Should We Make Amends?

On my way back here from the library this morning I noticed the USA Today on the newspaper rack. It asked whether we should Amend for Arnold, of course talking about a possible constitutional amendment which would allow foreign-born citizens to become POTUS.

First of all, this is purely hypothetical. I mean, the situation exists where some people might want to take steps to get Arnold Schwarzenegger into the highest office, but it's not gonna happen. Not with the collective xenophobia our nation has. I think one thing red and blue-state people have in common is a fierce sense of propriety of the Constitution, and questions about the necessity of an amendment and the capabilities of our natural-born citizens would arise. To pass this amendment would almost be to admit some sort of defeat. That's one way of thinking.

I am fervently opposed to the idea "Amend for Arnold" because I don't think Arnold has any business thinking about the presidency, nor should he have run for governor of California (It's California, people, come on!) But if the question were of someone besides Arnold, for some brilliant and proven diplomat, maybe my thinking would be different. Isn't it best to have the most qualified person in charge? There are certainly foreign-born citizens who know their U.S. history and, more importantly, its recent history and who comprehend the regional cultural nuances and issues people are concerned about. I believe the superintendent of Seattle schools was born and grew up in India. Why should this sort of factor out of the control of the candidate determine his or her eligibility? One could say it's like prohibiting based on race or sex. And would an amendment like this realistically endear more Americans to the idea of a non-White and/or female president?

Could this happen anywhere but the U.S.? I guess Fujimori was president in Peru but, as I understand, he wasn't exactly a fair (or merciful or law-abiding) leader. I mean, imagine an American living in Japan. Brilliant individual, understands contemporary Japanese culture and produces insightful commentary on it. Maybe this person is a water systems engineer who became a lawyer and now has his sights set on public office. Do you think he could become president in Japan? No fucking way. I picked the most homogeneous society I could think of for this example, but I really think the same would apply anywhere. So why is this issue on our newssstands in the U.S.? Our society is more heterogeneous than most. Are we more forward-thinking than everyone else? Or are we ignoring any and all vestiges of nationalism because we are fed up with ourselves? It's a tough call.