Conversations, speech and observations.

Before my Naturalization and Oath ceremony a member of DAR was walking around asking us all individually where we were from.  The gentleman next to me, Eli, was from Israel and this is how the conversation went.

Ms. DAR:  So where are you from?

Eli:  Israel

Ms. DAR:  Oh, I just got back from your country and found it incredibly disturbing.

Eli:  Disturbing?  In what way Ma'am?

Ms. DAR:  The whole Israeli Palestinian thing you have going on.

Eli: Oh

(Eli slumps back in his seat and Ms. DAR moves on to her next victim in her red cheesecloth Mumu and slippers ~ not kidding on the slippers!)

Me:  Eli, I am so sorry.  Unfortunately even though we are about to become American Citizens we will always be seen as an Israeli and South African.

Eli:  But why today?  Why when we are about to take an oath and give up all allegiance to the country that raised us?  Why would she be so negative?

Me:  Ignorance

Ms. DAR was the speaker and in her speech she progressed to tell us (all 170 of us swearing in) that in America we speak English and that English is the only language of America.

Really!!  Uh Ms. DAR do you not know that in order for all 170 of us reaching this stage we had to pass a test of proficiency in English?  We all know that English is the spoken language in America, we may be immigrants, but we are not ignorant.  Oh and by the way Ms. DAR how many languages do you speak?  I am fluent in two and Eli, yes that man you made feel horrible, is fluent in FIVE!!

Sometimes one needs to really take a lesson and KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.

Ms. DAR had her group hand us all brochures about the American Flag.  When I was handed mine I was advised that I need to read this as this is how we take care of the flag.

Okay?  If you are going to hand out material about the American Flag maybe you should have taken the time to read it.  I am trying to find my pictures that my husband took of the stage as the American Flag was posted INCORRECTLY!!  My friend, Bob (retired Air Force Colonel) who was at my ceremony, went and told the usher that the flag was posted incorrectly.  The stage manager went down and changed it, but when the little Girl Scout posted the Colors, she did it incorrectly.  Don't you think this would be something you would make sure you got right at a Naturalization and Oath Ceremony?

I need to check my material that DAR's peeps handed out, maybe it wasn't in English.