Short Writing Assignment #4: Blog 3

U.S. TO Unveil New Citizenship Test
November 19, 2006
CBS News
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/17/national/main2194503.shtml

The question of who should be let into our country has been debatable for some time. Should we let anyone live in our country? Should they have certain qualifications? What is the right way to decided who can become an American citizen? Our government has had a test that is required by all people applying for U.S. Citizenship. The U.S. government has recently decide to create a new test that immigrants have to pass to become a citizen. The content will consist of being able to recall simple historical facts about America, among other things. There are critics that say these changes will make it to hard. Ali Noorani of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition said, "The administration is putting up another wall to citizenship for immigrants between a longer application process, higher fees, and what may very well be a more difficult test." Officials are saying that the test is an effort to make the process a more teachable moment. But is this unfair to people who are coming to America for political or religious freedom, and that come from a society that is completely different from our government? They may not be able to fully grasp all the concepts that are required for the test when they have never even lived in our culture. Should they really have to work that hard to become a citizen?