Something positive in a rough year

[gethen]

I want to share this because at the end of a year full of anger and hate speech, this experience made me feel that there's still hope for this country.

On Monday my husband and I traveled to Detroit to attend the oath taking ceremony for new American citizens. Our daughter-in-law, an Israeli, had completed all the requirements to become an American citizen and this was the final step.
There were 76 immigrants in the courtroom, from all over the world, but maybe half were of Middle Eastern origin.

The judge conducting the ceremony welcomed everyone and then administered the oath. Next he shared the story of his own great grandfather, an Irish immigrant, who had lived in Illinois, met Abraham Lincoln, and fought for the Union during the Civil War. Then he told the new citizens that while he was a fourth generation American, now that they had taken the oath, they were just as much American citizens as he, or anyone else in that courtroom, and they should not let anyone tell them otherwise.

He went on to say that if any of them had been made to feel unwelcome or in any way hurt by what was said in the recent Presidential election, he apologized. He felt very sad that they had been subjected to that. When he passed out the certificates of citizenship, it was clear he had made a real effort to learn how to pronounce each name correctly. He told the new citizens that if anyone wanted a picture of him with their certificate, he would stay for as long as they needed to accommodate them.

I am not a particularly patriotic person, but on Monday, in that courtroom, I was proud to be an American.

[pumpkinpi]

That is so fantastic, and such meaningful words to come from someone in a prominent position. I would have imagined that at best he'd stop at "they were just as much American citizens as he, or anyone else in that courtroom, and they should not let anyone tell them otherwise," and only imply it had to do with the election. But now he is on record saying that. This gives me a tiny bit of hope! Thank you for sharing.

[Rommie]

I needed that story because I am in danger of becoming cynical. Thank you. And congrats to your daughter in law!

[code monkey]

thank you, gethen, for sharing that wonderful event. I have tears in my eyes and I'm not a person who cries. and a warm welcome to your daughter-in-law.

[geonuc]

That's great.

[Swift]