Citizen by Birth; Citizen by Choice

According to my younger sister, 50 years ago today my mother became a United States citizen.

I remember a few years ago when the spouse of a co-worker became a US citizen. I really thought that it was such a cool thing to choose to be a citizen of the US of A.

It seems that it has become popular to trash the United States and her ideals. I'm not talking about other countries trashing her; I'm talking about citizens of the US trashing her. I'm talking about celebrities that are so puffed up with their opinions that they think it matters to the rest of us if they leave the country if they don't get their way. I'm talking about people that show their opposition to war by being hateful to the military personnel that dutifully serve our country. I'm talking about the people that use their freedom of speech to attack the very country that gives them that right.

What if each of us--the citizens by birth--had to take a test to keep our citizenship active? (Here you can take a sample test.)

What if each of us had to take an oath of loyalty to remain citizens of the US?

If we could choose our country of citizenship, would you choose to live in the country of your current residence? (I know not of my readers are residents of the USA.)
And having chosen your country of citizenship (and passed the required tests), would you then choose to defend it?
Choose to promote it?
Choose to contribute to its well being?
Choose to make it a better place for all of its citizens?
Choose to quit trashing it?

I'm not opposed to criticism; we can be better than we are. But it makes me cringe to hear people talk like this is a bad place to live or like we're embarrassed of who we are.

I am a US Citizen by birth.
I am a US Citizen by choice.
I am a US Citizen and pretty darned proud of it!

Thanks, Mom, for the choice you made 50 years ago!

John <><