I came to USA as a student in 1970 and became a naturalized citizen in 1986. One of my clearest memories of the process of becoming a US citizen is during the citizenship interview, the immigration officer asking me “Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?” I had memorized names of Senators and Presidents and even Representatives, but never thought of the equally important third branch of our government. I answered “uh … Warren..?” and hesitated…. Should I say Earl (for Earl Warren) or Burger (for Warren Burger)? Fortunately, I picked the right one!
I did not know much about American politics for many years, and very little about American history. Arriving here in the 70’s during the height of the Vietnam war, and seeing student riots on my campus, and then going through Watergate in my first few years in this country, you would think I should have known better, but I was not very political. I did not even bother to vote for many of my early years as a citizen. Like many first-generation immigrants, I was focused on the economic betterment of my family, to the neglect of civic duty, politics and many other aspects of life. I did well economically in this land of opportunity, but I now realize besides building a family and wealth, it’s important to speak up for what I believe in… it’s important to vote.
Over time, I have learned the importance of making my voice heard, even if it is in the minority, and this blog is one small way to make up for lost time. There is no single seminal moment that caused this change in me, but a series of big and small events and experiences have made me realize the importance of voting. Perhaps the biggest realization came with the election of Mr. George W. Bush, who won the Presidency by the slimmest of margins. Local politics were revealed when I helped canvass votes for a neighbor running for city council, and did a fundraiser for my local congressman. And another big wakeup call was when my 8-year-old daughter wrote to President Clinton to stop the bombing in Iraq in February 1998.
Most of us are immigrants, whether 1st or 2nd or nth generation, and we all came to USA to find a better life. Some of us came for economic betterment, others for freedom of expression, still others to escape political repression. As citizens of USA, whether we were born here or naturalized, it’s up to us to help make the best of our great country. The most effective way we can do that is by choosing the best people to lead our country, whether that be for President, or the leaders in our local city council, and the way to choose is to vote!