Regular readers of this blog know that I am a die-hard, old-fashioned, civic leader who contributes his time through volunteering to serve my neighbors in various ways.

In the last two years, my efforts have evolved to spending a lot of time coaxing, coaching, teaching, and encouraging…

… some of my neighbors to get on track to becoming a United States citizen. That requires a lot of hard work, study, and persistence to overcome obstacles of available time and some opposition from naddering nabobs of negativity emboldened by the Liar-In-Chief (aka “the DIC”).

This year, I have taught classes, individually tutored, met with, and directly assisted 26 people from six countries to complete all steps toward becoming citizens. The most challenging hurdle was time… always that. But when you put your heart to it, you make the time.

Language barriers were not as difficult. I speak passable Spanish, and am learning a few words of Arabic, Urdu, and Farsi. While the U.S. citizenship test is conducted in English, often there are in-class assignments that require a lot of nuanced explanation.

For example, I describe that according to our Constitution, the three branches of Government are equal. Yet the LIC/DIC issues Executive Orders like a King issues Proclamations. Some of his orders have been challenged in court as being downright illegal. Explaining how things are “supposed to work” versus how the fundamental constitutional design of our country’s government is accosted daily, is hard.

But enough political stuff.

We will soon have 26 new U.S. citizens who I had a hand in preparing for them to take the Oath of Allegiance. I will be at as many of these “swearing-in” ceremonies as I can — then promptly sign them up as voters.

Yay!

Life is short: when society takes a downturn by the actions of a blowhard bully, build it back by making positive contributions.