“That’s 3,000 people I won’t ever call “My Countrymen”, and 3,000 runaways we can live without.”
It’s usually a little more complicated than that. I am an Israeli, born in Israel, grew up in Israel, served in the IDF, who happened to have two parents who also had USA citizenship, making me pretty much an accidental citizen of the USA.
Should I have paid taxes to the USA for my services in the IDF, prior to ever stepping foot here? I didn’t and won’t.
Now, I am currently working in the USA, teaching USA pilots how to use certain military hardware. I happily pay USA income taxes (and don’t pay Israeli taxes, which doesn’t require me to).
When I go home? Forget American taxes.
That's the way it ought to be. But, once you start doing that with US' policies, you've essentially closed the door behind you.
You're fortunate to have choices. Most of us don't.
You identify yourself first and foremost as an Israeli.
These are people that were BORN American, for the most part, and deserted. You weren’t born here, they were.
It’s a completely different situation.
I could care less about the taxes part. I care more about people who stay and are willing to do whatever it takes to right the wrongs HERE, than I do about someone who was “ready to throw up” over renouncing something that other people DIED to obtain.
We’re better off without them.
Glad you’re here. Rather wish you’d self-identified as an American first, but either way, glad you’re here. I have a dear friend who is ex-Israeli Airborne, born there, fought there, but is now a US citizen. One of the toughest dudes I ever met.
Well said.