Page 12 - Spring 2018 issue v1

12 Friends oF red rock canyon Friends oF red rock canyon 13

Article and photos by Glenn Ritt

ith the Calico Hills as a vivid back- citizens, many coming from countries that sup- Friends, with 600 members, co-hosted the
Wdrop, 73 immigrants from 27 nations press freedoms that U.S. citizens too often take naturalization ceremony by offering each new Naturalization Fast Facts*
became U.S. citizens, bringing enough beaming for granted, noted Judge Gordon. citizen free membership, while also providing • During the last decade, more than 6.5
smiles to brighten an unusually grey and slightly breakfast and a flag-festooned celebratory cake. million people were naturalized.
rainy March Saturday morning. “Today, I leave the pain from my past,” Artak Many volunteers from Friends were involved • To become a citizen, one must be at least
Malkhasyan from Armenia told his fellow new during the entire morning – from controlling traf- 18 years of age; be a lawful permanent
“The United States is a grand melting pot, and citizens. “Now I can talk freely,” he marveled, his fic to helping move the event inside the Visitor resident with a green card for at least five
we are all better off by sharing our cultures and voice rising in excitement. “It’s all about free- Center as rain began falling a half hour before the years; be a person of good moral charac-
experiences,” U.S. District Court Judge Andrew dom of speech… Live the moment. You have no scheduled swearing in. ter; speak, read and understand English;
Gordon told the newest citizens moments after idea what influence you can have on one another have knowledge of the U.S. government
swearing them in before ecstatic families and now… how human kind can change the world.” “Excited.” “Nervous.” “Amazing.” “I can’t and history; and take the Oath of
friends. believe this is happening.” The new citizens Allegiance.
Throughout the ceremony, repeated these phrases from the moment they ar-
“As a citizen, you have “Today, I leave the the power of place resonated as rived – some as early as 7 a.m. for the 10 o’clock • 75 percent of naturalized citizens reside in
the right to criticize the pain from my past. Now deeply as the ever-present Calico Judge Andrew Gordon presents a ceremony. 10 states - California, New York, Florida,
government,” he explained. I can talk freely. It’s tones stretched behind an Ameri- stirring welcome to our new friends. Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, Virginia, Mas-
“You have the right to say can flag where family after fam- Many talked emotionally about finally being sachusetts, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
that Congress should allo- all about freedom of ily posed with pride for photos able to join their own children, who were born in • In a typical year, the top countries of
cate more resources to pro- speech...… Live the mo- to commemorate their personally the United States, as fellow citizens. origin for naturalization were in the fol-
tecting and making avail- ment. You have no idea historic passages. lowing order: Mexico, India, the Philip-
able great natural resources what influence you can Brittany Brooks, Assistant Field Manager at pines, Dominican Republic and China.
Volunteers dedicated to the preservation of Red Rock Canyon
like this one (at Red Rock “You are looking at one of Red Rock Canyon, found herself emotional as • The United States has the highest total
Canyon National Conserva- have on one another the most visited sites in the na- well, confessing to happy tears as she watched number of immigrants, being home to 19
tion Area). You have the now...… how human kind tion,” said Catrina Williams, Red how family after family gathered in hugs, waved per cent of the world’s immigrants.
right to disagree with the can change world.” Rock and Sloan Canyon’s Field flags and often marveled at the hills beyond.
President’s policies. You Manager. “As citizens, they are Where the new citizens come from
have the right to say that Artak Malkhasyan your public lands.” She commended all that Friends contributes Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium,
judges are too lenient or too to make the ceremony a possibility. “The ceremo- Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria,
severe in their sentences. “Now, you too are stewards ny couldn’t take place without Friends’ contribu- China, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador,
tions and commitment,” said Brooks.
of Red Rock,” Tom Lisby, President of Friends Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico,
“But, you also have an obligation to do some- of Red Rock Canyon, told the new citizens who As the formal ceremony got underway, Wayne Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines,
thing about it. Don’t just criticize; get involved in come from Australia to Ethiopia, from Mexico Artak Malkhasyan, a new citizen from Leroy of the Southern Nevada Elks encouraged Russia, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago,
the process and change what you don’t like.” to Vietnam. “They belong to your children and Armenia, shares his joy with his new the new citizens to “keep that smile for the rest United Kingdom, Vietnam
grandchildren and their grandchildren. Join us to countrymen.
That message resonated palpably with the new care for this special place.” of your lives.” The Elks distributed hand-held *Source - USCIS Friends

Faces of our new citizens, family and friends
(Continued on page 14)

the Rock - Volume 8 Issue 3 Spring 2018