Mailbag:

Editor’s note: The following are in response to “World View: Thankful to be here,” Nov. 27.

Welcome to the U.S.! I have proudly said this to several people who have become American citizens. Afterward I always think of some of the lyrics like “’Cause the flag still stands for freedom, and they can’t take that away” in Lee Greenwood’s song “Proud to be an American.” I don’t feel the same after reading your article. I think of the people I have met in my travels who would give up everything to become a U.S. citizen. You are here legally, but your ongoing wavering to becoming a citizen and comments such as the following leaves me believing your allegiance is elsewhere: “I also hesitated because I knew that, by becoming a naturalized citizen, I’d have to renounce my allegiance as a national of three other countries: Britain, France and Sri Lanka. I was afraid that by becoming just another Yank, I’d erase my international-ness.”

Just another Yank? I am sorry that your salary is nothing to write home about and our traditionally bland holiday turkey dinner had to be replaced by something else.

You stated: “But it was a fellow global citizen, President Barack Obama, who inspired me to apply for citizenship … the president and I have much in common, such as spending part of our boyhoods in Indonesia, though separately.”

Prior to you becoming a citizen, you were both “fellow global citizen”(s), but taking advantage of living within the freedom and liberty of the U.S. The president has chosen not to wear the American flag lapel pin and you decided to not wave the American flag, both as symbols that the majority of us would die for.

When I read, “I fought back the reflex to wave my little flag, as the room erupted into a flurry of red, white and blue,” I cannot avoid thinking about Obama deciding to not wear the flag and demeaning the office of president by gratuitously bowing to various leaders of other countries.

Lastly, “I decided to become a citizen because I wanted to have the right to vote. I’ll register as a Democrat and vote for his re-election in 2012.” You should wait and judge his performance to see if he is really worthy of your vote.

Larry Courter

Costa Mesa

You don’t really understand us

Your article is certainly reaffirming to those who believe we are too lax in our immigration laws. Or perhaps you meant to demean and insult your fellow citizens on a “global” basis; if so, you have succeeded. However, the sad part is that you also disappointed many of us who feel an international perspective is needed to help our country maneuver through the “sharks” that would like to see us destroyed.

You show a total lack of understanding of our history and culture. It is perhaps understandable that you have even found our Thanksgiving turkey “bland” when compared to your Moroccan couscous — but then who did your cooking? Furthermore, you show your lack of insight when you declare that you will vote for President Obama in 2012 when he has served less than a year in office. Well, lemmings are strange but predictable.

Ray Garcia