As long as it's Legal

This is Ellis Island in NYC. If you're like me, you have my condolences. Also, chances are your ancestors passed through this hallowed hall at the end of the 19th century or the beginning of the 20th. This was the second great wave of immigration. 

Back then becoming an American simply meant getting on a boat. Getting off a boat. And getting a citizenship card.

That wave ended in 1921 and again in 1924 when the US passed the Quota Law and the Immigration Act, respectively. Prior to that, European Immigrants were admitted to the country and given citizenship if they paid their passage, agreed to be de-loused and were still breathing oxygen.

It was that easy. And because most were white, it was completely legal. 

It should be noted that any person from Asia was not deemed acceptable. Undesirables, aka having brown skin (all shades), were also excluded. All because of our nation's proud pursuit of racial homogeneity. And they were not shy about saying that out loud.

"All men are created equal. Unless we say they're not."

This all makes me laugh -- though not the funny ha-ha kinda laugh -- when I hear Red Hats and fellow MAGA cultists say, they're not against immigrants entering the country, "As long as they come here legally."

Yeah, OK Jethro.

Not that these cretins recognize facts or even the most rudimentary version of American history, but I'd love the opportunity to ask the Trump lobtomitized:

"Was it legal when the first crumpet-eaters boarded the Mayflower, managed to get across the North Atlantic and then landed on what is now the New England coastline (note the same fallacious name game played by our president) and proceeded to evict Indigenous People from their indigenous land?"

"Was it legal when less than a few years later, these same "discoverers" (Note: nothing was discovered) got back on their boats, sailed across the Southern Atlantic, kidnapped millions of people from their land, and brought them back in the cruelest conditions, only to submit them to an even crueler future?"

"What about when, not satisfied with the goods and resources they stole, these ambitious Pioneers (the OG's of White Privilege) loaded up their covered wagons, chased the setting sun, slayed thousands of Native Americans (quaintly called Indians, same name game) and literally took whatever they wanted. Was that legal?"

Cliff Note American History notwithstanding, there's this...something more anecdotal and cannot be wished away by categorically calling it Fake News.

A little more than a year ago, I started the process of obtaining British citizenship. Both my parents benefitted from America's biased immigration policy. Particularly my Scottish mother who came here when she was only 17 years old. 

Two weeks ago I received an email from the British consulate that my citizenship application was incomplete and they had not received the necessary documents. This was 7 months after I had completed a biometric battery of tests proving that I was who I said I was. BTW, my British citizenship is automatic due to my bloodline. Automatic!

Having resubmitted my mother's birth certificate as well as mine, I've been told the approval process can take another 6 months. 

Thank god (small g, intentionally) no one is persecuting me. Or threatening me. Or shooting at me.

Thank god, I have a roof over my head and food on my table.

Thank god, I have disposable resources (for high speed internet and anti-dog barking devices.)

But if obtaining legal citizenship can be so difficult and tedious and subject to monetary fees and feckless bureaucracy, imagine how astronomically impossible it would be for a Guatemalan mother of three who does not speak English and only wants the best for her cursed three children.

"It's OK, as long as they come here legal"

Fuck you and the boat your melanin-free grandmother came in on.