Why the double standard? Why the hipocracy? Why the predjudice?

It's none of the above. The United States takes the attitude that
citizenship comes with residence, not bloodline. Britain (and I think
most European countries) take the opposite view.

The child of two Americans, born overseas, does not automatically have
American citizenship. He must spend three? years in the U.S. before
his 21st? birthday in order to nail it down.

Europeans would find this bizzare. I am an Irish citizen, with an
Irish passport, because my father was born in Ireland. It doesn't
matter that I was born in Massachusetts.

Since the U.S. is a nation of immigrants, we accept foreigners in our
armed forces and even allow their military service to speed the
citizenship process. When I was in the army, a "Lodge Act enlistee"
was a foreigner serving a five-year enlistment. He got his citizenship
along with his discharge papers. This was especially popular (for both
sides) with men from Eastern Europe, who were valued for their
language skills.

Today there was a photo on the internet of a protest demanding rights
for illegal immigrants: BEING HUMAN IS NOT ILLEGAL, or words to that
effect. Europeans would think this is nutty. I think it is nutty. But
it is very American. Basically, if you can get here, no matter how you
arrived, you can demand your rights, including the right to join the
army.



all the best -- Dan Ford
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