I went through hell for about 27 years so I could become a naturalized American citizen yesterday. I for once thought that I would be carried away in an ambulance since I am pretty weak, an emotional guy who cries when a poor dog is killed, none the less to feel that one day I was about to be deported from this great country, and next day I was raising my right hand to take the oath of allegiance to become a naturalized citizen of my now country. But after being next to a guy from Turkey who seemed to be bored, as if he was sent to hear a sentence before a judge, I felt somehow at peace, though a little bit emotional, some debris felt in my eye which made me cry a little bit. 
I can’t call myself a winner in the economic sense. I never made any money as a seller over the sentiments of naïve or unsuspected people who’d trust me only to see them being back stabbed by my greedy actions. No, I rather lived my life broke than laying down on the bed at night arguing with my conscience about why I did anything.
So, yesterday, July 21, 2016 I raised my hand to pledge alliance to this country and leave behind any love for any other king or type of government. My eyes got somehow a little bit wet, I am sentimental, noble, though strong to accept destiny not without any fighting. 10 years ago, I was told that I had to fight my case in an immigration court. Some of you have read parts of my story, my sister dying of cancer and promising “miracles” and whatnot. I can tell you, miracles exist, and I am one of them through the deeds of others, starting with my resting in peace sister, God bless her heart.
I was saved by the bell. An application I submitted in 1991 was found. Allegedly hundreds if not thousands of Guatemalans got their applications misplaced or lost in transit, name the negligence, it happened. I was one of them and by doing a research of what documents to present to fight my case I found them. I got to see the asylum officers one more time and I won my case not without waiting for another 2 years to be vindicated in immigration court. 5 years later after becoming a legal resident of this country I became a naturalized citizen.
During the ceremony, out of nowhere Mike Honda was invited to talk to us. I really said to myself that here we go, another politician to make a statement about the usual. Was I wrong…He told us about the diversity, the multiple races, ethnicities and nationalities that have made this country so great. Of course, we were told of how he had to put aside the anger for have been an internment camp tenant during the second world war.
What stroke me the most is that he said something like this: “I am here to congratulate you for becoming a citizen of the USA. I know some of you came from far away places, some waited too long, some a very short time, but I can’t lie to you, I don’t know, I can’t feel what you are feeling because I was born here so I can’t feel what you are feeling now”.
And, that is the main point of my topic. Most of people I know, seem to go around, living, breathing, b…t ching about most everything, including the presence of illegals or any other person they don’t like. But, very deep, they ignore, they can’t feel the urgency of what many people like me have had for many years, where having money is nothing if we are not called “Americans”.
I compare that sentiment to a rich kid born with the silver spoon in his mouth. Poverty, lack of anything are feelings they will never feel. Being a millionaire, pales in comparison to be called an American, or a naturalized citizen of the United States of America. Like one of those dirty politicians out there, I can assure you, and not lie to you, that becoming an American citizen is wonderful, incredible, amazing.
I achieved 2 American dreams already. One is to be a homeowner, we found the home of our dreams, the second is to be an American. Any other third, or fourth dream to achieve is welcome.
I think somebody once said in Latin: Veni, Vidi, Vici.
Yes guys, there’s more than calling yourself an American. There it is, the efforts of millions like your great grandparents to overcome racism, economic reasons, injustice, death, in order to come here, behave as any decent people to achieve their goals of belonging to the greatest country on earth. Anybody not believing that, is pretty welcome, invited to take the place of those seeking the American dream.
One thing though.