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Remembering
what he said decades ago vs. what he did later, and
what we added to the debate
Thursday,
February 14, 2008
By Tewroh-Wehtoe Sungbeh
In the early 1980s, I met a Liberian who had just arrived in the
United States with a scholarship to study at a major
university. Like his peers that came after him, the
young man didn’t have to worry about his immigration
status, nor did he have to work hard to subsidize his
own living arrangements and school fees. However,
within the short period of time he was privileged to
live in America, he had a lot to say about those
Liberians he encountered and saw as ‘foolish’,
whom, according to him cannot show anything for the
length of time they lived in America.
“What can you guys show for being in this
country,” he asked. “And by the way, do you think
you guys can contribute your quota to the development
of Liberia?” I remembered his using of the word
“quota” because it is often used interchangeably
with ‘contribute’ and ‘development of Liberia’
by some of my brothers and sisters to make a patriotic
point, or to be sarcastic to other Liberians whom they
believe wholeheartedly are wasting their time in this
country, while their own country suffers because of
the obvious lack of brainpower to steer it into
prosperity.
When I asked him whether he was prepared to
return home upon the completion of his studies, he
answered with a resounding ‘yes,’ and went on and
on with a monologue-like response: “Because this is
not my country, I will not marry any American woman
for paper to live here because I don’t need paper. I
love sweet Liberia, I will return there, and that’s
where I will died and be buried one day.”
That conversation took place over two
decades ago. That was then, this is now, and guess
what? The fellow, (or, like Liberians like to say),
the "foolish man" is still here. He never
completed his studies, he hasn’t returned to Liberia,
not even for vacation; he bought a home, got married
to an American woman for his paper, later became a
naturalized U.S. citizen, and might even end up dying
here. And guess what? He might even be buried here
also.
The fellow sounded almost exactly the way some of
us spoke prior to the civil war but to a different
crowd and a different environment, when we lived in
the comfort of our own country believing naively at
the time we would never travel out of Liberia.
We were too naïve, childish, blindly
patriotic and arrogant, and even took our foolish
conversations to foreigners, who were minding their
own business at the time not paying us any attention.
We would tell those people to go back to wherever they
came from because “this is my country, I was born
here, and I will died here.”
That same loose and condescending way of
talking came with us to America, always questioning
Liberians we don't hardly know whom we see as
"foolish," even when they work hard, pay
their bills and abide by the laws of this country.
Some Liberians like the young man I met years ago
never thought they would be in this country longer,
they would ever get married to non-Liberian, buy a
home in America, let alone become naturalized American
citizens.
When
those Liberians were approached in the past, an
overwhelming number of them spoke publicly and
privately about not wanting to be naturalized American
citizens, always expressing a desire to return to
Liberia one day. However, things changed. And when
things changed like the way they did, attitudes
certainly will change.
But before then, they would ask a question or say
something like this: “Why are you people
buying homes in this country?" I can’t see
myself paying for a house for 30 years that I cannot
sleep in, only to be a slave working 2 to 3 jobs
pushing cartoons and cleaning other people’s pupu
(butts) and calling myself owning a home and living in
America.".
These individuals failed to understand that
owning a home is empowerment in itself because once a
person is not ready to return to his or her country,
the most economically prudent thing to do is to invest
in oneself by owning a home, which allows the
individual to get away from the monthly renting of an
apartment, which does not benefit the tenant in the
long run but puts money into the pocket of the
property owner.
Now, there are disparaging conversations
being made in the so-called political community about
Liberians with naturalized U.S. citizenship,
especially those that are now working in the current
Liberian government and those that are contemplating a
run for office in the Union of Liberian Associations
in the Americas (ULAA).
When did these talkers found out that
Liberians with naturalized U.S. citizenship are
occupying positions in Liberia and in ULAA? And how is
it going to help these individuals when qualified
Liberians are discouraged or barred from contributing
to the development of their country, or their
community organizations because of their dual
nationality status? Why not work with or encourage the
governments of the two countries to find a resolution
to this very sensitive issue, so that professional and
non-professional Liberians will be able to proudly
return home to contribute to the rebuilding of their
country, without ever being called bad names?
This is a very personal issue and a personal
decision that is excruciatingly painful for many
Liberians torn between families, self and country to
make, and would rather settle for the formal with the
hopes of helping themselves and family first, then
translate that personal achievement into something
positive by giving back later to the society that
impacted their lives and molded their values.
This is a no-win situation for my friends on the
other side of the issue because, becoming a
naturalized U.S. citizen is the most popular thing
occurring right now in Liberian communities across the
United States. These people did not abandon or betray
their country as some have suggested; and did not
leave Liberia to suffer and live in stagnation, but
are doing whatever they can legally do to improve
their lives and that of their relatives, loved ones
and their country.
It was revealed during the presidential
elections of 2005, that former presidential candidate
George Weah holds French citizenship, while Pres.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s status remains unclear out
of convenience. Now, if Weah, with all his riches and
political ambitions can become a naturalized citizen
elsewhere, why then an average Liberian cannot be a
naturalized citizen in the United States or in a
country of his or her choosing?
Liberians in the Diaspora were
disenfranchised during the last elections when it came
to the dual citizenship issue, which resulted in them
being denied the opportunity to vote in their
country’s elections. This is the time for the
community/political leadership and those Liberians
contemplating a run for the highest office of ULAA to
push for the enfranchisement of Liberians in the
Diaspora, so that they will be able to vote in the
country of their birth. This is also the time for
Liberians to let go the endless rhetoric by adding to
the discussions practical suggestions that will help
improve the lives of their fellow citizens.
If that should ever happen, my talkative
friend who believes we are all foolish, I am sure will
begin to think highly of us all one day.
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