- in keeping with the American principle of "No taxation without representation" -- to pay taxes and to gain an understanding and appreciation of America's heritage of liberty in order to effectively guard the government from corruption and subversion.
Among the responsibilities listed above, the last mentioned is by no means the least. Understanding and embracing America's heritage implies a responsibility of the citizen to maintain high personal standards of morality and religion, to be vigilant in guarding the government against foreign influences and local and regional interests which are contrary to the general national interest, and to warn and activate fellow citizens to help in guarding against threats to liberty.
Privilege, Not a Right
Immigrating to the United States is not a right, but a privilege; otherwise the concepts of private property and nationhood would be irrelevant. For if a people who have joined together as a nation (which they own collectively) cannot rightly prevent outsiders from entering their country, how can an individual rightly prevent his neighbor from moving onto his property? The benefits of citizenship, especially the voting franchise, must not be extended to non-citizen immigrants, including even those who pay taxes. Since immigration is a privilege which the sovereign grants to the immigrant, the government is at pleasure to set the requirement for citizenship. Should an immigrant not like the arrangement of being privileged to enter and work temporarily in the United States, he should end the contract by leaving the country.
Non-Americans generally do not have a natural disposition toward fulfilling some of the responsibilities involved in becoming an American citizen. As newcomers to this society, they have no immediate stake in the fate of the nation. For that reason, the American people through their government have traditionally (and rightly) limited grants of naturalized citizenship to immigrants who have demonstrated a firm commitment to this nation, its traditions, and its national institutions.
The U.S. government has traditionally required applicants for naturalization to pledge an oath of loyalty to the United States and to renounce all previous national and ethnic loyalties, to obtain a working knowledge of the English language, and to acquire at least a rudimentary knowledge of American law and history. In other words, the U.S. government has demanded that immigrants be both equipped and disposed toward fulfilling the responsibilities of citizenship before they can enjoy the benefits.
A Common Heritage
Americans are heirs to a rich legacy which includes the settling of the Western frontier, the war for independence in Texas and defense of the Alamo, the Monroe Doctrine, the Defense of New Orleans, President Washington's Farewell Address, the timeless U.S. Constitution, the War for Independence and the magnificent Declaration which began that heroic struggle, and even the Mayflower Compact and the first settlements in Plymouth and Virginia. All American citizens are heirs, be they Daughters of the American Revolution, descendents of 19th century Irish immigrants, the great-great grandchildren of African slaves, or recent Cuban immigrants who have just taken their oaths of citizenship.
To be an American is to embrace this entire legacy. Perhaps the best illustration of this concept was offered by the late Murray Rothbard, who recalled "our family physician telling me about his first trip to London, about how much it meant to him to see the Houses of Parliament, what he referred to as 'our heritage.' Even though his personal ancestry was far from Britain and his parents were immigrants from Eastern Europe, he said this in absolute sincerity and without a trace of irony. As for my own immigrant father and myself, he and we had become 'Americans' in our heart and soul, and of course Britain and its traditions and institutions were the foundation of America's and therefore of 'our' heritage."
The primary responsibility of the American citizen is to preserve and extend this great American legacy. As the National Republic magazine explained decades ago, "Institutions, governments, do not preserve themselves. They can be preserved only by the vigilance of those to whose guardianship they have been committed. Upon you, as a citizen of the Republic, rests a responsibility which can not be shirked without danger to your country."
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