Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2006 | Domingo Arau’s letter concerning citizenship guarantees under the 14th amendment to “Territorial Filipinos” is the most intelligent and accurate commentary on the effects of that amendment that I’ve read in a long time. He gets it exactly right, which is more than I can say for the many ignorant stumblebums in office at all levels- including the deeply annoying Brian Bilbray-who don’t seem to have enough control of the English language to understand plainly what the amendment says.
Persons subject to US jurisdiction are to be treated (effectively) as US citizens whether they are Indians, Filipinos, Mexicans caught at the border or inmates at Gitmo. Failure to do so is a failure of American ideals, a crime against the Constitution, and as Julian Bond once said, “a sin against the flag.”