Posted on 12/05/2008 8:35:50 PM PST by JGA2Z
In short:
a natural born citizen would be one who, by operation of nature (descent) was born American, regardless of birthplace;
a citizen would be one who, by operation of positive law, was deemed an American at birth, regardless of parents citizenship; and
a naturalized citizen who, by operation of positive law and volition, becomes an American sometime subsequent to birth.
That's a good argument and the best definition I've ever heard argued concerning natural born citizen. The next step is convincing a few key judges. I haven't read any decisions that would rate as precedence agreeing with you, but there's always a first time.
“Everything beyond that is made up by man and, thus, is not by operation of nature, but by operation of law.”
Exactly so. That’s what rules us: the law of men, not the law of God. Determining who is a citizen is not a matter for theologists, as you say, but neither is it a matter for common sense.
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