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American Proud
  
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By ROY N. KENT
The Battleship Texas went from an international affair to a truly American one Monday morning.
Despite threatening skies, the deck of the Battleship Texas was the scene of a naturalization ceremony where 68 people became citizens of the United States.
Not wasting time in order to beat a coming storm, Naturalization District Director Sharon Hudson administered the oath of allegiance to the candidates.
Highlighting the event was the naturalization of 10 U.S. military service members, including Spc. Godwin Nwobu. The Houston resident immigrated from Nigeria more than a year ago and enlisted in the U.S. Army.
“This is a dream come true,” he said.
The featured speaker for the event was Brig. Gen. John W. Nicholson, U.S. Army-retired. Nicholson is the current secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission.
“For 225 years, the United States of America has been the most successful country in the history of the world,” he said. “In the history of the world, the United States has been a free country longer than any other country.
“More people have tried to come to American, like my grandparents did, like you have just done to be part of this great nation.”
In a nod to today, Nicholson continued his speech.
“Tomorrow is Veterans Day,” he said. “When George Washington was president of the United States, he said, ‘The nation that takes care of its veterans can count on getting more young people to serve to defend their nation in the future. If a nation does not take care of its veterans, that nation is going to have a hard time finding young men and women to fight its battles in the future.’”
Nicholson also reached back in history to urge all citizens to serve their country.
“In 1963, President John F. Kennedy in Manhattan, N.Y., at the dedication of the East Coast Memorial said these words, ‘We must always be prepared to defend out country,’” Nicholson said. “There have been wars since our nation began, each one of them different, each one of them challenging, fortunately we — the United States — have been successful.
“(Kennedy) said this, ‘There is no final victory.’ In other words, you don’t win the current war and say that’s it we don’t have to worry about any more wars. We will always have to do our part and every citizen will have to do his or her part to keep our country strong; not just secure but economically viable. And that’s where most you come in.”
In speaking directly to the new citizens, Nicholson concluded: “You represent people who like to work. I congratulate you.”
The National Anthem was played by orchestra members from Deer Park High School who then capped off the music with a rendition of the U.S. Marines Corps hymn.
At the end of the event, people who formerly represented 18 countries walked off the Battleship Texas as citizens of the United States.
Despite threatening skies, the deck of the Battleship Texas was the scene of a naturalization ceremony where 68 people became citizens of the United States.
Not wasting time in order to beat a coming storm, Naturalization District Director Sharon Hudson administered the oath of allegiance to the candidates.
Highlighting the event was the naturalization of 10 U.S. military service members, including Spc. Godwin Nwobu. The Houston resident immigrated from Nigeria more than a year ago and enlisted in the U.S. Army.
“This is a dream come true,” he said.
The featured speaker for the event was Brig. Gen. John W. Nicholson, U.S. Army-retired. Nicholson is the current secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission.
“For 225 years, the United States of America has been the most successful country in the history of the world,” he said. “In the history of the world, the United States has been a free country longer than any other country.
“More people have tried to come to American, like my grandparents did, like you have just done to be part of this great nation.”
In a nod to today, Nicholson continued his speech.
“Tomorrow is Veterans Day,” he said. “When George Washington was president of the United States, he said, ‘The nation that takes care of its veterans can count on getting more young people to serve to defend their nation in the future. If a nation does not take care of its veterans, that nation is going to have a hard time finding young men and women to fight its battles in the future.’”
Nicholson also reached back in history to urge all citizens to serve their country.
“In 1963, President John F. Kennedy in Manhattan, N.Y., at the dedication of the East Coast Memorial said these words, ‘We must always be prepared to defend out country,’” Nicholson said. “There have been wars since our nation began, each one of them different, each one of them challenging, fortunately we — the United States — have been successful.
“(Kennedy) said this, ‘There is no final victory.’ In other words, you don’t win the current war and say that’s it we don’t have to worry about any more wars. We will always have to do our part and every citizen will have to do his or her part to keep our country strong; not just secure but economically viable. And that’s where most you come in.”
In speaking directly to the new citizens, Nicholson concluded: “You represent people who like to work. I congratulate you.”
The National Anthem was played by orchestra members from Deer Park High School who then capped off the music with a rendition of the U.S. Marines Corps hymn.
At the end of the event, people who formerly represented 18 countries walked off the Battleship Texas as citizens of the United States.
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