I'm a welcome foreigner.

When I am in Italy, I am the foreigner. I like that. The feel of being a foreigner. Makes me the different one. Yes, I like to be different. And then, when I am accepted, despite being different, it's a truly joyous and gratifying experience. I know that doesn't always happen in America. Of course, there are exceptions in Italy, too. But with rare exception, I'm embraced. Italians like me. And I like Italians. My true love is Italian. A wonderful Sardinian. Anyway, I have a sense that America isn't as accepting of foreigners as it used to be. America used to take pride in being a melting pot. But now that white people are becoming the minority, it's getting a little tense. Many conservative white folks don't like being a minority. They feel a loss of political power. And they want to hold on to it. They even resent having a black president residing in the White House. It comes as no surprise that they question whether Barack Obama is a true American. They want to see his birth certificate. And when they look at it, they question the authenticity. They accuse Obama of being a foreigner. Maybe even a secret Muslim. Polls show that significant numbers of white Republicans think that Obama has pulled a ruse. That he isn't what he says he is. That he's a foreigner. An unwelcome foreigner. Thank gawd. I've never felt that way in Italy. I'm a welcome foreigner. --Jim Broede