Citizenship

CardinalEdwin F. O'Brienof Baltimore calls same-sex marriage, signed into law by the Maryland governor on Thursday, a "radical redefinition of marriage. " Of course, many people - most likely a majority - believed 50 years ago that ending racial segregation in the United States constituted a "radical redefinition" of American society. The races were meant to be separate, they said; it wasn't natural for blacks and whites to drink from the same fountains, and they certainly should never be allowed to marry each other.

CardinalEdwin F. O'Brienof Baltimore calls same-sex marriage, signed into law by the Maryland governor on Thursday, a "radical redefinition of marriage. " Of course, many people - most likely a majority - believed 50 years ago that ending racial segregation in the United States constituted a "radical redefinition" of American society. The races were meant to be separate, they said; it wasn't natural for blacks and whites to drink from the same fountains, and they certainly should never be allowed to marry each other.

As we continue another year of debate over in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants, complete with the legal and moral issues, I wish to suggest to our representatives in the state legislature a different approach. Why not propose a bill creating a partnership between Maryland and the federal government that would mandate that each non-resident student complete, as part of his or her college or technical school admission, the requirements for U.S. citizenship? Trained naturalization instructors certified by the United States government would educate students in the requirements of gaining citizenship.

Only in Gov.Martin O'Malley's fantasy land would a married couple each making $50,000 a year be considered "wealthy. " With two kids in college and a 401K not yet recovered from the 2008 crash, I sure do not feel wealthy. Maryland deserves courageous leadership willing to propose the kind of budget solutions successfully implemented in other states, such as converting public employee pensions to defined contribution plans and health insurance cost-sharing more in line with the private sector.

I find Ron Wirsing's comments ("Repeal 14th Amendment," Readers Respond, Aug. 18) disturbing, and indicative of an appalling ignorance of basic US history. The history of our nation's legislation on immigration illustrates repeated attempts to prohibit the entry of people considered "undesirable. " That list of "undesirables" once included people from Southern and Eastern Europe (Greeks, Italians, Russians, Jews), as well as Chinese and Japanese. That legislation was designed to favor immigrants from Northern Europe, by using quotas.

There was a time in his life — it turns out, most of his life — when Marco Alva felt like a man without a country. He had become separated by time and distance from Mexico and the culture of his native country, and, while he had married an American and started a family here, he was not yet a citizen of the United States. Sunday morning in Annapolis, the feeling of being adrift went away. On the Fourth of July, Marco Alva became an American. He and 36 other men and women took the oath of citizenship at the annual naturalization ceremony at the William Paca House, home of one of Maryland's signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Should learning and practicing citizenship skills be part of requirements for each graduating high-school student? This is an issue the state Board of Education is trying to decide as it works to overhaul high-school graduation requirements.Maryland has long recognized that student altruism must be encouraged. In 1985 it became the first state to require schools ++ to offer elective credit for community service. The proposal under consideration would go further. In another first in the nation, it would require all graduating Maryland students to perform citizenship service in school or out of school.

JAMAICA-BORN grandmother Dorothy Elliott turns in her green card for the red, white and blue Sunday when she'll be sworn in as an American citizen.At age 68, after 24 years of carrying an alien registration receipt card as proof that she was staying here as a permanent resident, Elliott sighs and says it's about time she took up American citizenship."

Washington -- THE INEVITABLE has happened -- an American city has voted for the idea that American citizenship is worthless. The city is nearby, middle-class Takoma Park, Md., but its name might as well be changed to "Masochismville, U.S.A."We have seen this coming for some time, as privilege after privilege of what used to be the precious covenant of citizenship has been watered down to absurdity and granted to anyone who strolled in. Indeed, just a year ago, I wrote about Question No. 86 of the U.S. government's new "citizenship" test for immigrants, which reads, with hints of grand and inspiring answers to come, "Name one benefit of being a citizen of the United States."

Washington -- ONE OF the most noble statements on citizenship was Jean-Jacques Rousseau's observation that "only a free contract between the citizen and the government allows the individual . . . to bind himself to all while retaining his free will."What would the great 18th-century French philosopher think if he were to walk into the complex and changing halls of American citizenship this Fourth of July? What would the nation's founders find?On this Independence Day, they would find some exquisite naturalization ceremonies, such as the one July 4 at Thomas Jefferson's estate at Monticello; more, they would find gala celebrations across the country among Americans who nevertheless spend little time discussing or thinking about the sacred concept of citizenship.

During the presidential campaign of 2000, George W. Bush was criticized by some conservatives for calling himself a "compassionate conservative. " Some believed the term to be redundant. Now we're in the middle of the 2012 presidential campaign, and candidate Newt Gingrich has called for a "humane" policy on illegal immigrants. Mr. Gingrich wants illegal residents who have been in America for 25 years to stay, so as not to "separate families. " Seeking to clarify comments he made during the Republican debate on national security last week, Mr. Gingrich told Fox News, "I am for deporting all recent unattached illegals.

Casa de Maryland launched a program Tuesday to offer small loans to legal permanent residents who would like to apply for U.S. citizenship, the nonprofit said. The pilot program will loan 125 individuals each $680, the fee charged for naturalization, the immigrant advocacy group said in a statement. Borrowers will be required to repay the loan over a six-month period at an interest rate of 8.5 percent to 9 percent, according to the statement. Applicants will pay a $25 application fee that will be returned upon full repayment of the loan, Casa said.

First Baptist Church of Laurel, 15000 First Baptist Lane, is offering English as a Second Language and U.S. Citizenship classes through May, Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. No charge for classes. For information, call 301-725-6163..

Editor: In response to Patrick Endres' letter printed July 27 in The Aegis and entitled "Immigrants Vital to U.S. ", I would submit that once again, the debate is not one of immigration but one of illegal immigration. We do not have to revisit the sins of our ancestors during the Mexican American War to justify the current failure of our government officials to enforce the rule of law across the land. When a permanent underclass of people living in the shadows of our society is not only allowed but encouraged, the country as a whole suffers.

I'm amazed by the writer who claims that extending in-state tuition to the children of illegal immigrants will do no good because they can't ever work in Maryland. He needs to read the Maryland Dream Act. One of the conditions of receiving in-state tuition is applying for citizenship. Which is the very thing that the writer complained about, namely illegal immigrants busting in line ahead of those on the pathway to citizenship. You can imagine the fear such people have of immigrants who generally have to learn two languages to survive when one doesn't even demonstrate a reading proficiency in English.

The two seemingly unrelated events took place only a day apart. On the 19th of June, a 22-year-old Northern Irishman waved his putter in triumph on the 18th green of the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda. A day later, at the Park Shore Centre Government Building in Charleston, S.C., a petite, 41-year-old Thai immigrant waved her small American flag and held up her Certificate of Citizenship. The golfer's victory was shared by a gallery of thousands. Millions watched worldwide as the young man broke records and told the press he had realized the dream of his short lifetime.

Every month, Waugh Chapel Elementary School chooses a theme for citizenship awards.The theme in December was "Giving Your Best," with citizenship slips awarded to students who were on their best behavior, worked hard on in-class and homework assignments, helped keep their classroom clean and adhered to the rules.The students honored for good citizenship were: Jessica Alexander, Sheila Baily, Walter Boyd, Kayla Broznowicz, Evan Centineo, Carly Cross, Joan Cruz, Amber Cunningham, Catrina Dailey, Diana Dakai, Lauren Davis, Stephanie DeGroat, Danny Drummond, Nicholas Dukes, Scott Gearhart, Michael Gutierrez, Tanya Harrison, Jeffrey Higginbotham, Ashley Hughs and Elizabeth Hughs.

East Middle School has recognized 12 students for their citizenship during the school year 1994-1995.Honored students are Jamie Wilson, Carol Mullinix, Ethan Seney-Himler, Ashley Christensen, Sara Roche, Andrea Drzewianowski, Charles Cotterman, Andrew Leister, Emily Kalda, Nicole Connelly, Andrew Gaver and Lyndi Dinterman.POLICE* Westminster: Two bikes were reported stolen Thursday from residents of Milton Avenue, city police said. One was a 24-inch lime-green Huffy boys bicycle valued at $85. The other was a 24-inch blue Ross girls bike valued at $150.

Arthur Diamand, who owned the Linda Lynn dress shops and was a World War II veteran, died of circulatory disease April 20 at Gilchrist Hospice Care. He was 96 and had homes in Florida and Pikesville. Born in Munich, Germany, he was the son of Markus and Paula Diamand, who owned and operated a haberdashery. Mr. Diamand fled Nazi persecution by traveling to France and sailing to the U.S. from Cherbourg. He was able to enter the country through the sponsorship of his brother-in-law, a U.S. citizen who lived in New Jersey.