OPINION:
Billy Idol, U.K.-born rocker of the ’80’s, became a U.S. citizen this week — holding a tiny American flag as he took the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance.
Holding the American flag. Swearing allegiance to America.
Caravan-ers, are you paying attention?
“About a dozen members of migrant caravan arrested for trying to illegally cross U.S. border, source says,” Fox News reported, in a headline.
The story went on to say how a small group was arrested by Playas de Tijuana and a larger one, near Otay Mesa in San Diego.
“Why caravan migrants wave Honduran flags and burn tires in front of U.S. embassy,” ran one American Thinker headline in October.
“Mark Krikorian on Caravan: ’If You’re An Illegal Alien Trying To Get Sympathy From Americans, Demanding To Be Let In And Waving Foreign Flags Is Not The Way To Do It,’” ran another headline from WMAL, from May.
And from a Fox News op-ed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich just a few weeks ago: “If you think ’invade’ is too strong a word, watch this video of the caravan tearing down fences separating Guatemala and Mexico while waving the Honduran flag (the country these people no doubt plan to claim asylum from). How is this not an invasion?”
Again, back to Idol.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services tweeted out a photograph of the 62-year-old raising his right hand to take the oath while holding tight a small American flag with his left, and smiling after he receives his citizenship paperwork.
“It’s a nice day for a naturalization ceremony,” the USCIS tweeted, in a play on one of Idol’s biggest hits, “White Wedding.”
These caravaners could learn a thing or two here.
It’s not that Americans are against foreigners coming to this country and becoming citizens. It’s that Americans don’t like their borders stormed and infiltrated by people from other nations, waving foreign flags, demanding access to this country and this country’s many benefits — as if they’re owed.
More than 1,500 have just arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border, where roughly 6,000 American troops called to duty by President Donald Trump stand ready to assist and keep law and order. The migrant sympathizers in the media and on the ideological left of the political world have been expressing shock at the razor-edged wire that U.S. officials have strung along the border to keep out the would-be illegal crossers.
But why?
Fact is, Americans are a generous bunch — a compassionate bunch — a charity-doling bunch.
It’s just hard to feel compassion for foreigners who scream and scramble to illegally cross U.S. borders — while you’ve got a 62-year-old guy like Idol willing to make the effort to go the legal route, while holding the American flag.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.
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