No change

Re “Who can be president,” editorial, Dec. 16

I am a German-Jewish refugee to the United States, and I disagree with your position on amending our Constitution to allow foreign-born persons to become president.

Everyone has a certain amount of affinity for their native land -- some more than others. This kinship could become a problem in foreign policy decisions of a foreign-born president.

What if President Franklin D. Roosevelt had been born in Germany, or President Harry S. Truman had been born in Japan? How about the mixed emotions of an Israeli Jew or an Iranian-born president entering into foreign policy decisions concerning the Middle East?

These are just a few examples of what is wrong with your position.

The framers of the Constitution wanted total allegiance to our country by a native-born president, and the only way to maintain it is by keeping the native-born clause.

Ernest Salomon

Santa Barbara