Happy Fourth!

I've always thought of myself as more of a world citizen than that of a particular state. Born in Canada, first five years of my life in what was then Ceylon, now Sir Lanka, back to Canada and then to California until post-highschool. Fifteen years in the Canadian Army with most overseas duties being United Nations roles (blue shoulder patches and blue berets being de rigor of the day), university in Quebec, then eventually back to settle in the United States.

I can remember during the heady post WWII days, probably many of you can, too, thinking of there being a world citizenship. Living in the San Francisco Bay area when the United Nations had its formational meeting in that city in 1945 probably had an impact on a twelve year old's thinking.

For years I was a "landed immigrant", aka a "Green Card Carrier", never thinking much about this except when voting came up, or when pleading a cause for immigrant (say Hispanic) workers. Then thirteen years ago I was naturalized and "admitted as a citizen of the United States of America."

In the 1960s my mother, a Canadian, had applied for USA citizenship. When she eventually came before the judge to be sworn in, for the first time she heard the naturalization oath and its clause "to bear arms in defense . . . " She refused. Some time later, when this clause was removed from the oath, that same judge contacted my mother, administered the revised oath during a private session, and my 70 year old pacifist mother became a US citizen.

I probably still think of myself as a sort of world citizen. I'm proud of my USA citizenship. Not forsaking my roots, I have what Canada calls "duel citizenship"; the USA does not recognize anything duel, much the pity.

So to my new adopted country, after those many years of being a homesteader here on your land, I say with all the rest of you,

Happy 233rd Birthday, America!

Happy Fourth of July!

Photo: Grandkids Caymon and Naomi raising the flag, the ensign, aboard the Lady Mick