Many of the people in our military are not U.S. citizens or even here legally. Many of them are dying in Iraq. DP
By TIM CHAVEZ
Tennessean.com: Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta came to America to go to high school. He didn't get his green card for legal status until the day before he joined the Marines.
Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez at 16 fled the violence and poverty of Guatemala for the security and promise in this nation.
Cpl. Jose Garibay followed his parents from Mexico for a better life.
Monday, these three Marines — including Peralta who cradled a grenade to his body to save five of his comrades caught in a Fallujah insurgent safe house — will be honored along with all this nation's war dead.
And they will hold a special place in hearts and minds because they died for the United States of America without the distinction of being citizens of this nation. They were provided their citizenship posthumously.
One does not have to be a U.S. citizen to fight for this nation. Despite the growing unpopularity of the Iraq War, San Antonio military recruitment offices still have the largest increases in young people signing up to serve.
How many Americans born in this nation would step forward now to serve?
Most won't even vote.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
2 comments:
I have heard flack given to the government for allowing illegals into the military. I think that its a fair way for them to earn their green card visa. They want it, we need them, so let them earn it. Maybe they will earn some respect from their detractors in the mean time.
I have to agree with Mike on this one. I can think of few more mutually beneficial ways for an immigrant to earn a green card visa than by contributing to the armed forces of the nation. A couple of years of service for an unconditional green card is a very fair deal to me.
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