From: mlibucha@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Mark A Libucha)
Subject: Re: Re: IFCSS NR-4042:  Senator Gorton's Speech on S1216
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 03:03:24 GMT

In article <1992Oct5.210420.21400@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> mzhao@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Min Zhao) writes:
>In article <1992Oct5.182352.18129@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> mlibucha@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Mark A Libucha) writes:
>>
>>I think Eddie has it right. There's no shame in seeking U.S. citizenship, but
>>when you do it by taking advantage of others' sacrifices, that's pretty bad.
>>Just because Eddie is in the minority doesn't mean he's wrong. He's just
>>making you look bad because he's not going along with your little game. Mark
>>my words, if you get U.S. citizenship thru this bill, the day will come
>>when you will *deny* you did so. It will be a shameful thing to admit, and 
>>everybody will say they got their citizenship some other way. 
>>
>>Mark
>>
> 
>   Well, Mark, speaking for myself, I will not deny it because I don't have to
>deny it:  Like many who support the bill, I don't need the bill. 
>   And Mark, don't be so right or feel so right that people will be so ashamed
>as to not admitting how they get their PR status(not citizenship, btw) .  
>There is NOTHING to be ashamed of if they take advantage of the bill. They 
>worked hard on it, they used every possible means to achieve it, legal by 
>the existing laws, moral by their own standards and conscience.  Being 
>presumtious doesn't mean you are right. It's in your mind that these people 
>should be ashamed, but they don't.  They instead should feel proud, proud of
>what they can do, proud of the opportunities they earned for themselves and
>others, proud of the open mind they have. And I tell you Mark, people like 
>Eddie should not feel ashamed either if he took advantage of the sacrifices
>many other people made before him, in China or in America, 20 some years ago
>during the cultural revolution or 100 years ago during the railroad era. Mark,
>I hope you understand, that because of yesterday's and today's sacrifice and
>efforts, we are able to enjoy today's opportunities. We ought to appreciate
>it by making good use of the opportunities, not by scorning at it.  Mark,
>you didn't accuse yourself because you used your parents's hard earned money
>through sweat and blood to pay for your college, did you ? (this may not apply
>to you, you may  have earned your own way through, or whatever you may argue),
>The way you pay back your parents for their sweat and blood should be to 
>do well and achieve the most you can, not to be ashamed yourself. I am sure 
>many people have similar experiences like mine, one way or the other. When I
>think of the sacrifices my parents made for me, the time when we could not even
>have a stable place to live, the time when I could not be admitted into school,
>the time when I left for college while my mother was so ill, the time when
>my parents write me or talk to me about how lonely they are, when I think of
>all those sacrifices my parents made for me I want to cry, but I am not ashamed
>myself because they have sacrificed for me, or because I am now much better 
>off. Have you read the story in one of the issues of the Hua Xia Wen Zai last
>month about the sacrifice of mother  going blind to save $5 for her son to have
>his operation in school ?  The son didn't feel ashamed, instead he was more
>determined, determined to get well, determinded to do his best.
>    I tell you Mark, NO, we WILL NOT and SHALL NOT feel ashamed to take 
>advantage of sacrifices and efforts our parents, our brothers and sisters
>and many many others made before us, including the blood and tears of the 6.4
>victims.  We will appreciate, respect and honor their sacrifices by achieving
>the most we can.  If we don't take advantage, there will be no progress, you
>and I will not be here to argue.
>
>    We need to be helpful, we need to be constructive.  We don't need to be
>cynical and scornful. 
>
>
>Regards
>Joe
>
>
>

A lot of people sacrifice for a lot of different things, but their 
sacrifices should be irrelevant for decisions we make. For instance, in
the 1860's a lot of brave and well-meaning young Americans sacrificed
their lives for my right to own Africans as slaves. If the South had won
the Civil War would that have meant that I *had* *to* own slaves in order
to show the proper attitude to those that sacrificed for my benefit?

And I hate to have to be the one to tell you this, but the people who died
in Tiananmen Square did not have your U.S. citizenship uppermost in their
minds. Even if everyone in China could get U.S. citizenship, that wouldn't
solve the problems they were addressing. Those people wanted to do something
about fixing China. They didn't want to find a way to run away from China.

And did you know that when you get a green card, you must do so with the
intention of becoming a U.S. citizen? A green card is not a permanent
residency card. If you say to immigration, I want to get a green but I
don't ever want to become a citizen, you don't get a green card.

Mark
Newsgroups: talk.politics.china