July 4th: It Means Something for All of Us

It was June 14th, 1994 that I drove up to the border crossing between Canada and the United States in the Thousand Island, papers in hand,and embarked on a new journey -- my American journey.

Leaving a solid career in politics, public affairs and lobbying, I crossed the border, green card in hand, to embark on new beginnings in Corporate Communications.

Along the road of that new venture a highly respected and prominent DC-based business person told me I would never make it the USA and perhaps I should return to Canada where my background mattered. My many new-found American professional colleagues and friends, people like you, have proved him wrong. You have been most welcoming indeed, says a former Canadian, now living in Texas.

Several months after that comment, from my home base in Richmond VA where Mom and Dad and family had settled sometime earlier, I started a new career in communications. First stop, St Louis (as a PR consultant to companies, one of which was Dell and wining a silver anvil, by the way) the gateway (arch) to the west, learning the midwest and living near the Mississippi. Then it was on to the "communications capital of the world," New York, again consulting in public relations, and learning the North East.

American Citizenship came in February 2002. Schooled for my citizenship test by Geraldine Ferraro (I scored 100% :-). The journey has since taken me to Texas and Dell. But, back on that cold day in February we had a party to celebrate a new citizen and citizenship. July 4th relates to that party, and reminds of that day, because I chose to be an American. Here is what I said in February 2002 on becoming a citizen:

I think we should reflect on this thing called citizenship. It is not something to be taken for granted, whether we choose it, as I have done, or simply have it because of birth or other circumstances, as used to be my situation.

Citizen. What is it? It's sort of like, lets discuss "being"

According to the dictionary citizen is a member of a state who has full political privileges and protection. Citizenship is the condition of having all civil rights and duties.

I guess that would be equivalent to "being" with some "obligations".

Surely, it seems to me, that full political privileges and protections, and the having of civil rights merits some duty. And that duty need not be onerous. I think that duty can be as simple as pausing, every once in a while, to treasure, think about and value this thing we call citizenship.

And one of the values is respect and freedom as partially delineated in the Constitution and the first 10 amendments (see Geraldine, I did get it). Respect for diversity, in all that means, including different opinions, lifestyles/orientations, cultures, ethnic groups and religions. Tolerance for differences and freedom to participate with each other, creating our communities.

This seems to me to be a hallmark of the value of citizenship.

I think it is incumbent on all of us to, at the very least, be cognizant of the fact that our being a citizen confers rights and responsibilities that foster the free, tolerant and respectful society we live in -- and often we just take this for granted. "

PS: The photo is from my first July 4th as a citizen, celebrated with friends on Fire Island

Hope your Indpendence Day is special. Have a great 4th!!