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The President:
Well, good afternoon.
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Annyeonghaseyo.
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It is an honor to be here
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at the War Memorial of Korea.
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In a few moments, I'll lay
a wreath to pay tribute
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to our servicemembers who've
given their lives
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in defense of our freedom.
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And tomorrow, I'll address
our troops
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and civilians at Yongsan Garrison.
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I have said before, I
have no higher
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honor than serving as your
Commander-in-Chief.
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And today, I can think of
no higher privilege
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than being here with all of you
and your families
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for this special moment --
becoming the newest citizens
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of the world's oldest
constitutional democracy.
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I know that each of you
have traveled
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your own path to this moment.
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You come from 14
different countries.
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Some of you have
called Seoul home.
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But a day came when each
one of you did something
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extraordinary: Thirteen
of you made
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the profound decision to put on
the uniform
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of a country that was not yet
fully your own.
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Seven of you married an
American soldier --
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and as a military spouse, that
means you've been
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serving our country, too.
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If there's anything that
this should teach
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us, it's that America is
strengthened
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by our immigrants.
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I had a chance to talk to
our Ambassador
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and our Commander here, and I
said to them that there's
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no greater strength, no
greater essence of America
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than the fact that we
attract people from
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all around the world who
want to be part
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of our democracy.
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We are a nation of
immigrants --
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people from every corner, every
walk of life,
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who picked up tools to help
build our country,
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who started up businesses to
advance our country,
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who took up arms to defend our country.
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What makes us Americans is
something more
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than just the circumstances of
birth, what we look like,
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what God we worship, but
rather it
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is a joyful spirit of citizenship.
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Citizenship demands
participation
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and responsibility, and
service
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to our country and to one another.
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And few embody that more
than our men
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and women in uniform.
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If we want to keep
attracting the best
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and the brightest, the
smartest
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and the most selfless the world
has to offer,
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then we have to keep this in
mind:
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the value of our immigrants to our way of life.
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It is central to who we
are; it's in our DNA.
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It's part of our creed.
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And that means moving
forward we've got
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to fix our broken immigration
system
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and pass common-sense
immigration reform.
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This is a huge advantage
to us --
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the talent that we attract.
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We don't want to make it
harder;
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we want to make it more
sensible, more efficient.
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That's why I'm going to
keep on pushing
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to get this done this year, so
that others like
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the young men and women here
have the opportunity
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to join our American family and
serve our great nation.
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Today, I'm thrilled that,
in a few moments,
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I'll get to call each of you
my fellow Americans.
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I am so proud to be
sharing
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this stage with you today.
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Congratulations.
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But I don't want to talk
too long because
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I'm not the main event.
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Thank you very much
for your service.
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(applause)
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Male Speaker: Ladies and
gentleman, please welcome
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Walter Haith, United
States Citizenship and
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Immigration Service Field
Office Director
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to present the candidates.
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Walter Haith: Thank
you Mr. President.
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Deputy Director Daum, it
is my honor to present 20
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candidates for
naturalization from
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14 different countries.
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Each of them have been
examined by a USCIS
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officer, and has been
found to be of good moral
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character, and attached
to the principles of the
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constitution of
the United States.
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Each of them has been
found to be eligible in
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every respect for United
States citizenship.
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I request therefor that
you administer the oath of
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allegiance on behalf
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of the United States government.
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Male Speaker: Ladies and
gentlemen, please welcome
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Robert Daum, United
States Citizenship and
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Immigration Service Deputy
District Director for Asia
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Pacific to administer
the oath of allegiance.
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Robert Daum: Candidates
for citizenship, please
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raise your right hand,
and repeat after me.
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I hereby declare
under oath.
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Audience: I hereby
declare under oath.
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Robert Daum: That I
absolutely and entirely.
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Audience: That I absolutely
and entirely.
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Robert Daum:
Renounce and abjure.
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Audience: Renounce and abjure.
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Robert Daum: All
allegiance and fidelity.
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Audience: All allegiance
and fidelity.
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Robert Daum: To any
foreign prince.
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Audience: To any
foreign prince.
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Robert Daum: Potentate.
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Audience: Potentate.
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Robert Daum: State
or sovereignty.
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Audience: State or Sovereignty.
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Robert Daum: Of
whom or which.
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Audience: Of whom or which.
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Robert Daum: I
have heretofore.
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Audience: I have heretofore.
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Robert Daum: Been a
subject of citizen.
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Audience: Been a
subject or citizen.
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Robert Daum: That I will
support and defend.
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Audience: That I will
support and defend.
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Robert Daum: The
constitution and laws.
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Audience: The constitution
and laws.
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Robert Daum: Of the
United States of America.
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Audience: Of the United
States of America.
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Robert Daum:
Against all enemies.
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Audience: Against all enemies.
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Robert Daum: Foreign
and domestic.
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Audience: Foreign and Domestic.
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Robert Daum: That I
will bear true faith
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Audience: That I will
bear true faith.
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Robert Daum:
And allegiance.
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Audience: And Allegiance.
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Robert Daum: To the same.
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Audience: To the same.
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Robert Daum: That
I will bear arms.
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Audience: That I
will bear arms.
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Robert Daum: On behalf
of the United States.
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Audience: On behalf of
the United States.
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Robert Daum: When
required by the law.
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Audience: When required
by the law.
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Robert Daum: That
I will perform.
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Audience: That I will perform.
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Robert Daum:
Noncombatant service.
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Audience: Noncombatant service.
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Robert Daum: In
the armed forces.
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Audience: In the armed forces.
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Robert Daum: Of
the United States.
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Audience: Of the United States.
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Robert Daum: When
required by the law.
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Audience: When required
by the law.
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Robert Daum: That
I will perform.
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Audience: That I will perform.
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Robert Daum: Work of
national importance.
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Audience: Work of
national importance.
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Robert Daum: Under
civilian direction.
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Audience: Under civilian
direction.
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Robert Daum: When
required by the law.
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Audience: When required
by the law.
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Robert Daum: And that
I take
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this obligation freely.
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Audience: And that I take
this obligation freely.
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Robert Daum: Without
any mental reservation.
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Audience: Without any
mental reservation.
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Robert Daum: Or
purpose of evasion.
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Audience: Or purpose of evasion.
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Robert Daum: So help me god.
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Audience: So help me god.
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Audience: Congratulations, you
are the newest citizens
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of the United States
of America.
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(applause)