ID will not change holder’s status

To the editor:

Poppycock is all I can say about Lynda Waddington's July 11 article 'JoCo ID cards begin next week.”

She talks about the cards being useful to members of the community who could be marginalized. She also wrote about several immigrants in New Jersey were hesitant to report a crime because of their status and language barriers that spurred the ID card idea. I'm not sure how carrying an ID card would ever overcome a language barrier. Either you speak the language or you don't. I could be wrong, but I take it their status was not legal. It seems to me you can't have it both ways, hide in the shadows for what you're doing but expect the rest of us to accommodate you while you're hiding.

I'm sure becoming a citizen nowadays isn't as easy as it was for my twin sister and I when we were 10 years old. That was 50 years ago and all I remember was we had to recite the Preamble to the Constitution. I know that isn't much to do to become a citizen but when you're 10 it's a lot especially when you didn't understand the meaning of all the words. My sister and I worked hard to learn the Preamble and when we were done reciting it to a man sitting at a desk he smiled and said good job and congratulations and gave us each a small flag. I remember feeling proud and happy to be an American, at last.

Mary Croy

Cedar Rapids