Immigrant Citizenship Coalition Pushes Senate to Ease Citizenship
Requirements7/11/3132
INN - Interstellar News Network
GENEVA, TERRA-Following the recent comments of Wolf Colonel Katrina Ward and
ongoing demonstrations across the Republic, the Immigrant Citizenship Coalition
(ICC) today called on the Senate to speed the process by which residents of the
Republic are granted citizenship. The group's spokesman, Sebastian Myrna, made his
request at the Senate Select Committee on Citizenship constituted at the behest of
Prefect Kal Radick (Prefecture IV).
"As it stands,” Myrna said, “the system for granting citizenship is biased toward
warriors and the wealthy.” According the guidelines set forth by Devlin Stone’s
Military Materiel Redemption Program, individuals-usually MechWarriors-can turn in a
'Mech in exchange for citizenship, or a wealthy individual can claim Property of Merit
by his ownership of significant areas of land or major corporate interests. In effect,
such individuals gain instant citizenship by dint of their military history or wealth and
assets. Residents of the Republic without such assets must do five years of service to
the Republic to qualify for their citizenship. This period is reduced if both parents are
citizens.
“This system is fine for the wealthy, and for individuals whose families have
established citizenship over one or more generations -the service period is reduced.
The rest of us,” Myrna stated, “don’t have such luxuries, so it appears that we have
one rule for the rich and privileged, but another for the rest of us. Is this the
egalitarian state Devlin Stone promised?
“Those of us without wealth are willing to serve the Republic to earn citizenship,” he
continued. “But the inequalities of this system send a negative message to those who
immigrate into the Republic, implying that they are less welcome than those born on
Republic worlds, placing an extra hurdle in their path before they can gain acceptance.
And what of those displaced by the Stone migrations [as a result of the Resettlement
Act of 3082]? Their willingness to uproot themselves and relocate into often alien and
hostile territories were acts of genuine patriotism and selflessness, but many Stone
migrants and their descendants remain residents facing the same rigors as others to
gain citizenship. Is this fair for those who have given so much to the Republic
already?”
Myrna outlined the Immigrant Citizenship Coalition’s three-point proposal for
modifications to the present system. The ICC proposes:
Myrna's proposals received a cool reception. "I understand-and even applaud-the
ICC's motivations and the desire to promote fairness in the system," said Senator
Lissa Ruchenko, "but the demands are too extreme. The proposed service period is
too short to create a sense of obligation to and patriotism for the Republic that is only
right and appropriate for citizenship. The concept of probationary citizenship is open
to abuse. I can foresee a situation where some individuals might seek to exploit such
status and perpetrate fraud to get around service requirements. The demand for early
voting rights is simply unreasonable. I'm sure that the committee will give the matter
careful thought, but I think the ICC’s proposal as it stands is a non-starter.”
Requirements7/11/3132
INN - Interstellar News Network
GENEVA, TERRA-Following the recent comments of Wolf Colonel Katrina Ward and
ongoing demonstrations across the Republic, the Immigrant Citizenship Coalition
(ICC) today called on the Senate to speed the process by which residents of the
Republic are granted citizenship. The group's spokesman, Sebastian Myrna, made his
request at the Senate Select Committee on Citizenship constituted at the behest of
Prefect Kal Radick (Prefecture IV).
"As it stands,” Myrna said, “the system for granting citizenship is biased toward
warriors and the wealthy.” According the guidelines set forth by Devlin Stone’s
Military Materiel Redemption Program, individuals-usually MechWarriors-can turn in a
'Mech in exchange for citizenship, or a wealthy individual can claim Property of Merit
by his ownership of significant areas of land or major corporate interests. In effect,
such individuals gain instant citizenship by dint of their military history or wealth and
assets. Residents of the Republic without such assets must do five years of service to
the Republic to qualify for their citizenship. This period is reduced if both parents are
citizens.
“This system is fine for the wealthy, and for individuals whose families have
established citizenship over one or more generations -the service period is reduced.
The rest of us,” Myrna stated, “don’t have such luxuries, so it appears that we have
one rule for the rich and privileged, but another for the rest of us. Is this the
egalitarian state Devlin Stone promised?
“Those of us without wealth are willing to serve the Republic to earn citizenship,” he
continued. “But the inequalities of this system send a negative message to those who
immigrate into the Republic, implying that they are less welcome than those born on
Republic worlds, placing an extra hurdle in their path before they can gain acceptance.
And what of those displaced by the Stone migrations [as a result of the Resettlement
Act of 3082]? Their willingness to uproot themselves and relocate into often alien and
hostile territories were acts of genuine patriotism and selflessness, but many Stone
migrants and their descendants remain residents facing the same rigors as others to
gain citizenship. Is this fair for those who have given so much to the Republic
already?”
Myrna outlined the Immigrant Citizenship Coalition’s three-point proposal for
modifications to the present system. The ICC proposes:
- • A three-year, rather than a five-year, period of service to the Republic.
• A grant of probationary citizenship halfway through service, including
voting rights, with confirmation of status dependant on completion of the
required term or the recommendation of a board of inquiry should outside
forces such as illness or accident force withdrawal from government service.
Crimes committed by the candidate any time during service would
automatically negate any service already completed and disqualify any future
applications.
- First choice of service assignments for Stone migrants and their descendants.
Myrna's proposals received a cool reception. "I understand-and even applaud-the
ICC's motivations and the desire to promote fairness in the system," said Senator
Lissa Ruchenko, "but the demands are too extreme. The proposed service period is
too short to create a sense of obligation to and patriotism for the Republic that is only
right and appropriate for citizenship. The concept of probationary citizenship is open
to abuse. I can foresee a situation where some individuals might seek to exploit such
status and perpetrate fraud to get around service requirements. The demand for early
voting rights is simply unreasonable. I'm sure that the committee will give the matter
careful thought, but I think the ICC’s proposal as it stands is a non-starter.”
| July 11, 3132 |