July 4th through an immigrant’s eye

The Fourth of July for any American citizen is a wondrous thing; and for a naturalized citizen, particularly those celebrating their first 4^th of July, the emotions on this most patriotic of days can be overwhelming.

The fireworks of course are magical- even if they are little more than sparklers illuminating a modest courtyard. Imagine a second-hand grill, serving up hamburgers, which suddenly becomes as mouth-watering as any 5-star restaurant. Music is in the air and a proud American flag decorating the table, adding a bit of color but a lot of spirit. 

{mosads}These trappings of the Fourth of July may be little more than traditional stage dressing for most of us; but for those citizens who only recently took the oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States, this holiday means we are no longer observers, but genuine, duly sworn participants in a holiday that celebrates the birth of our adopted country. To a newly naturalized citizen, all of these traditions become as precious as any family treasure. But unlike an old photo that fades through generations, American citizenship and our shared Fourth of July celebrations will only strengthen with each passing year.

Ironically, unless you were born abroad, it is difficult to truly appreciate how America is still viewed as the last refuge for those seeking personal freedom and unlimited opportunity.  Far from the popular image of naïve, unsophisticated immigrants, many new citizens arrive fully aware that our nation has its faults.  They realize that democracy does not guarantee success, and success sometimes arrives through blind luck rather than hard work. But waiting for the knock of opportunity is a welcome change to those who grew up fearful of a midnight knock on the door – or a neighbor’s whispered accusation. Even in nations where a semblance of democracy is practiced, many people come here fleeing not religious or ethnic persecution, but escaping dangerous crime cartels or the grinding poverty that turns dreams into dust. America has been, and remains, a land of unimagined freedom, and the world hopes it always remains that way.

Those who are born into in the United States can often lose sight of the extraordinary privilege they have, and that this privilege, like the flame of a candle, only burns brighter when magnified in numbers. With this in mind, it’s easy to see how the transformation of the individual immigrant into a naturalized citizen can easily become lost on Capitol Hill. The partisan rhetoric surrounding immigration turns these fellow Americans, with their dreams of freedom, into mere numbers. But such impressive numbers: the approximately 500,000 citizens who are naturalized each year typically, statistics suggest, reflects a significant portion of our nation’s small business entrepreneurs (18 percent according to the Small Business Administration) and a number of them grow into powerful job creating corporations. One such company is NJK Holding, which I founded in 1980 while I was still learning to navigate the tough Minneapolis winters after years in England and my native Iran.

Job creators and skilled foreign workers will always be welcomed, but also buried within the pages of our history books are the names of those who arrived here and helped transform our nation in imaginative ways that capture the spirit of America – from Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla to Irving Berlin and Arnold Schwarzenegger. These men and women found success in their opportunity to create their own identity and to manifest their own futures. They are not only great Americans, but they are great individuals.  Congress occasionally adds to that list by designating a handful of individuals “Honorary Citizens of the U.S.,” including Winston Churchill, Mother Teresa, Raoul Wallenberg, and the Marquis de Lafayette for it is recognized that holding American citizenship is an honor unlike any other.

And it is also why so many new Americans choose to take the oath of citizenship through tears of pride on the day that best celebrates our personal and collective freedom, the Fourth of July.

Kazeminy is the chairman of The National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations  (NECO).