#180: dual citizenship:Carey responds to Bellegarde-Smith comments

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Henry F. Chip Carey <polhfc@langate.gsu.edu>

 I respectfully disagree with several of Patrick's points from two months 
 ago. First, the US does recognize dual citizenship, since the Supreme 
 Court decision permitting multiple passports.  Secondly,his definition 
 of being American (of the USA, not the hemisphere) ignores the US 
 tradition of civic nationalism, that distinguishes this country from 
 most, which holds that everyone is an American who is a citizen, and is 
 entitled to equal rights.  Haitian-born Americans would not be able to 
 protest the treatment of Abner Louima, and he would not have standing in 
 his civil suit. Yes, Haitian-born Americans have a distinct culture, but 
 to be an American citizen means to have legal rights all the same.  
 Third, Haitian-born Americans have become a political force. US foreign 
 policy has been heavily influenced by many Americans from Haiti, who 
 were not born here.  Had it not been for the influence of 
 Haitian-Americans on Bill Clinton, Aristide would never have been 
 restored to power.  Finally, the President of Guyana is not a right-wing 
 American in a right-wing state.

 The moral of the story is that the social and the legal are inter-twined 
with political consequences.

******************
Henry F. (Chip) Carey
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA 30303
tel: 404-651-4845
fax: 404-651-1434