Letter to the editor: Citizenship should mean self-respect

To the editor:

This is in response to the Jan. 15 letter regarding the SAVE Act and how the writer believes it to be a smokescreen.

It is sad that many Americans believe their fellow citizens to be so dense. The argument that the SAVE act requires “additional roadblocks” (but that noncitizen voting basically does not exist) affirms their belief that many Americans are simply too stupid to “obtain” (or apparently to safely store) documents to prove their citizenship. Well, my great-grandfather came over from Italy in the early 20th century with nothing. He was most likely illiterate and never spoke great English and he worked in the coal mines and as a farmer to support his family. And despite the number of social welfare programs then vs. now, guess what? He held a Certificate of Citizenship, which I now display on my wall.

Let’s be real; if you want to be a citizen, are proud to be an American and want to be able to show proof of it in order to vote, you will obtain and hold dear such proof. It is time to stop disrespecting and dumbing down others. Responsibility brings self-respect.

Julie Gorenc,

Baldwin City