Letters

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Tuesday
July 24, 2001

We are also Americans

I have been reading the postings on your web site on a daily basis for quite some time now. One often sees articles that promote a sense of patriotism, and a debt that we have to "the other side." Others however instill a sense of realism about our identity and future. ["What is this image?"]

That we should not proclaim to be exiles, rather accept the fact that we are émigrés and are likely not to go back. However I don't believe any of your contributors have hinted at a sense of dichotomy when it comes to our identity.

A few months ago after waiting years through the process I was sworn in as an American citizen. There were many reasons behind my application and I must confess that patriotism and loyalty to this land was not a priority on my list. My main motivation was to have an easier time traveling.

Every time I used to leave the country there was harassment where I visited, and even more on my return. Then there were the outrageous visa fees and lengthy application forms that needed to be filled out well in advance of my trip.

On one occasion when I was applying for a visa to visit France, the visa officer in Washington, DC wanted to see $150 in traveler's checks per each day I intended to stay there, plus paid-for hotel reservations and round trip tickets.

When taking trips with friends they would badger me, because I had to go on different lines for immigration, and almost always my luggage was opened and carefully inspected. So I grew wary of the burden my brown passport had bestowed upon me, and opted for a nice blue passport, one that commanded respect and relieved me of all the stress I had to put up with when traveling.

Finally after living in this country for over 26 years of my life I filed the famous N400 application to be naturalized as a US citizen. Of all the times I could have done so in the past 21 years I decided to file when the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was practically overwhelmed with applicants.

Anyhow to make a very long and tedious story short, after over 5 years of waiting, and 4 return visits to the fingerprinting service of the INS my application was finally approved and shortly after a date was given for the swearing in ceremony.

So when the day arrived, I dressed formally for the occasion and went to the court house without a clue as to how I would feel about it if anything. The district attorney of the county I lived in appeared and gave a speech, talking about Ellis Island and the contributions immigrants have made on this nation.

I must say that it moved me not because I thought she was delivering rhetoric but that there was a good deal of truth to what she was saying. America in spite of all we may think of her foreign and domestic policies, in spite of the racism that may exist, in spite of all the things we can conjure to be wrong with it, is our new home.

She has afforded us an equal opportunity to enjoy her fruits while making our contributions. But the beauty of America does not rest there. It also allows us to preserve our heritage, practice our religion, be employed according to our merit, and protect us from those whom wish us ill.

All too often however whether it be amongst the Iranian-American communities or others there is a, "Us against them" mentality. That we are here for a temporary stay on our journey to wherever it is that we think we may be going. But the reality of it is that it does not have to be that way.

True we are Iranian, and we have to preserve our identity, religion, and way of life. That is our obligation, and it is sanctioned and protected by the law. On the other hand we are also Americans, and as such have an obligation to our new home. One need not be independent of the other. We can have this dichotomy. It is our right and believe it or not, our obligation.

Afshin

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