JOE PRESTON: Thank you, Rachel. And thank you, Your Honor,
government officials, and to our new citizens
here, servicemen and women. Thank you. And good afternoon, everybody. That is actually an
understatement, isn't it? It's a great afternoon. And I got to tell you, it
is an honor, a pleasure, and a privilege to be with
you on such an important day, a joyous day for you, your
family, and your friends. My name is Joe Preston. I'm a second-generation
American. I have five siblings. My parents immigrated
to the US in 1959, arriving in New York Harbor
with a one-year-old, my oldest sister, and $100. And yesterday, I was
flying into New York City. It was a beautiful day. And the path flight
usually isn't this way, but it went right by
the Statue of Liberty. And it was just such
a powerful moment to see it knowing I was
going to be here today. So my parents had
my sister and $100. But most importantly,
they carried with them the hopes and dreams
of a better life for their family and the
resilience and commitment to see their dreams
come to fruition. They came from Ireland-- my mother from
Northern Ireland, where discrimination was rampant-- a challenging time. And my parents were seeking
a greater new beginning. One year later, in 1960,
John Fitzgerald Kennedy became president. His election broke
religious barriers. And his vision for America and
the world provided hope to them, the rest of the country,
and millions of people around the globe. My mother would have turned
90 years old next week. And my father, who has
Alzheimer's, would have loved to have been here with you. They lived through
and understood the sacrifice immigrants make,
leaving friends and family, like I know many of you
have, to start a new life. [CLEARS THROAT] But they were determined,
like I know many of you are, to have your children have a
better education and employment opportunities. And they've role modeled
the hard work it takes. And I know I didn't appreciate
it when I was younger, but I do now. President Kennedy
never forgot that he was a byproduct of
previous generations that immigrated to
the United States. So let me share a part
of a speech President Kennedy made on immigration. He said the greatness
of our Constitution comes not so much from the
words that it contains. It is great because
of the people have lived and worked under it
to add to its framework of words and ideas, the
work and sacrifice and passionate devotion of
many generations of Americans. Men and women came from
every corner of the world, from every nation
and every race, to live together as parts of
one great, unified nation. He went on to say
our Constitution is founded on the principle that
all men are equal as citizens and entitled to the same rights,
whether they achieve citizenship by birth or after coming
here as immigrants seeking to find in America new
freedom and new opportunities. President Kennedy used
his time in office to advance causes
related to immigration and laid the foundation for
the Immigration act of 1965. And that's why it is
so very meaningful for your naturalization ceremony
to take place here at the JFK Presidential Library. This naturalization ceremony,
this rite of passage, marks a new beginning, a
new chapter for each of you. And how exciting is that? You have the opportunity to
create new chapters for yourself and for the future generations,
to create opportunities that may not have ever existed. And who knows? Someday maybe your
child or grandchild will be president of
the United States. But with opportunity
comes responsibility. As President Kennedy
once said, one person can make a difference, and
every person should try. This quote with his image
is hanging in my house, providing me with a
source of inspiration and a reminder of
my responsibility to make the country better. So how can we all try
to make a difference? There are many big ways and many
small ways that can have impact. And it all starts
within the communities. And there are many different
definitions of community. Beyond your family, examples
include the neighborhood you live within, the
schools your children attend or will attend, your church, or
even coaching youth athletics. There are countless ways
you can have impact and help make our communities stronger. And when you do, it makes
our nation stronger. One person can
make a difference, and everybody should try. So as we gather here today to
celebrate your citizenship, I will remind you our nation
is not always perfect. It's a work in progress. And it is now your turn to help
create a more perfect union. As a citizen, you now
have the right to vote, and I would encourage
you to think of it as an obligation
of citizenship, a responsibility that comes
with this opportunity. Too many Americans
take this for granted, and it is a cornerstone
of democracy. But it gives me
great pride to say, my fellow citizens,
congratulations. Thank you. [APPLAUSE]
