Posted on 09/18/2003 9:38:43 AM PDT by bedolido
IMMIGRANT RESEARCH
Poor language skills and pride in national origin are two reasons why nearly eight million foreign residents eligible for U.S. citizenship have not applied, according to a study released Wednesday.
Mexicans and Canadians are among the nationalities least likely to apply for citizenship, the report by the Washington-based Urban Institute found. Historically, there have been millions of immigrants with green cards who have not sought citizenship for various reasons, but this is the first time a study has focused on the issue.
''Despite rising naturalization rates, the pool of legal immigrants eligible to naturalize remains strikingly large,'' the study said.
OFFICE CREATED
To encourage more applications, the Bush administration this week announced the creation of the Office of Citizenship.
Eduardo Aguirre, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said in a recent interview with The Herald that his goal is to eventually naturalize one million new citizens per year. In 2002, about 573,000 foreigners became citizens.
''We share many of the same concerns in the Urban Institute brief,'' said Dan Kane, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Typically, surges in naturalization applications follow changes in federal immigration law. A record 1.4 million applications were submitted in 1997, a year after Congress tightened immigration laws. Applications soared again after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks when more restrictions were introduced.
OTHER REASONS
Other reasons that dissuade foreigners from seeking citizenship are fear of rejection and for some Canadians and Mexicans proximity to their homeland.
Of the 7.9 million eligible foreign residents, 2.3 million are from Mexico, according to the report. The report did not include a breakdown for Canadians.
The rate of Mexicans seeking citizenship has climbed from 19 percent in 1995 to 34 percent in 2001, the report said.
The number of Canadians seeking citizenship has remained at about 50 percent in recent years.
''Canadians are more likely than Mexicans to naturalize, but less likely than others to naturalize,'' said Jeffrey S. Passel, demographer and principal research associate at the Urban Institute. By comparison, the percentage of Asian nationals seeking citizenship is about 67 percent.
Foreign nationals seeking asylum or fleeing from dictatorship were among the most likely to want to become American, Passel said. Seventy three percent of Cubans seek citizenship, he said.
I would never move to a foreign land and expect Japan to adapt to my culture, I see no reason why anyone should expect that from America, either.
You are wrong again. Our nation was specially blessed by God. I suggest you read G. Washington's inaugural address to get an insight. Apparently, you have little knowledge about the PROVIDENCE that guided our nation from settlement to nationhood. I recommend you do some reading.
Prove that. The FF were religious men, but to argue that God spoke to them and specifically blessed this nation? That's not only hubristic, but also blasphemous. I don't know of any portion of the Bible tha blesses the USA.
You have already shown your ignorance of the bible, so why do you keep trying to make points on a subject in which you are at a severe disadvantage? The bible says again and again that God blesses and protects those who TRUST HIM. Don't you know that is what faith is about? It's about TRUSTING GOD. How many verses you need to prove it? And again, read Washington's inaugural address! Read the Mayflower Compact. Read Ben Franklin's (a deist?) call to prayer at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Read Patrick Henry's Give me Liberty or Give me Death speech. Read about the 1st session of the Continental Congress in September 1774 - which opened with 3 HOURS! of prayer. Read the Declaration of Independence pal! It says and I quote, "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. " It's clear that the founders relied and believed in God's protection and guiding Invisible Hand in all of their affairs. That is what REAL FAITH is about pal. They believed that God was responsible for their victory in the Revolutionary War. No doubt about it. So, once again, you are wrong, wrong, wrong.
I suggest you stop making ignorant assertions and start reading the writings of the founding fathers. YOu may just learn a thing or two. I'm really getting tired of your ignorant assertions.
Yes, the FF were religious, but so were their British opponents and American Loyalists enemies. European monarchies used to believe in the divine right of kings to rule. The fact of the matter is, the Revolutionaries were fighting an enemy that was just as Christian and had as much faith in God as they did, or do you think the British in the 18th century were atheists? The Revolutionary war was about very real-world things: self-rule, freedom from a distant monarch etc. etc. It was not about establishing God's kingdom on this earth.
The faith of the FF served to guide them in their darkest hour, which is what religion does. However, their accomplishments in the Revolutionary War were the result of not only their faith in God, but faith in their cause. The FF established this country through the usual means: determination, ambition, perseverence, courage and intelligence.
I just gave you at least 5 instances of where the FF claimed that PROVIDENCE (that would be God) guided their successes and protected them. Why don't you try reading them. It refutes your position. Get that thru your head. If you want to call the FF blasphemous, then you do it on your own authority, and not the authority of scripture.
Yes, the FF were religious, but so were their British opponents and American Loyalists enemies. European monarchies used to believe in the divine right of kings to rule. The fact of the matter is, the Revolutionaries were fighting an enemy that was just as Christian and had as much faith in God as they did, or do you think the British in the 18th century were atheists? The Revolutionary war was about very real-world things: self-rule, freedom from a distant monarch etc. etc. It was not about establishing God's kingdom on this earth.
So what if England had a Christian flavor? Were they just as Christian? No, otherwise the Pilgrims and Puritians would not have left. Was George III a godly man? People Besides, you are arguing a fallacy. Just because the British were Christian in some sense in no way takes away from the FACT that the Americans WON the Revolutionary War and attributed it to Divine Providence. There is ZERO doubt of that. Zero.
The faith of the FF served to guide them in their darkest hour, which is what religion does. However, their accomplishments in the Revolutionary War were the result of not only their faith in God, but faith in their cause. The FF established this country through the usual means: determination, ambition, perseverence, courage and intelligence.
How does this statement take away from what I said? Teh FF believed that God won the victory for them. Unlike you, they put more faith in GOD than their own abilities. The cause was seemingly hopeless in 1775 - they were up against the most powerful nation on earth. How did they do it? If you ask them, GOD did it! And the references I gave you prove that they believed that. You cannot refute that. It's a F-A-C-T. Got it?
Typical secular-humanist reasoning... God did it, and the FF said God did it. You may disagree with the FF that God did it, but you cannot deny that the FF believed that God did it. I gave you 6 references that prove that is what they believed. It is irrefutable. Try reading the references I gave.
Not at all. The FF were free to believe whatever they wanted, as are you, that doesn't make their beliefs fact. I can claim that Providence is responsible for the good things in my life, too.
So what if England had a Christian flavor? Were they just as Christian. No, otherwise the Pilgrims and Puritians would not have left
How do you define "as Christian"? What made England any less Christian than the American colonists? In my view, as an Eastern Orthodox Christian, any Christian sect that came about after the Orthodox Church (whether it be Catholics or Protestants) got Christianity at least slightly wrong (and, in the case of a lot of American Protestants, really wrong) because they broke from the Church as established by the Apostles. Each Christian sect considers itself to be the correct one. The Pilgrims and Puritans left England because they didn't like what was going on, politically and religiously. That doesn't mean they were right, or any more Christian than the country they just left.
How did they do it? If you ask them, GOD did it! And the references I gave you prove that they believed that. You cannot refute that. It's a F-A-C-T. Got it?
It's a fact that they believed God was responsible for their victory- it's not a fact that God was responsible for their victory. The only thing you have to base that on is religious belief, which is fine, but that's not fact.
I don't care what YOU believe - that's a non-issue to me. The FF believed it! Period. You can believe whatever you want, just don't try to tell me that the FF didn't believe it.
How do you define "as Christian"? What made England any less Christian than the American colonists? In my view, as an Eastern Orthodox Christian, any Christian sect that came about after the Orthodox Church (whether it be Catholics or Protestants) got Christianity at least slightly wrong (and, in the case of a lot of American Protestants, really wrong) because they broke from the Church as established by the Apostles. Each Christian sect considers itself to be the correct one. The Pilgrims and Puritans left England because they didn't like what was going on, politically and religiously. That doesn't mean they were right, or any more Christian than the country they just left.
Well, the U.S. was formed by calvinists - get it? The REFORMATION - heard of that? I don't care what your opinion is about the Reformation as it compares to other forms of Christianity - you are not qualified to even have an educated opinion on these matters. The pilgrims and puritians were clearly PERSECUTED in England by the State Church - that is one of the most primary reasons for the 1st amendment of the Constitution - experiences with the State Church in England. Again, you keep discussing these issues but you do not have a good understanding of them. I deal with historical facts, I am not interested in your opinions of Christianity or protestants or which church is the best church, and the Founding Fathers wouldnt' care what you thought either.
I have no doubt the FF believed they were being guided by God. Their belief, however, does not equal fact.
Well, the U.S. was formed by calvinists - get it? The REFORMATION - heard of that? I don't care what your opinion is about the Reformation as it compares to other forms of Christianity - you are not qualified to even have an educated opinion on these matters
Oh, I'm quite familiar with the Reformation- I just don't believe in its ideals like you do. I'm not qualified to have an educated opinion on these matters? And you are qualified to make that determination how? Question for you- where'd you go to college? Bob Jones? You certainly seem to subscribe to their ideology.
And, BTW, Maryland was founded by Catholics. The US is not a Calvinist nation. Catholics make up the largest religious group- 33%. If anything, the US is now a Catholic nation. Does that bother you?
I am not interested in your opinions of Christianity or protestants or which church is the best church, and the Founding Fathers wouldnt' care what you thought either.
Yawn... The Founding Fathers are dead now. They laid out the general basis of the American system. Wherever we choose to take it now is up to us.
Since you have no evidence that it isn't a fact, you can't prove it isn't. One thing is certain - they overcame imposisble odds - victory was a miracle.
And, BTW, Maryland was founded by Catholics. The US is not a Calvinist nation. Catholics make up the largest religious group- 33%. If anything, the US is now a Catholic nation. Does that bother you?
The founders were protestants - there may have been a handful of catholics among the founders, but the overriding influence was Protestant/calvinist. It's just too bad if you don't like that fact. This nation was settled by calvinists (pilgrims/puritians) and calvinists had the biggest influence on our founders. If it had been catholics who founded this country, the POPE would have ruled and there would have been no Republic. Catholicism was not conducive to Freedom. Our govt was based upon a dual system of internal and external government. Internal in the sense that the pilgrims/puritans were "self-governing" christians - ruled from the inside by Christ. The Pope would never allow that! And the external side is of course the government that was formed. If one cannot restrain evil from the inside, then evil will be restrained by force. This idea of self-governance is central to our Constitution, because without Virtue, the founders warned that the Constitution was worthless in the hands of immoral or amoral leaders (as we see it being ripped to pieces today!)
Yawn... The Founding Fathers are dead now. They laid out the general basis of the American system. Wherever we choose to take it now is up to us.
Yeah, that's what the liberal fascist activist judges say as they reinvent the Constitution according to their atheist worldview! You fit right in.
The vast majority of founders were protestant (Church of England is protestant and many were calvinist) - our heritage is calvinist (pilgrims/puritans). Yes, there were a handful of catholics - most from Maryland.
FACT: 52 of 56 who registered at the Constitutional convention listed membership in churches.
FACT: Pilgrims/Puritans were calvinist and they established a FIRM traditon in America, the principles of which were adopted into our government, e.g. self-governance (freedom in Christ, priesthood of all believers), depravity of mankind.
FACT: 27 of the 56 signers of the Delcaration of Independence had seminary degrees from Harvard, Yale (puritan seminaries), or Princeton (Presbyterian - New Jersey College) or European seminaries. Pretty good for a bunch of atheists or deists!
FACT: James Madison attended Princeton - was meantored by Rev.Dr. John Witherspoon (signer of Constitution, member of Congress)
I could just keep rattling off the facts if you like. By the way, I put very little credence in websites, many are liberal and revisionist. I rely on original primary sources, not secondary revisionist sources.
You would be hard-pressed to name more than one deist among the founders. In fact, let me clue you in on some more facts:
At most, only 12 of 250 founders were not Christians (e.g. Franklin, Jefferson, Richard henry Lee, Thomas Paine, Ethan Allen, etc.) I've named 5, but I don't think you even know enough about the founders to name even one more non-Christian.
FACT: American bible society was started by John Langdon and C.C. Pinckney. Still going today. FACT: Baltimore bible society started by founders.
FACT: American Tract society started by founders. So much for keeping their faith private.
FACT: First english bible printed by Congress in 1782 - Aitken bible
FACT: Charles Thompson (signer) - english translation of bible.
FACT: Francis Hopkinson (signer) - published a hymnbook of psalms
FACT: Benjamin Rush - formed First bible society in America FACT: Jefferson attended church every Sunday - guess where? - in the chambers of congress! Didn't he know about separation of church and state? FACT: Thomas McKean (signer) - preached gospel to condemned prisoner in his courtroom.
Someone should have told the founders about SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, heh? hahaha.
Now, name me some deists and be prepared to provide evidence for your claim. Otherwise, admit that you are ignorant on the topic.
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