Word choice and a leader’s loyalty to America

Re: “I'm a proud Guatemalan…”

I can say that “I’m a proud Italian before I’m an American” since my father emigrated from Italy and I was born in America, but I would blemish the pride he exhibited as a U.S. citizen who assimilated in his adopted country. He had no formal education and always followed the direction offered by the local Democrat precinct captain visiting our home with instructions on “pulling” the Democrat lever at the polling machine in voting straight Democrat regardless of office. But today this country is “flooded” with illegal immigrants who expand the population of blue states and give these states increased government representation, not their legal vote, only more districts based on population.

Recently, Democratic Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois made a controversial comment in saying “I'm a proud Guatemalan before I'm an American.” She was born in Chicago to illegal immigrant parents and became a birthright citizen after they came to the U.S. from Guatemala. Also, she is “the sole member of Congress who openly shares that her husband is an undocumented immigrant” and a legal permanent resident.

I’m not attacking Rep. Ramirez, but her choice of words in the public domain casts doubt of her loyalty as a federal official taking an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution before starting their job. If she isn’t “American Pride,” then will she represent all Illinoisans or only Guatemalans?

Should we not hold all government representatives to the required presidential standard of no person except a natural-born citizen, of the United States?

Robert Meale

Crystal Lake