PEORIA MAGAZINE November 2022

C O M M E N T A R Y

THE PROMISE OF AMERICA Out of Many, One

Judge James Shadid presides over the Sept. 23 naturalization ceremony. Below he holds his grandfather's Certificate of Citizenship

BY JAMES E. SHADID PHOTOS BY MIKE BAILEY

to say “thank you” to my grandparents, but also to say “thank you” to each of you for the decision you make today. Your decision will affect your children, your family, your friends, all of us, in more ways than you can imagine. There is a small village tucked in a rugged corner of Lebanon between Syria and Israel, called Marjayoun. In the early 1900s, it had a population of 10,000 people and four newspapers. It has been described as once being graceful and gentle, landscaped with olive trees and stone houses roofed with red tile. That forgotten corner of Lebanon was once the proud home of my grandparents. My Grandpa Shadid peddled clothing with his father on a route from Marjayoun to Damascus. One day during his travels, his father died and my grandfather carried him for two days, so he would have a proper burial. In 1919, my grandfather married Adeebi Massad. Their honeymoon consisted of boarding a boat for the

United States, traveling in steerage. Likemostothers, theysufferedthrough hardship and depression to make their way. Somehow, like most others, they struggled on, earning a living, raising a family and building a nation. Now, I honestly don’t know what the circumstances of that decision would be today. At the time, they were considered to be from Syria. Often, I think of how fortunate they were … that their nine children were … that their 33 grandchildren were … that they were able to come here at the time. That America received them. My grandparents’ nine children worked as a police officer, protecting your streets; at Caterpillar in labor and management; as postal workers delivering your mail; as small business owners serving your needs; as mothers and fathers, husbands and wives raising their children. All as proud Americans. Those 33 grandchildren were no different, working in the trades as

Editor’s note : Federal Judge James Shadid delivered the following remarks at the naturalization ceremony over which he presided on Sept. 23 at Peoria Riverfront Museum, where he also administered the oath of American citizenship to nearly 100 candidates. E very one of you, every one of us, has a story to tell. Today, 100 of you from 30 countries with a story of hope, a story of anxiousness, a story of worry, a story of excitement. Maybe it’s all part of one story – howwe came here, why we came here, howandwhen our ancestors came before us, paving the way for a better life for ourselves and our families. Yes, every American has a story to tell and each story is part of strengthening the fabric of America. Today, I would like to share with you my story. It is my way

30 NOVEMBER 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE