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My entire life, mom has been an immigrant with a green card. Years ago, she tried and failed three times to become a citizen. Because of her accent, or because her English wasn't good enough, she was told. She stopped caring about it over the years, but she worked, paid taxes.
2020 was a renewal year for her green card. We'd gone through this in 2010 and it was fairly routine. But suddenly she wanted to try for her citizenship again. Why? Because she wanted to vote. She was sick of not having a voice.
On September 22nd, in the year of our pandemic 2020, she finally did it. She became a US citizen. Today, she's registering to vote, and on November third, she will speak her political voice for the first time in her life.
Congrats, mom. Proud of you.
Don't take your voice for granted, America. Some wait their entire lives for the opportunity to be heard, if it even comes.
Don't take your voice for granted, America. Some wait their entire lives for the opportunity to be heard, if it even comes.
I have to update this thread for posterity. When talking to mom this past weekend we went into more depth about the process and I learned something new.
Growing up, mom could not read/write English AT ALL, as English is her 2nd language. Turns out for the past year she has been learning to read VIA PHONE with her best friend in Indiana. They estimate she can now read at the 4th grade level.
On top of that, I guess the day you pass your test is not the day you typically take the oath. But mom's friend was only in town a few days, and mom wanted her to be there. The test administrator, observing mom's angst, went and talked to their supervisor and...
...they administered the oath right then, just for mom. I gotta say, that makes the whole thing a bit more special.
What's more romantic than your government working for you on your very first day as a citizen?
What's more romantic than your government working for you on your very first day as a citizen?
Well, here's what's more romantic... her friend that's been helping her through all this? Is of the opposite political party as mom. She's been helping mom all this time, knowing that she was effectively canceling out her own vote. Now that's friendship. And integrity.
OH, lest we forget what this was all about, mom is now registered to vote in the state of Pennsylvania and is very very eager to cast her first ever ballot in less than two weeks.
