Wife got citizenship, announced she wanted divorce the next day?

[akdiver 3]

Good to see you back AK. Congratulations on the citizenship.

Thanks (:

Here are the comments I sent out to some friends regarding the ceremony events:

Well, she had her citizenship ceremony today. Here is the short synopsis:

• disorganization, for quite some time
• "welcome all" bullshit
• patriotic bullshit about how wonder america is, including singing two songs
• oath, swearing you will become a slave to the government of the U.S., as required by law
• more patriotic bullshit, including pledge of allegiance to the flag
• more patriotic bullshit about voting and serving on a jury
• finally, the handing out of the certificates
• closing bullshit

Was there from about 9:30am until about 12:00pm over all. The more patriotic bullshit I heard, the more my blood boiled and my disgust grew. I did NOT participate in the "pledge of allegiance" - I can no longer do so with even a hint of sincerity. I felt really bad for my wife when she had to swear an oath to become a slave in the service of the U.S. government, should it deem it desirable for her to do so. At the end of the ceremony, I approached the (U.S. District Court) judge and asked him, "So, 17th Amendment - keep or repeal, what do you think?" He said he doesn't offer opinions on such things. Gutless coward. I guess that's about it....other than that obtaining US Citzenship was obviously very meaningful to many of the participants, for us (and a few others), it was more like, "yeah, yeah, yeah, just give me the paper so I can get my passport."

As for divorce, it actually happens more times then you think. The divorce is filed the day after the citizenship ceremony. For many petitioners this is the last step before they get paid the full amount for their services in "helping" someone come to the US. In other cases the wife completes her journey in moving up in the world for herself and her kids.

I'm not surprised. It's like anything else - a means to an end. I can understand that. When you look at what government does and how it operates, the behavior of individuals outside of government really should come as no big surprise.

In other news - just got e-mail from the passport office that her U.S. passport has been processed and is on its way, and should be here soon. If it shows up when estimated, that will be a total of three weeks between when we dropped the app in the mail and when we got the document back in the mail - so that's 3 weeks, including transit time both ways. Not too bad really.

Cheers!

AKD

Edited August 17, 2009 by akdiver

[BluesTraveler 0]

17th Amendment sucks!

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

akdiver is still fooling people.

[baron555 934]

Why bother with the Passport if you hate your country so much?

[eekee 182]

Why bother with the Passport if you hate your country so much?

So they can go other places.

Edited August 18, 2009 by eekee

[Jamaican JNR 2]

Has this ever happened to anyone? Just curious.

Hasn't happened to me. She did get citizenship recently, and we sent off for her U.S. passport, but we're still happily married. Coming up on our fourth wedding anniversary (less than a month). My, does time fly!

Cheers!

AKD

I have heard of situations like what you ask over this medium (VJ). Happy anniversary when it comes.

[baron555 934]

Why bother with the Passport if you hate your country so much?

So they can go other places.

But you don't need a passport to leave.

[slim 1,525]

I'm firmly in the camp of RUB forum having ZERO mods. This should be a mod-free zone. We don't need 'em!

Akdiver, welcome back and when I read the topic and saw it was you, of course, it was read cum grano salis. I would like to see more of your posts though. The bank robbery story still takes the cake and is securely holding onto the "best VJ hoax ever." That was a nice relief from the monotony of waiting on a K-1 so keep that kind of stuff going.

And also, stop by here more often. It's been kind of boring around here. We're doing our best but guns and pie only gets us so far. Congrats on getting over the final hurdle and have fun diving on the mrs.

[mox 298]

Why bother with the Passport if you hate your country so much?

I can't speak for AK, but I don't think it's hate. I too have gotten sick and tired of all the patriotic and misty-eyed bullshit that masks as patriotism. Take for example those clowns disrupting town hall meetings, ranting and raving, and then "spontaneously" breaking into the pledge of allegiance. How shameful, and how exactly opposite from patriotism. I'm not a religious person, but I prefer to practice my patriotism like I'd prefer people to practice their religion...on the inside. I don't have a problem with the pledge as long as it's voluntary, and not sure why AK does (I don't see it as professing "slavery") but I understand the sentiment. Patriotism has been hijacked in this country by extremists, to the point where almost any formalized display leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

The "love it or leave it" argument being hinted at by baron555 is, by the way, a fallacy. I could easily turn that argument back on anyone who criticizes the country or government. Don't like health care reform? Get the hell out then. Don't like the PATRIOT act? Move to Switzerland you commie #######. What's this, criticizing the government because they're taking their sweet time in processing your K1? I guess you don't want America to be protected from foreign enemies, you should just buy a one-way ticket to Moscow. "Love it or leave it" is a lazy argument, sorry.

(I'm really trying to liven things up for you Slim. I'm really trying!)

I'm firmly in the camp of RUB forum having ZERO mods. This should be a mod-free zone. We don't need 'em!

I don't mind someone calling in a mod for trollish or stalkish behavior, that's what the report button is for. I'm sure the mod in question was called in using the report button, but I also don't think it would have taken long to figure out the OP was having a laugh. I'm told the original subject line was the clencher and was changed by the mod (anyone know what the original subject was?), but I guess it just seemed pretty damn obvious to me that there was no ill intent. If the mods don't have time to read, then they need more mods. Kinda pisses me off though that it's likely chased AK away again.

[baron555 934]

Mox, I hope you know that I do not advocate the toe the line, love it or leave it attitude.

I too do not like everything that goes on in my country and I will use my amendment rights to the fullest extent.

I did not know AK was well known here or I wouldn't have commented thusly.

[mox 298]

Mox, I hope you know that I do not advocate the toe the line, love it or leave it attitude.

I too do not like everything that goes on in my country and I will use my amendment rights to the fullest extent.

I did not know AK was well known here or I wouldn't have commented thusly.

Ah, I misunderstood, sorry. No worries.

[visaveteran 1]

Why bother with the Passport if you hate your country so much?

I can't speak for AK, but I don't think it's hate. I too have gotten sick and tired of all the patriotic and misty-eyed bullshit that masks as patriotism. Take for example those clowns disrupting town hall meetings, ranting and raving, and then "spontaneously" breaking into the pledge of allegiance. How shameful, and how exactly opposite from patriotism. I'm not a religious person, but I prefer to practice my patriotism like I'd prefer people to practice their religion...on the inside. I don't have a problem with the pledge as long as it's voluntary, and not sure why AK does (I don't see it as professing "slavery") but I understand the sentiment. Patriotism has been hijacked in this country by extremists, to the point where almost any formalized display leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

The "love it or leave it" argument being hinted at by baron555 is, by the way, a fallacy. I could easily turn that argument back on anyone who criticizes the country or government. Don't like health care reform? Get the hell out then. Don't like the PATRIOT act? Move to Switzerland you commie #######. What's this, criticizing the government because they're taking their sweet time in processing your K1? I guess you don't want America to be protected from foreign enemies, you should just buy a one-way ticket to Moscow. "Love it or leave it" is a lazy argument, sorry.

(I'm really trying to liven things up for you Slim. I'm really trying!)

I'm firmly in the camp of RUB forum having ZERO mods. This should be a mod-free zone. We don't need 'em!

I don't mind someone calling in a mod for trollish or stalkish behavior, that's what the report button is for. I'm sure the mod in question was called in using the report button, but I also don't think it would have taken long to figure out the OP was having a laugh. I'm told the original subject line was the clencher and was changed by the mod (anyone know what the original subject was?), but I guess it just seemed pretty damn obvious to me that there was no ill intent. If the mods don't have time to read, then they need more mods. Kinda pisses me off though that it's likely chased AK away again.

Mox wrote: "I'm not a religious person, but I prefer to practice my patriotism like I'd prefer people to practice their religion...on the inside."

Good thought...perhaps you could extend it to also cover your one-dimensional pontificating and stale left-wing talking points speeches.

Maybe I'm not as hip and cool as the California folks but I still salute the flag, get goose bumps listening to a good rendition of The Star Spangled Banner, and refuse to curse my own country.

The left-wing town meeting crashers of the past turned me off too, but I won't label them idiots or shameful or devalue them as Americans. Cherry picking criticism of only certain groups while blessing other groups for the same behavior is the worst kind of hypocrisy, as well demonstrated by Madam Speaker Pelosi.

[Otto 83]

[mox 298]

Happy birthday slim.

Mox wrote: "I'm not a religious person, but I prefer to practice my patriotism like I'd prefer people to practice their religion...on the inside."

Good thought...perhaps you could extend it to also cover your one-dimensional pontificating and stale left-wing talking points speeches.

Now where would the fun in that be?

Maybe I'm not as hip and cool as the California folks but I still salute the flag, get goose bumps listening to a good rendition of The Star Spangled Banner, and refuse to curse my own country.

Care to clarify? What exactly is "cursing your own country?" Like, "#### the goddamned Rocky Mountains! Just #### 'em!"? Seems like "protecting America from the Californy libtards" and "cursing your own country" depends highly on who's doing the cursing.

Y'know who else got goose bumps listening to his national anthem? Stalin. That f*cker was patriotic as hell.

(that last bit was just some good ol' fashioned American chain-yanking by the way. Laugh, it's good for you.)

I too get misty-eyed when listening to our National Anthem. But if I didn't, would that devalue my worth as a real American? I mean seriously, ####### does it matter? There are a lot of German patriots. Mexican patriots. Canadian, Polish, South African, hell probably even a few Pitcairn patriots out there who have nothing more to be proud of than the fact that a bunch of English dudes scored big time with their great grandmothers. And yet it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that they may be happy or unhappy with certain aspects about their country. Because a lot of people understand that you can't love your country unconditionally like some 2 year old loves his mother. You have to love your country in a critical and sometimes offensive-to-others way, like an adult. That's how a country sustains greatness.

The left-wing town meeting crashers of the past turned me off too, but I won't label them idiots or shameful or devalue them as Americans. Cherry picking criticism of only certain groups while blessing other groups for the same behavior is the worst kind of hypocrisy, as well demonstrated by Madam Speaker Pelosi.

It's unfortunate that this is what passes for dialogue. I agree that the left-wing town hall crashers were just as bad as the right-wing town hall crashers. If you're in a searchy kind of mood, there's even a post from me floating around somewhere (I think in OT) a few years back criticizing the (if memory serves) MoveOn.org idiots for exactly that behavior. And so I'm thinking "wow, vv is making some really good sense, despite the fact that we disagree deeply about certain things." And then you've gotta throw in the "as well demonstrated by Madam Speaker Pelosi," and it pretty much all goes to hell. Because for every Madam Speaker Pelosi, there's a Mister Speaker Gingrich.

[akdiver 3]

Why bother with the Passport if you hate your country so much?

Not sure where I said anything about hating any country - but the reason for getting the passport is to make international travel easier, in comparison to traveling on a Russian Federation passport.

Cheers!

AKD