Proud to be American?

Here’s a story about the Jew who managed to leave Germany in 1933, having gotten a visa permitting him to stay in Britain. It’s a story, my mother told me many, many years ago and I expect that many younger readers won’t even understand the joke.

So, after 5 years in Britain, Jacob Rosenzweig decides to apply for British citizenship. He is called to the Home Office and informed that his application has been turned down. Disappointed he goes home but he is allowed to reapply after three years and he does so, and gets turned down again. This repeats itself a few times, until 1949, when he gets a letter from the Home Office inviting him for an interview, at which the now smiling official greets him and hands him a British passport. Jacob looks at the passport, opens it and then returns to the Home Office official. No, he is no longer interested. The surprised official asks "Why? You have been trying for 11 years and now that you can have it, you don’t want it anymore?" No, Jacob explains “not, mit out de colonies”.

I thought of that anecdote, apropos my friend G. who, having lived in NY for more than 25 years, has applied to become naturalised and just a few months ago, became a proud American citizen. Proud?