That's fascinating. I didn't know non-citizens could serve in the U.S. military. Four percent is more than 80,000 people, if my math is correct, since a check online reveals that more than 2 million people are serving in the U.S. military. Add in civilian workers and it's almost 3 million.
None of the military including the most senior officers, sure Benedict Arnold but also Washington himself, were citizens of the United States before the Articles or maybe the Constitution. And even aside from the enlisted men who for a very long time have used service as a passageway to citizenship, our various military branches have relied on non-citizens as guides, interpreters, and more. Think of the French trapper and his child-wife Sacagawea who found the path for the Corp of Discovery, Indian scouts, and the interpreters of Afghanistan and Iraq. From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli.
I should note that I have family members, both immediate and extended, who have served for the US military in Afghanistan and Iraq, running the spectrum citizenship status from naturalized citizen to people with various residency status to non-citizen. Many of them served far longer than the ordinary deployment to a war zone of a year or 18 months. I don’t even know how long my brother served, maybe 8 years (?), finally evacuated maybe in late July of 2021 with some forces of a service that I never asked because he couldn’t tell me. All I know is the plane landed at a civilian airport in DC and they left the airport without going through customs.
I was unaware that there were non-citizens serving - wouldnt they be given citizenship after serving a certain amount of time? Certainly makes sense to me!
But then - currently we have no idea exactly how far this crew will go. Too bad there arent limits to that - well, or penalties for breaking the law for people with too much "power".
Will, if you are interested the following link will take you to requirements to join the U.S. military. https://www.usa.gov/military-requirements. If you look further, you will find what positions non-citizens severing in the military can hold.
"the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, and tenement halls..." We don't have to dig too deep to see that what underlies all of this political nonsense is hate, fear and belligerence, stirred up to achieve an end.
I served from 1988 to 1991 active duty. I met so many people who were non citizens during my time in. These are people who some had crossed to get here. They were from the Philippines, Guam, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Names like Zapata, Salazar, Mafnas, Rosario, and then this little guy from upstate NY who burned if I was in the sun too long. Hell we had a kid in Virginia Ft Belvoir,who had a Russian slavik surname.
The conversations I've had with people then to even now on this issue. The simple fact is these were people who had your back. They were married families and such. Just wanted to be here in the land of plenty.
More willing to do something about it than our current incoming former President.
Your story about the writing on the wall in New Orleans immediately reminded me of the Simon & Garfunkle song from the 1960s titled "A Poem on the Underground Wall." Here's the URL for that song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEEQWPfjv1U
Sometimes I think the last decade has been a reaction against the 1960s liberation movements. At other times I think it's a look back to correct some things - if we get this right and Trump and the oligarchs are held to account - which will be a correction away from the classism, the sneering at working people that crept back in and turned hippies to yuppies after the 1973 oil crisis. The full-on greed came in with Reagan and his war on the working class as evidenced by his sacking of PATCO.
Regarding the latest Chapman Museum opening, I hope it mentions Alphonso's across from The Great Escape then, now taken over by Johnny Rocket. My grandfather took us one night every year - all his kids and we grandchildren - for a feast. And it was a feast. The place was always packed.
Thanks, Ken, as always for your work. Today the peaceful, respectful, determined resistance to oligarchy begins.
I attended the March on Saturday in Glens Falls and braved the cold and wind. It was good to be with so many like-minded, accepting people. The crown size paled in comparison to the Women's March of 2016 and I wonder if it is resignation, exhaustion or maybe it was just too cold out.
I did no such thing. I get my information from the Board of elections website. And I take offense at your accusation. I have no intention of picking a fight with anyone on this site.
It was a privilege to participate in our hometown downtown Women’s March on Saturday morning…to see, hear, and feel the unity of peaceful purpose…which was well worth the shivers from a biting wind chill. And to witness the age span of those who chose to contribute to a sense of community… and to learn of all the counties represented within our large crowd as we stood and listened to the speakers on the steps of our beloved Crandall Library for almost an hour.
The use of a bullhorn magnified the messages of each messenger, affirming our reality-based fears, yet fortifying the need for “micro-feminism”…a force we can still exercise within our personal and professional relationships if running for elected office is beyond our scope of possibilities. Continuing to attend peaceful protests…contributing to candidate campaigns on local/state levels which align with our individual and collective perseverance to preserve women’s healthcare rights, and All human rights… writing letters to members of all political parties to not-so-subliminally suggest that women’s votes have always and will continue to make a difference…as our lifespan still exceeds that of men by several years!
I too realized I am not prepared for what starts today. But we must keep in mind that it’s not the first time this land has known hatred and violent oppression. We need to resist, persist, endure and strengthen what is good.
I understand your enjoyment of the Times Picayune. I live in the Orlando, FL area, Mount Dora to be exact, and have a subscription to the Orlando Sentinel which I greatly appreciate. I love a good newspaper.
Thanks again for the news and many reflections from Bourbon Street. Great reads on the Planet Fitness treadmill this morning. It was a bit slippery getting here today.
What happens to us and others in life is important. But just as important, if not more so sometimes, is what we do with what happens to us after it happens.
The MLKJr celebration at Christ Church on Sunday was once again a fantastic event. Our area youth are amazing! They instill in me a deepened hope for the future
Well, up here it will be -7 degrees tonight, a little chillier. I appreciate your focus on the words on the wall, especially with MLK jr in mind. The nessage is clear, strong and steadfast, as we have to be. Stay warm!
It is time for men and women of decency who love this country and share a vision of justice to fight for our vision. It seems an endless fight, one that for many of us who came of age in the '60s and are now growing old have been fighting all our lives in one way or another. It may be a losing battle. The wealthy and powerful and their handmaidens, exercising power, will never give up willingly. But history's struggle for justice never ends.
If an Elon Musk is a citizen, there is no reason why everyone living in this country except the most egregious criminals, should be granted citizenship.
That's fascinating. I didn't know non-citizens could serve in the U.S. military. Four percent is more than 80,000 people, if my math is correct, since a check online reveals that more than 2 million people are serving in the U.S. military. Add in civilian workers and it's almost 3 million.
None of the military including the most senior officers, sure Benedict Arnold but also Washington himself, were citizens of the United States before the Articles or maybe the Constitution. And even aside from the enlisted men who for a very long time have used service as a passageway to citizenship, our various military branches have relied on non-citizens as guides, interpreters, and more. Think of the French trapper and his child-wife Sacagawea who found the path for the Corp of Discovery, Indian scouts, and the interpreters of Afghanistan and Iraq. From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli.
I should note that I have family members, both immediate and extended, who have served for the US military in Afghanistan and Iraq, running the spectrum citizenship status from naturalized citizen to people with various residency status to non-citizen. Many of them served far longer than the ordinary deployment to a war zone of a year or 18 months. I don’t even know how long my brother served, maybe 8 years (?), finally evacuated maybe in late July of 2021 with some forces of a service that I never asked because he couldn’t tell me. All I know is the plane landed at a civilian airport in DC and they left the airport without going through customs.
I was unaware that there were non-citizens serving - wouldnt they be given citizenship after serving a certain amount of time? Certainly makes sense to me!
But then - currently we have no idea exactly how far this crew will go. Too bad there arent limits to that - well, or penalties for breaking the law for people with too much "power".
More to the point: not only 'serving' but dedicating their lives.. and perhaps giving their life... to the protection of our democracy... then
When their job is done: "ethenic slur GO HOME."
Will, if you are interested the following link will take you to requirements to join the U.S. military. https://www.usa.gov/military-requirements. If you look further, you will find what positions non-citizens severing in the military can hold.
awwww you think you made a funny
greg p you should know better because ben a pa at a base makes you a pa at a base
nothing more
nothing inteligentf
"the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls, and tenement halls..." We don't have to dig too deep to see that what underlies all of this political nonsense is hate, fear and belligerence, stirred up to achieve an end.
great use of Simon and Garfunkel
I served from 1988 to 1991 active duty. I met so many people who were non citizens during my time in. These are people who some had crossed to get here. They were from the Philippines, Guam, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Names like Zapata, Salazar, Mafnas, Rosario, and then this little guy from upstate NY who burned if I was in the sun too long. Hell we had a kid in Virginia Ft Belvoir,who had a Russian slavik surname.
The conversations I've had with people then to even now on this issue. The simple fact is these were people who had your back. They were married families and such. Just wanted to be here in the land of plenty.
More willing to do something about it than our current incoming former President.
He's the worst of what we are.
Resist the hate.
Be real be kind and be light is all I can say.
An appropriate and timely post for this day. “The question is not what you look at, but what you see.” - Henry David Thoreau.
Your story about the writing on the wall in New Orleans immediately reminded me of the Simon & Garfunkle song from the 1960s titled "A Poem on the Underground Wall." Here's the URL for that song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEEQWPfjv1U
Sometimes I think the last decade has been a reaction against the 1960s liberation movements. At other times I think it's a look back to correct some things - if we get this right and Trump and the oligarchs are held to account - which will be a correction away from the classism, the sneering at working people that crept back in and turned hippies to yuppies after the 1973 oil crisis. The full-on greed came in with Reagan and his war on the working class as evidenced by his sacking of PATCO.
Regarding the latest Chapman Museum opening, I hope it mentions Alphonso's across from The Great Escape then, now taken over by Johnny Rocket. My grandfather took us one night every year - all his kids and we grandchildren - for a feast. And it was a feast. The place was always packed.
Thanks, Ken, as always for your work. Today the peaceful, respectful, determined resistance to oligarchy begins.
I attended the March on Saturday in Glens Falls and braved the cold and wind. It was good to be with so many like-minded, accepting people. The crown size paled in comparison to the Women's March of 2016 and I wonder if it is resignation, exhaustion or maybe it was just too cold out.
I believe Trump won Warren County and it wasn't just the menfolk who voted for him. I also thought the crowd was smaller than 2016.
I did no such thing. I get my information from the Board of elections website. And I take offense at your accusation. I have no intention of picking a fight with anyone on this site.
It was a privilege to participate in our hometown downtown Women’s March on Saturday morning…to see, hear, and feel the unity of peaceful purpose…which was well worth the shivers from a biting wind chill. And to witness the age span of those who chose to contribute to a sense of community… and to learn of all the counties represented within our large crowd as we stood and listened to the speakers on the steps of our beloved Crandall Library for almost an hour.
The use of a bullhorn magnified the messages of each messenger, affirming our reality-based fears, yet fortifying the need for “micro-feminism”…a force we can still exercise within our personal and professional relationships if running for elected office is beyond our scope of possibilities. Continuing to attend peaceful protests…contributing to candidate campaigns on local/state levels which align with our individual and collective perseverance to preserve women’s healthcare rights, and All human rights… writing letters to members of all political parties to not-so-subliminally suggest that women’s votes have always and will continue to make a difference…as our lifespan still exceeds that of men by several years!
The March was very inspirational. Men and women showed up. It was cold, but the message was warm. 😊
I too realized I am not prepared for what starts today. But we must keep in mind that it’s not the first time this land has known hatred and violent oppression. We need to resist, persist, endure and strengthen what is good.
My word to live by in 2025 is "RESIST". We have only 1,460 days till we inaugurate a new president. God help the United States of America.
From your lips to God's ears, because President for Life is not out of the question with this one.
Hopefully, we inaugurate a new president....
I understand your enjoyment of the Times Picayune. I live in the Orlando, FL area, Mount Dora to be exact, and have a subscription to the Orlando Sentinel which I greatly appreciate. I love a good newspaper.
Thanks again for the news and many reflections from Bourbon Street. Great reads on the Planet Fitness treadmill this morning. It was a bit slippery getting here today.
What happens to us and others in life is important. But just as important, if not more so sometimes, is what we do with what happens to us after it happens.
The MLKJr celebration at Christ Church on Sunday was once again a fantastic event. Our area youth are amazing! They instill in me a deepened hope for the future
It was a brisk 30 degrees here this morning and the forecast is for 3 to 5 inches of snow in New Orleans on Tuesday. That should be interesting.
Well, up here it will be -7 degrees tonight, a little chillier. I appreciate your focus on the words on the wall, especially with MLK jr in mind. The nessage is clear, strong and steadfast, as we have to be. Stay warm!
North Country Earth Action stands up, speaks out, and will keep taking action!
Diane Collins
Zonta stands up, speaks out, and will keep taking action!
Diane Collins
ARIC Adirondack Regional Immigration Collaborative stands up, speaks out, and will keep taking action!
Diane Collins
It is time for men and women of decency who love this country and share a vision of justice to fight for our vision. It seems an endless fight, one that for many of us who came of age in the '60s and are now growing old have been fighting all our lives in one way or another. It may be a losing battle. The wealthy and powerful and their handmaidens, exercising power, will never give up willingly. But history's struggle for justice never ends.
If an Elon Musk is a citizen, there is no reason why everyone living in this country except the most egregious criminals, should be granted citizenship.
don't forget that melania was here illegally
then used chain migration to bring her family here