[Magdalen] Naturalization Ceremony

[Grace Cangialosi]

I do know that many native-born Americans can't pass this test. Actually, this far out of civics classes, I'm not sure I could...

As for the rest of it, I think giving folks the opportunity to celebrate their new status, if they wish to, is a lovely thing. It always seems to be very meaningful to those who participate, and as far as I know, no one has to.

> On Jun 7, 2015, at 7:21 AM, "Jim Guthrie" <jguthrie at pipeline.com> wrote:
> 
> From: Grace Cangialosi
> 
>> They have a naturalization ceremony up at Monticello every year on the Fourth of July and I keep thinking it would ba a good things to take some of the >grandkids to. Maybe this year...
> 
> It is interesting that these ceremonies even exist, given their roots in anti-immigrant xenophobia of the early part of the 19th Century. Some Progressives thought the whole business anathema, but in this case the underlying phobia that spawned these has become enshrined as a great patriotic act.
> 
> It should also be noted that most native born Americans of any education level can not pass the test immigrants are required to take to achieve citizenship.
> 
> Cheers,
> Jim Guthrie
>