Because We Can, I think I Might

I have resisted adjusting my status and applying for United States citizenship for a long time and for many different reasons. But yesterday, something finally happened that tipped the balance in favor of my doing just that and applying to become an United States citizen.

We got up at 05:30 AM here in Auckland, and shuffled down to the living room, brewed some tea, and sat on the sofa under a blanket and watched the beginning of something amazing. A new dawn? A new era? Whatever it ends up becoming, the events of yesterday in Washington, D.C., were historic and emotionally powerful.

Barack Obama has done something that we all thought was un-doable, I think. Whether we said it out loud or not, I think that most of us honestly never thought that there would ever be an African-American President take the oath of office in the freezing cold on the steps of the Capitol.

I have never felt engaged by American politics. I have felt confused and bewildered at what I saw as a sad lack of attention to the screaming problems that face the minority communities. The injustices and the apparent desire to just continue with the status quo and not address them made me feel that the American people were squandering their legacy. But, I think that has changed now. I hope it has changed now. I pray it has changed now.

I think I would like to part of that change. I believe that I have contributed in an unofficial capacity as a resident alien, almost like being a volunteer with Doctors Without Borders or something similar.

I don't think it will be an easy process, particularly with my now taking time outside the United States here in New Zealand. But from what I can see I meet the requirements. I also took the step of obtaining an I-131, which is an Immigration Department document which gives me official permission to be outside the United States for an extended period of time without abandoning my Permanent Residency.

So, I'll keep you up to date on developments as they come to hand. I think the first step is to contact a lawyer and see what they think...