True American Independence: What It Takes To Become A Citizen

The process by which one obtains that "little" card use to be an easy road as far as testing, according to some. Sure, the paperwork had to be filed in triplicate and the line waits, frustrating. But are they ready for the changes in the test?

Controversy always seems to orbit the subject of immigration, with advocates claiming the processes involved in Naturalization are too difficult, contributing to the massive numbers of illegal immigrants permeating American borders. With Independence day fast approaching, American flags will begin flying proudly as a symbolic reminder of the freedoms shared by our country and the protection provided by such a great power: the freedom to move from state to state (or out of the country) if one isn't happy with certain laws; the freedom to express publicly the opinions and beliefs held, whether religious, environmental, political or lifestyle, without fear of being tortured, killed and thrown into a public trench as a warning to other citizens; the freedom to drink alcohol or own a Bible if one so desires; the freedom to not fly the flag and to express one's disgust towards their government. Becoming an American is something that most citizens of this country are born into, never giving a thought about the who's or what's that go into it. We suckle at the teet of our "parental unit", obtain an education as required by law and then wander down the path of intended purpose. Those becoming citizens through Naturalization, however, must learn our processes and test for their right to be labeled "American" and rightly so, although some complain that it is too difficult. The Times reported in September of last year how the testing questions were changing for the first time in nearly 20 years and would-be Americans would now have to pass a more challenging test in order to obtain legal status. According to the report, historians raved about the test being more American oriented in content in that it focused on factual history.

Several historians said the new questions successfully incorporated more ideas about the workings of American democracy and better touched upon the diversity of the groups — including women, American Indians and African-Americans — who have influenced the country’s history.

In contrast to the previously "trivial pursuit" type test that immigrants could pass without reviewing and studying, the new test which will begin being implemented October, 2008 will require those seeking to become Americans to study and pass. General Citizenship and Testing requirements:

Pass Civics exam

Pass English proficiency exam in both speaking and writing

Pass oral History exam of 6 out of 10 questions randomly selected

No criminal record

Live permanently in United States for 5 consecutive years as legal immigrants (3 if married to a citizen of the United States)

Good moral character

Fees to become a citizen have also risen dramatically in recent years, therefore making it more challenging to become an American Citizen. "Serious applicants need only apply" might be considered as part of the future process as well. See MSN.com for a sample of the test. How well would "you" do?