To my fellow immigrants: We are guests in America
In the past, there was a general expectation that immigrants to the United States — and particularly those who hoped to become American citizens — would go on a voluntary journey of civic discovery.
TL;DR
- The traditional expectation for U.S. immigrants was a journey of civic discovery beyond just passing a citizenship test.
- Recent discourse on both the Right and Left has diluted the abstract sense of belonging for immigrants.
- America is a nation of both creed and culture, where ancestral pride and embracing American ideals are equally valid.
- Immigrants should be grateful guests who contribute to the country, rather than demanding entitlements.
- Historical figures like JFK, Theodore Roosevelt, and Calvin Coolidge emphasized citizen responsibility over what the country owes them.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger's statement that immigrants are guests who must behave as such is highlighted as a core principle.
- The author, an immigrant himself, stresses that living in America is a privilege earned through hard work and respect for the country.