Is natural-born citizenship really necessary?

Dylan Snyder
Staff Writer
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      To be the president of the United States, a person must meet many requirements including being a natural-born citizen. A ten-year-old girl from  Massachusetts  named Alena Mulhern is trying to change this. Mulhern was born in China, but she has lived here since she was ten months old and has basically grown up in America. She says that this law prevents many people from doing great things in politics. She asked the committee to think about how many people this affects and to realize it is all because of a law passed over two-hundred years ago. “I am just as much as an American as you are and everyone else,” says Mulhern, “and I don’t even remember China that much.”
      Although I do not plan on going into politics like this clearly brave girl, I can relate to this in my own life. I was adopted from Seoul, South Korea at nine months. I also do not remember it all, and I was raised by an American family. I do not know really any different lifestyle other than my life; I drive a truck, play sports, and grew up fishing and listening to country music. I am sure Mulhern has grown up in a similar way in her American family. The significance in saying that is there is no point in stopping people who are adopted or who have been here that long. There is so much potential and insight that they can teach us from their culture while in a leadership position in the government. If a person loves our country and is willing to step up and take the lead, then he/she should be given as fair of a chance as anyone else. Hopefully Alena can be an example for others who feel the same need to step up, take action, and open people’s eyes who do not see the side she is arguing. 

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