New Citizens: Only One From Shoals?

Yesterday we briefly touched on the naturalization ceremony held in Florence--the first ever for that city. Usually such rites are held in Birmingham, but can be held anywhere in the Northern District of the state. The article, while riveting in some ways, didn't tell us how many were naturalized.

Statistics from the federal government indicate over 600K new citizens are naturalized each year, but most of these are residents of five to six states with a much larger and diverse population base than Alabama. Still, the photographs from the TimesDaily article revealed more than a handful were there to claim their new nationality.

Sherhonda Allen, the article's author, interviewed two new citizens, one apparently from the Shoals area or surrounding counties. This gentleman, a native of Guatemala, had lived in the U.S. for almost three decades. We congratulate him on achieving what is a life long dream for many.

Still, with the number of immigrants living in the Shoals area, particularly from south of the border, to have only one local mentioned in the article seemed odd. Wouldn't those who live in the area feel privileged to take the naturalization oath in Florence?

Perhaps, just perhaps, most are content to do nothing, to evade, to continue to break the law. Yes, it costs money. Everyone has to pay to play. It's been that way since the fall of man. No one should expect a free ticket to citizenship. No one.

*****

Remember this young lady?

Quittney LaShae Nichols

It seems the most recent Lauderdale Grand Jury indicted her for leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, first-degree assault, and second-degree criminal mischief. Sources say the 20 year-old Nichols has remained in custody since her arrest.



Shoalanda