August 18, 2008
"I'm free, I'm free."
To this day, my father will still tell you that the day he took the oath to become a US Citizen was the proudest day of his life. And, the beauty of it is that he never taken his citizenship lightly, aware of the fact that along with all his freedoms and rights as an American, comes responsibility. My old man has has voted in every single election since he swore allegiance to his adopted country.
Dad, like the majority of Cuban-Americans, pretty much is the model citizen in many ways. Here are a couple more:
There are so many special stories that make us all stop and think about what it means to be an American, and that's especially true for those who have known life without the freedoms we often take for granted.One couple came here after escaping from a country that'’s about a hundred miles away on the map, but light years away politically.
Friday was the day Olga Alveres has been waiting on for decades.
"So happy. So happy."
The native Cuban is now a naturalized U.S. Citizen. Her husband, Roberto, took the same oath last year. A huge moment for anyone, but for a man who escaped from Cuba after spending six years as a political prisoner, being an American family means everything.
Roberto Alveres says, "In this country if you work, nothing's impossible."
Celia Bright with University of Tennessee says, "In the 50's we were full of optimism in Cuba. We thought that Fidel Castro would bring about democracy for our country."
The speaker addressing the new citizens has literally been where Roberto and Olga have been. University of Tennessee lecturer Celia Bright left Cuba with her mother when she was eight years old. Her writings as a young child led to government accusations that her family was counter-revolutionary.
Bright says, "It was soon evident, after the revolution of 1959, that the political situation had deteriorated and personal freedoms were curtailed to the point that people feared for their lives and for the futures of their children."
Via Instapundit.
Posted by Val Prieto at August 18, 2008 09:37 AM
Comments
Val your father is the perfect example of why this country is so great. God bless him.
Posted by: River Rat ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.babalublog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 18, 2008 10:15 AM
Even though Cuban Americans are model citizens who love this country dearly, castro's propaganda has been so powerful that--with the help of the mainstream media--- he has managed to portray us to the American masses as anti-Americans and ingrates who don't love the USA. The mainstream media is always saying that we hold Washington and American foreign foreign policy on Cuba hostage to the detriment of the American people who would benefit if we lifted the embargo, that we are denying agriculturalists in the midwest an opportunity to make money. During the Elian crisis, I remember reading about a poll that claimed that Cuban Americans were the most hated ethnic group in this country, because we didn't "follow the rule of law," and we waved Cuban flags and we were "rioters."
castro has been able to turn black into white and white into black. Ironic that he has turned--in the eyes of many Americans--Cuban Americans into a hated minority.
Posted by: Ray at August 18, 2008 10:28 AM
Although my father wasn't Cuban (he was Guatemalteco), I can remember the day he became a citizen and how happy he was! He would wear that "I'm an American" sticker with him for DAYSSSSS!! I hate hearing stereotypes of how Latinos (and Cubans since some Cubans don't like to identify themselves as "Latinos") just come here to take advantage of the system. My father came here to give his sons the opportunities not avaliable elsewhere. He never once applied for welfare, SSI, or any other government-assisted programs.
Although my parents didn't go through the same ordeals the Cubans did (we did have a 30 + year civil war against leftists assisted by Castro though) it's the fact of how my father's reaction of being a citizen makes me proud to be an American!
Posted by: j2tharome at August 18, 2008 11:22 AM
My 94 year old mom has also voted responsibly since the day she proudly became an American citizen. She's also never missed watching a World Series... but that's not important right now. =D
Posted by: Marta at August 18, 2008 02:33 PM
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