ALBA FARFAGLIA, San Clemente
Have you ever been to a swearing-in ceremony for United States citizenship? You will see people, children, adults, the elderly, place their hand on their heart and swear allegiance to the United States of America.
They come from all over the world. They come in all shapes and sizes, all colors, all creeds. They have chosen to be Americans, and as Americans, they are afforded all rights and freedoms guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.
Believe me, if you’ve been to one of these ceremonies and witness the tears of joy, it will be hard not to tear up yourself. Unlike the rest of us who were born here and take America for granted and complain about everything under the sun, they chose and love America.
The ancestors of all Americans, except Native Americans who were here before Leif Erikson and Columbus, came from somewhere else. To say that San Clemente is a “White European-American city” is laughable. Nothing could be further from the truth.
California was under Mexican rule from 1821, when Mexico gained its independence from Spain, until 1848. That’s why the names of cities and streets all over the state are in Spanish.
Having worked for Immigration for 20 years, I am a witness that immigrants are an asset. They bring richness and diversity to this country. E pluribus unum (out of many, one). That is our motto, and that is what makes America a great country.
