Nation’s newest citizens
By EVE BYRON - Independent Record - 12/19/08
Eliza Wiley IR photo editor - Farshied Khorramdel from Iran, along with 32 other new citizens from 22 countries, is sworn in Thursday in the Paul Hatfield Federal Court building.
It was a moving experience for the nation’s newest citizens, who came from as close as Canada and as far away as Australia.
They vowed in firm voices to renounce allegiances to the countries of their birth and to defend the United States, even if it means taking up arms against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
To Farshied Khorramdel, it also meant that instead of just campaigning for President-elect Barack Obama and others, he can vote in the next election.
“For the past 10 or 15 years, I’ve been working for Max Baucus’ campaigns, encouraging people to vote and putting up signs for Obama,” Khorramdel said, his dark eyes shining. “I consider myself a Democrat.
“I want to be a citizen, mainly because — I almost hate to say it — but because of the political uncertainty that’s been caused by the Bush Administration, here and all over the world.” Becoming a U.S. citizen also made Khorramdel, a native of Iran, feel more comfortable that he will be treated less suspiciously in the future.
“I’ve been here for 15 years, working for pharmaceutical companies like Proctor and Gamble,” Khorramdel said. “I’ve also noticed a lot of discrimination toward Middle Eastern people and I’ve come across a lot of it myself, being labeled a terrorist or whatever.”
Merlie Hiland has been in the United States for nearly nine years, and Maria Schiele for about five years. They’re natives of the Philippines, but married Montanans and live near Ronan. Hiland laughed while enjoying refreshments put out by the Daughters of the American Revolution, and said she had meant to do this years ago, but “I was always working.”
“I’m so happy,” she added.
Michael Donahoe, a senior litigator with the Federal Defenders of Montana, was asked to file the motion to allow the group to become citizens. Putting the motion together made him reflect on his own citizenship.
“We thrive in an environment where people are provided opportunities, to get an education, to raise a family, all those things we citizens take for granted,” Donahoe said. “I’m so pleased to be here to move for this application and to welcome them as citizens. I hope they enjoy their rights and responsibilities, and make America a better place.”
U.S. District Court Senior Judge Charles Lovell said he accepted the motion with humility.
“I’d like to pause to recognize the fact that we reside and are privileged to be in the greatest country on earth today,” Lovell said. “We have been blessed many times over by the act of birth, the accident of birth, and by those who join us in the naturalization proceedings.”
Reporter Eve Byron: or eve.byron@helenair.com
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Reader Comments:
reality_check wrote on Dec 19, 2008 2:54 PM:
" I apologize for leaving something very important out of my last comment ..
Congratulations to those that made the effort to become US Citizens... Welcome!
Please do not let narrow minded people skew your thoughts of this fine country. "
Congratulations to those that made the effort to become US Citizens... Welcome!
Please do not let narrow minded people skew your thoughts of this fine country. "
reality_check wrote on Dec 19, 2008 2:50 PM:
" I am a Citizen of the United States. I was born and raised here.
Your complaining about minorities taking your jobs is even more disgusting than the minorities that claim they do not get enough support.
Isn't it odd how the minorities that work hard get rewarded and how the American citizens that work hard ... get rewarded? The only common denominator of those in both groups that complain is that they are the ones that expect to sit back and have life handed to them on a silver platter.
I think we need to have a ceremony where we revoke US Citizenship for lazy, whiny, worthless Americans to make room for those that want to be a functional part of our society.
The United States of America is supposed to be the "Land of Opportunity" ... NOT the "Land of Entitlement". "
Your complaining about minorities taking your jobs is even more disgusting than the minorities that claim they do not get enough support.
Isn't it odd how the minorities that work hard get rewarded and how the American citizens that work hard ... get rewarded? The only common denominator of those in both groups that complain is that they are the ones that expect to sit back and have life handed to them on a silver platter.
I think we need to have a ceremony where we revoke US Citizenship for lazy, whiny, worthless Americans to make room for those that want to be a functional part of our society.
The United States of America is supposed to be the "Land of Opportunity" ... NOT the "Land of Entitlement". "
capital_city wrote on Dec 19, 2008 1:15 PM:
" We will never learn. The U.S. cannot possibly sustain the amount of free-loading illegals flooding our country.
[Regarding the article: para 8] - Discrimination against you, Khorramdel? How about the Mumbai attacks where U.S. citizens were picked out of the pack? How about how countries that we give billions in aid to that just can't wait to kidnap one of us?
Khorramdel, give me break. You are free because we fought, and are still fighting, so you can speak freely to this newspaper. And we are supposed to feel sorry for you when to you tell us that you are discriminated against in a country that protected you, gave you benefits, and employed you - all as a non-citizen?
You should be thanking the U.S. for the last 15 years, not complaining. "
[Regarding the article: para 8] - Discrimination against you, Khorramdel? How about the Mumbai attacks where U.S. citizens were picked out of the pack? How about how countries that we give billions in aid to that just can't wait to kidnap one of us?
Khorramdel, give me break. You are free because we fought, and are still fighting, so you can speak freely to this newspaper. And we are supposed to feel sorry for you when to you tell us that you are discriminated against in a country that protected you, gave you benefits, and employed you - all as a non-citizen?
You should be thanking the U.S. for the last 15 years, not complaining. "
pin wrote on Dec 19, 2008 11:48 AM:
" Dear Barest,
As one of the newest US citizens naturalized by the ceremony you so blatantly despised, I read your comment with shame and pity! I clearly have confusion as to what you are talking about. This country was built with immigrants and founded on diversity. As OUR President, George W. Bush mentions in his letter to the new citizens: Our country has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by principles that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests, and teach us what it means to be citizens. ... And every citizen, by embracing these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American.
You talk about not having the same chances and opportunities to get a good job. I ask you, what is your education? I have a masters degree which I earned free of persecution or debt and I did so with drive, initiative and concern for my future. This educational advantage puts me in a better position for employment than someone who does not have a post high school education. But don't worry my fellow citizen; I didn't use your tax dollars to get my education! And guess what? I am a teacher and I taught in public schools before I got my citizenship. That's the beauty of this country, if a person is qualified to fill a position, he or she may do so; and I am qualified enough to get a job like that!
Pride in country is great; however, to be proud of your country you must first understand and appreciate what your country was founded on in order to be proud of it. One should also have grasp on grammar and spelling before you attempt to belittle those who CHOOSE to be part of this country. Before you attempt to criticize the reasons I, and others like me who were not born in this country, wish to live and work in this country and call ourselves PROUD CITIZENS of this country, be sure you know what you are saying. When your words are as sharp and bitter as they were, you leave the door open for reciprocal criticism. Maybe I wasn't born this country, but I understand the freedoms afforded to US (you, me, and everyone else) by the Constitution of the United States. We are entitled to Freedom of Speech, protected by the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights.
I commend your application of this freedom; however, your apparent ignorance in the things you say is insulting not only to yourself, but others around you. Not to mention the countless members of this country who have fought and died wearing the uniform so you may insult their memory by practicing the freedom you hold dear, but don't dare defend. Many of those men and women who died for this country were born in other countries but took pride in America and fought so you did not have to.
You say: I don't take these things for granted, since I never truly am allowed to obtain these goals since all the "minorities, and illegal residents" of the US are allowed to get these first. Trust me; it is not easy to become a citizen in the United States. But it is the same ignorance and prejudice which makes this country look bad in other peoples eyes. Open your eyes and your heart! Get a better world view before you make comments on such serious subjects!!! "
As one of the newest US citizens naturalized by the ceremony you so blatantly despised, I read your comment with shame and pity! I clearly have confusion as to what you are talking about. This country was built with immigrants and founded on diversity. As OUR President, George W. Bush mentions in his letter to the new citizens: Our country has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by principles that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests, and teach us what it means to be citizens. ... And every citizen, by embracing these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American.
You talk about not having the same chances and opportunities to get a good job. I ask you, what is your education? I have a masters degree which I earned free of persecution or debt and I did so with drive, initiative and concern for my future. This educational advantage puts me in a better position for employment than someone who does not have a post high school education. But don't worry my fellow citizen; I didn't use your tax dollars to get my education! And guess what? I am a teacher and I taught in public schools before I got my citizenship. That's the beauty of this country, if a person is qualified to fill a position, he or she may do so; and I am qualified enough to get a job like that!
Pride in country is great; however, to be proud of your country you must first understand and appreciate what your country was founded on in order to be proud of it. One should also have grasp on grammar and spelling before you attempt to belittle those who CHOOSE to be part of this country. Before you attempt to criticize the reasons I, and others like me who were not born in this country, wish to live and work in this country and call ourselves PROUD CITIZENS of this country, be sure you know what you are saying. When your words are as sharp and bitter as they were, you leave the door open for reciprocal criticism. Maybe I wasn't born this country, but I understand the freedoms afforded to US (you, me, and everyone else) by the Constitution of the United States. We are entitled to Freedom of Speech, protected by the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights.
I commend your application of this freedom; however, your apparent ignorance in the things you say is insulting not only to yourself, but others around you. Not to mention the countless members of this country who have fought and died wearing the uniform so you may insult their memory by practicing the freedom you hold dear, but don't dare defend. Many of those men and women who died for this country were born in other countries but took pride in America and fought so you did not have to.
You say: I don't take these things for granted, since I never truly am allowed to obtain these goals since all the "minorities, and illegal residents" of the US are allowed to get these first. Trust me; it is not easy to become a citizen in the United States. But it is the same ignorance and prejudice which makes this country look bad in other peoples eyes. Open your eyes and your heart! Get a better world view before you make comments on such serious subjects!!! "
Longinus wrote on Dec 19, 2008 10:40 AM:
" Way to go "barest", you hit the nail right on the head. If someone want's to come to the U.S. legally and become a citizen thats great. However too many of them Do Not want to be Americans and we end up with more left wing Socialist living off the hard work of Real Americans. "
barest wrote on Dec 19, 2008 9:26 AM:
" I'm a little frustrated in the fact that the United States (because we are such a wonderful...yet in financial chaos...that we are still insisting on letting people become citizens of this country. I really love the fact that one of these individuals had been working at Proctor and Gamble for 15 years yet wasn't a US citizen. That could have been a job for a citizen who was BORN here in the US. I know these people claim they work "there tail off", but its at jobs that we as US CITIZENS don't even get the CHANCE of getting. It's all about "equal opportunity, and the minority trump card." I get so tired of hearing how all these people who aren't even FROM our country get all the benefits that are supposed to be for THE US CITIZENS...like great paying job opportunities, education that is cheaper to obtain a degree to further our hard work, raising a family (without government interference). I don't take these things for granted, since I never truly am allowed to obtain these goals since all the "minorities, and illegal residents" of the US are allowed to get these first. Why does the government use the tax dollars to help fund agencies that encourage people to come here to get a degree, pay for childcare in doing their schooling, and not have to pay a dime for housing, clothes, education, and luxury items, and then NOT make them pay that back or to even STAY in the country? Why are we helping EVERY othe country out but OUR OWN???? This is why a lot of American citizens are so outraged at our government. They are supposed to be working FOR US, NOT against us!
If you want your country like the United States, then FIGHT for those rights for your country! We had our civil war and maybe you need to have yours IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY!!!! "
If you want your country like the United States, then FIGHT for those rights for your country! We had our civil war and maybe you need to have yours IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY!!!! "
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skosena wrote on Dec 19, 2008 3:02 PM:
The thing I love about the U.S. is that we are free and all are equal. These fine citizens became our fellow Americans legally....according to the provisions in our constitution...
I wish them blessings here in the U.S.A. "