I walked into the stuffy authorities room. Rows of plastic chairs had been lined up in entrance of the rostrum. The fluorescent workplace lights flickered. A modest American flag hung within the nook, its stripes folded throughout its stars. As I walked as much as the registration desk, a receptionist jotted down my identify and, giving me a rolled-up paper flag, advised me to have a seat.

Right here on this room, one hand holding a crimson, white and blue sheet of paper taped to a barbecue skewer, the opposite positioned flippantly on my chest, I grew to become a citizen of the USA.

A lady in a go well with came to visit to take my inexperienced card and data sheet. I by no means acquired both again. She then proceeded to name every particular person within the room (there have been about 40 of us) to signal papers.

After 4 hours of what may solely be described as ceremonial sitting, a distinguished trying gentleman walked as much as the rostrum, requested us to lift our proper palms, and recite every a part of the naturalization oath after him.

I used to be following alongside fairly properly till he stated,

“that I’ll bear arms on behalf of the USA when required by legislation; that I’ll carry out work of ­nationwide significance beneath civilian ­route when required by legislation.”

I shouldn’t have been shocked once I heard this; residents are topic to the draft, in fact, however nobody had ever talked about the draft. In any case, changing into a citizen was a time of congratulations, of celebration, not of obligation. It was about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, proper? Nobody ever highlighted the “bear arms” half.

However the draft part was a part of the oath. And what number of different little obligations had I agreed to do by signing that paper? What number of different elements had I not learn carefully sufficient? What had I signed up for in changing into a citizen of the nation I had lived in? In Chinese language, the USA is known as “mei guo,” or “lovely land.” Nowhere in such an outline was there any point out of the draft: the one issues I heard had been the rustles of the amber waves of grain and ringing of freedom.

Irrespective of how logical it appeared, how a lot sense it made in context, I couldn’t Help however balk for a second. I listened carefully for his subsequent line:

“and that I take this obligation freely with none psychological reservation or function of evasion; so Help me God.”

Awkward.

We then recited the Pledge of Allegiance (most of which I had hassle remembering). Then individuals clapped. Households hugged. After the entire affair, although, I didn’t really feel completely different. I didn’t out of the blue really feel patriotic. I didn’t need to kiss the bottom or wave my new flag. The fact is, I didn’t really feel any extra American leaving that room than once I entered.

Don’t get me incorrect, I don’t remorse it one bit. Had you given me a selection between changing into a citizen or a Chinese language immigrant dwelling in America, I’d select the States each time (God is aware of what China makes you promise of their naturalization speech.). However for the primary time I needed to contemplate that duties got here with the rights I had so keenly signed up for: duties that each citizen of a nation ought to do, from jury obligation to voting.

I notice now that I didn’t really feel ­completely different just because I used to be not completely different. I already had loads of expertise being American. I used to be American a month after I got here right here on the age of 5. I used to be already ­American once I entered kindergarten. I used to be destined to be American the minute my dad and mom determined that they’d increase me right here. I didn’t assimilate by signing any papers or waving any flags: I did it by dwelling right here and respiratory right here.

Abruptly the obligations within the naturalization oath didn’t appear so scary: I didn’t out of the blue join a bunch of latest duties. I dedicated to them the minute I made a decision to stay right here. All I did was put it on paper.

I understood then what it meant to be a U.S. citizen. We weren’t right here to be proud and patriotic, bathing within the so-called glory of our newly discovered liberties. We acquired these liberties after we got here to America, not now. We grew to become residents to claim our allegiance to the world we had already lived in for therefore a few years.

And as a citizen, we ought to be ­excited to vote, excited to serve on a jury. I’m not excited to bear arms, however I actually perceive what it means to guard and protect the liberties that I had taken without any consideration for all these years. To change into a citizen is to not be patriotic or flaunt the American tradition. It’s to point out respect for and belief within the authorities we stay in. Whether or not somebody was born right here or stepped off a aircraft like me, that ­respect is identical.

Via that definition, I can now safely say that I take the duty freely, with none psychological reservation or function of evasion. So Help me God.