Let’s imagine two scenarios. If you are an American citizen, you could turn to a television channel or website and find instructions on how to proceed. Even better, if you have registered with the US State Department and left a forwarding address or a telephone number, you would be automatically contacted by a staff member of the American embassy or Consulate.
But what if you are Moroccan citizen? You may call the Moroccan Embassy or Consulate. From my own and other Moroccan colleagues experience, this does not work and it is a waste of time. I even remembered in 2006 meeting a Moroccan immigrant who had to commute for 7 hours to get to the Moroccan Consulate in New York after trying without success to talk to someone, which brings me to the notion of citizenship.
On September 10, 2012, I took my Moroccan wife to the Homeland Security Office in Philadelphia to be sworn in as a United States citizen. During the ceremony, we were invited to watch the welcoming address of President Obama. The President, despite facing enormous domestic and international challenges said, “I am honored to congratulate you on becoming a citizen of the United States of America. You represent the promise of the American Dream, and because of your determination, this great Nation is now your Nation.” I guess I don’t need to comment on how a fellow citizen would feel toward a country whose president expresses his feeling toward his new fellow citizens.
A few minutes later, my wife was called to receive her citizenship certificate and was also congratulated by the Homeland Security officer. While she was receiving the certificate, I saw my two- and- a -half year old son in her arms waiving a small American flag. This prompted me to think about the notion of citizenship, a subject I had studied in law school in Morocco.
Many legal scholars and philosophers have attempted to define it, rejecting a simplistic interpretation of citizenship. Their argument is that citizenship is more complex than a set of requirements, duties and obligations formulated in a statute or code. That takes me back to the Moroccan scenario.
Morocco has consulates and embassies in many countries with websites and direct phone numbers for public access. A case in point is the Moroccan Embassy in Washington, D.C. and the Consulate in New York. Both list phone numbers with extensions to each department to serve the needs of Moroccan immigrants in the United States. For example, one department deals with the National ID services, another with passports services. I wondered why the Moroccan government is spending so many funds in a ruthless administration if it does not serve its purpose. I have tried to reach the Moroccan Consulate in New York on a daily basis for more than two weeks without success. Not because I am in the midst of a war, but because I attempted to exercise one of the minimum rights of citizenship, that is to renew of my Moroccan national ID. I was trying to be a good “citizen” helping Moroccan Consulate staff to do its job efficiently, and more importantly to have completed all the necessary documents before driving three hours to the Consulate in New York. Every time I called, I heard a welcoming message addressed to all Moroccans immigrants in the United States. However, I tried the extension of the ID department. No one answered the phone. I was always directed to voice mail. Not surprisingly, the mail box was always full. I tried all other extensions, but their mails boxes were also full. I felt like an abandoned trying to reunite with his parents after a long separation.
Suddenly, the kid wakes up and faces the reality of a bureaucratic maze which makes his wounds deeper and more painful. Finally, one day I was lucky and found one extension free. I left three messages but have never heard back. Deeply offended, I felt like someone who was trying to resuscitate a dead soul.
I am an American citizen and Moroccan by birth and blood. I left Morocco more than ten years ago. I have always struggled with the question asked by friends whether I feel more American or Moroccan. I always talk about Morocco in glowing terms, about its beauty, its rich culture and history. Although I sometimes thought that I had left Morocco forever, I have not.
More often I feel disillusioned about my Moroccan identity and grateful for being an American citizen; a country that gives true meaning to citizenship and the opportunity to promote freedom and justice
Finally, I hope that none of my Moroccan brothers and sisters in the United States, especially those without American citizenships, find themselves in an urgent situation where they have to call the Moroccan Consulate or Embassy for assistance. The current Embassy and Consulate staff is incompetent and unaware of the mission they were sworn to uphold. It’s a sad situation and the least we can say is that they should be full of shame.
said Aati