The Editor, Sir:

Mr. Abe Dabdoub has taken Mr. Daryl Vaz to court. Mr. Vaz beat him by almost 1000 votes in the last general election. Now he wants the constitution to do for him what his constituents didn't.

The constitution gives him that right. I am, however, surprised at the position taken by some talk show hosts and others. The thought of someone with dual citizenship serving this country seems to be distasteful to them. A reference to history shows where this idea originated and why.

Around the middle of the nineteenth century, a movement sprung up in New York. It was named - quite appropriately - the Know Nothing movement because it's members, who were secretive about their activities were instructed to say to anyone who inquired 'I know nothing.' Protestants all, they harboured a great suspicion of Catholics and were extremely worried about the large number of Irish and German Catholics which started entering the U.S. in 1830. In California, for example, Sam Roberts formed a Know Nothing chapter in 1854 to frustrate the immigration of Chinese, Chilean and Irish immigrants who had come to work in the gold mines. Fortunately, a well-known politician called Abraham Lincoln, took steps to bring some sanity to that situation.

Dedicated public servant

Two hundred and sixteen years ago, this young nation, uncertain of its future and troubled by the doubts and fears that accompany uncertainty, decided to prevent the possibilities mentioned earlier by allowing only native-born citizens to become president of the United States. This is enshrined as Article II in their constitution. Truth be told, nations have suffered in the past at the hands of these imported leaders. Poland is one country that comes to mind. But the circumstances that led to these problems many years ago no longer exist!

Recently, the silliness was taken to the extreme here when the director of elections - a distinguished and dedicated public servant who has served us well - was harassed in court when questions were raised about his citizenship. All of a sudden this man whom the nation honoured for the quality of his work, is no longer 'fit' to do his work.

Many foreign-born citizens have held high positions in the same United States which has the Article 2 restriction in its constitution. Arnold Schwarzenegger, born in Austria, is now Governor of California - a state with an economy larger than most nations. Henry Kissinger, born in Germany, and Madeline Albright, a native of Czechoslovakia, rose to positions of power and influence, both being fourth in the line of succession to the President. Jamaicans now occupy important political positions in the U.S., England and several other countries in the world.

Today, as we park our problems to spend time on this non-issue, American lawmakers, led by Senator Orin Hatch, chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, have expressed the view that the constitutional requirement that U.S. presidents be born in that country is both outdated and discriminatory. They are now working to remove the same antiquated artefact that we are now attempting to retain.

Mr. Dabdoub has opened the constitution and placed it before us. Perhaps we should take the opportunity to examine this document and remove all the other rusty, rustic relics which are totally devoid of substance and only serve to delay and distract us.

I am, etc.,

GLENN TUCKER

glenntucker8hotmail.com

Educator and sociologist

Stony Hill, Kingston