New U.S. citizens mark July 4 celebration

Twenty-one new American citizens from 14 countries were naturalized during the city of Cape Girardeau's 2015 Great American 4th of July celebration at Arena Park on Saturday evening.

Floodwaters had made the initial plans to hold the celebration downtown unfeasible, and although the location was less iconic than the Emerson Bridge, being sworn in surrounded by fairgrounds and Little League ballfields had its own element of Americana.

Featured speaker Judge Duane Benton touched on the same in his remarks, saying how inspiring the occasion was.

"Twenty-one new American citizens ... ," he marveled. "What a glorious gathering in the all-American city of Cape Girardeau. ... Doesn't it make us proud to be Americans?"

At the reception after the ceremony, Benton said it's an honor to have been involved with this year's ceremony.

Jon K. Rust, left, publisher of the Southeast Missourian and co-president of Rust Communications, and Lucas Presson, right, general manager of rustmedia, present Jerry Ford with the 2015 Spirit of America Award on Saturday at Arena Park. (Fred Lynch)

"It reignites and reinvigorates you as an American to see what these people have been through, what they've done," he said. "You wish every citizen of Cape Girardeau could be here to see it."

In his speech, citing George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, Benton explained the essential role immigrants have played in creating the great American melting pot, thanked and congratulated the new citizens for their achievement and offered them one piece of advice.

"Keep your hearts afire with a burning desire for liberty," he said, "like the [country's] early founders and today's servicemembers, who say, 'Give me liberty or give me death.'"

The petitioners were invited to make statements before the ceremony.

Egyptian, Pakistani, Chinese, Mexican, Kenyan, Russian or otherwise, they all expressed pride at now being Americans.

Fireworks light up the sky Saturday, July 4, 2015 over Arena Park in Cape Girardeau. (Fred Lynch)

Waleed Amer, one of the petitioners, later would call the day "the happiest day of my life."

He, like the rest of the new U.S. citizens, had been looking forward to this day for years.

His father, Hafez Amer, a leader at Cape Girardeau's Islamic Center, became a citizen himself four years ago and has been helping his son to become the same ever since.

"We are a family, but we were not a complete family without him," he said. "Now, we're proud to be an American family."

Waleed's journey has taken more than 15 years, they said, and Hafez's took longer than that.

"I dreamed of this day when I was in college in the '70s when I was here," he said. "And now we're celebrating the Fourth of July -- the most beautiful day."

After Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. administered the oath and Clayton Hahs sang the national anthem, punctuated with amateur fireworks, Jerry Ford was awarded the annual Spirit of America Award for his community service and exemplary patriotism.

Rustmedia's Lucas Presson said Ford's honor was made all the more impressive by the strength of the nominee pool that included Doug Austin, Charlotte Craig, recently retired Southeast Missouri State University president Kenneth Dobbins and state Sen. Wayne Wallingford in addition to Ford.

"Each is deserving and represent hours upon hours of service, dedication and love for their community, state and country," Presson said.

Ford, while admittedly honored and grateful for the award, said the day belonged to the newest Americans in the crowd who exemplified the spirit of America.

"The real heroes tonight were the folks sitting right up here," he said.

As the sun set, the speakers began having to yell into their microphones to be heard over the din of the fireworks being launched in the parking lots, porches and backyards of the surrounding area.

And as the city's fireworks display kicked off, Americans old and new wished the country a happy 239th birthday.

tgraef@semissourian.com

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