Bush welcomes new citizens

By Rachana Dixit and Brian McNeill
Published: July 4, 2008

Mary Patricia McFadyen, a native of Scotland, stepped up to the microphone just moments after being sworn in as an American citizen and thanked her friends and neighbors.

But, she added, President Bush was also a powerful influence in her decision.

“Mr. President, I’d like to thank you for inspiring me to complete this process,” she said. “Without you, this day may have never come.”

For new citizens like McFadyen, it seemed especially fitting that the president honored 72 new citizens and reflected on Thomas Jefferson’s legacy during the 46th annual Independence Day and Naturalization Ceremony at Monticello.

His greeting to the audience - many of them waving red, white and blue fans to keep themselves cool on the muggy July morning - was plain and simple: “Happy Fourth of July.” But the 43rd president quickly delved into a more complex message of American citizenry and freedom.

“You all have one thing in common, that sheer love of freedom,” Bush said to an audience of more than 3,000 people. “This honor for freedom resides in every man and woman and child.”

Bush is the fourth sitting president to attend Monticello’s July 4 ceremony, after Gerald Ford (1976), Harry S. Truman (1947) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (1936). The visit to Monticello was the first of his presidency.

“The Fourth of July will be a part of your Independence Day, and I will be honored to call you a fellow American,” Bush said.

He continued to say it is often easy to forget the role the American revolutionaries played more than 200 years ago, and how Thomas Jefferson played a key role in shaping the country’s direction by penning the Declaration of Independence.

“The principles Thomas Jefferson enshrined became principles of the new nation,” Bush said.

Naturally, Bush’s presence and remarks did not come without some hostility. Within seconds of the president stepping in front of the podium, cries of “Impeach Bush” and “That man is a fascist” resonated among the crowd. But the president responded to his critics by citing a simple constitutional right.

“To my fellow citizens to be, we believe in freedom of speech in the United States of America,” he said amid the crowd’s boos.

One protester, Gael Murphy, held up a banner that read “Impeach: It’s Patriotic” and yelled, “Defend the Constitution. Impeach Bush.”

“Bush should not go unchallenged wherever he goes,” she said.

Some disapproving crowd members did not let the shouts go unchallenged.

“Shut up and sit down,” said one man.

Police escorted six people off of Monticello’s grounds. Monticello Director of Communications Wayne Mogielnicki said charges are not expected to be filed.

Despite the protests and shouts, Bush’s demeanor remained jovial during the speech and swearing-in of the new citizens.

As each of the 72 walked across the stage -reminiscent of a high school commencement ceremony - to receive their certificates, Bush gave handshakes, hugs and even kisses.

Others were similarly emotional as the new citizens were being naturalized.

“I feel like giving each one of you a great big bear hug,” said J. Harvie Wilkinson, judge for the fourth circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals. “You might think that’s dangerous because bears have sharp claws, but it just means we want to welcome you in the warmest way we know how.”

Hataw Saadi Taha, who fled the northern region of Iraq 11 years ago, said she wanted to become an American citizen because the United States was the first country that accepted her after leaving the rule of Saddam Hussein.

“I am very proud of my new country,” Taha said. “Especially on the Fourth of July.”

Taha told Bush that she wants to see an end to the violence in her homeland.

“Mr. President, I need peace to my country.”

Taha said she disliked the protesters who tried to disrupt Bush’s speech at the ceremony.

“Everybody can have their own speech,” she said. “But I didn’t like it at all, especially for today.”

Security was tight for the presidential visit. Every attending person had to go through metal detectors and military commandos patrolled on ATVs. Two police officers surveyed the crowd through binoculars from Monticello’s roof.