Tears of joy streamed down many faces as 303 people from 62 countries took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States at the Brown and Williamson Club at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in Louisville June 20.
Among them was a 28-year-old man from Ireland, Michael Murray, who is married to the former Tracy Wathen, daughter of Paul and Glenda Wathen of Hodgenville.
“Moments after we took the Oath, I saw many strangers embrace and call each other brother,” said Murray. “Women, some men, too, had tears in their eyes as the feeling of community was a religious experience; otherworldly, but yet so American.”
For Murray this day was a culmination of a long, sometimes frustrating, but worthwhile journey to becoming a citizen of a country that he describes as “the beacon for mankind.”
He was born the day before America’s Independence Day, July 3, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, at a time when the re-awakened bitterness of the past several hundred years brought about a renewed hatred between Catholic and Protestant communities.
Chaos reigned as the police, no longer able to mediate nor protect the innocent from the sectarian attacks between the two factions, came to be seen as the enemy by both sides in the conflict.
Violence
“I disliked growing up amongst the ‘tit-for-tat’ violence, the segregation (a 30-foot high Berlin-like peace-line wall separated communities in Belfast) and the paranoia that surrounded every step I took outside the confines of my home,” he said.
His childhood scenes were anything but pleasant as the youngster witnessed highjackings, attacks on army personnel, midnight raids on neighboring homes, and constant hovering of helicopters that robbed him of sleep, even on school nights.
Forever etched in his memory was the day while playing soccer that he stumbled upon a murder scene, witnessing two armed IRA (Irish Republican Army) men being fatally shot.
“Those were things I wasn’t able to talk about with anyone for fear of reprisal until later in life,” he said.
Saving grace
Living in such disorder and fear, the only measure of normalcy he found was through the American media.
“American movies, television, and music were my saving grace where I could retreat in my mind from the turmoil,” he said. He wasn’t the only one in the family who welcomed what America offered.
On weekends, his dad listened to Elvis on cassette tapes and even cut into Murray’s Saturday morning cartoons whenever the Duke (John Wayne) came onto the screen.
His mother often shared stories of her brother who emigrated to America many years earlier, and his return to Ireland every few years always kicked up a dust of excitement.
“Every time she saw him or spoke with him, I learned something new about culture in the USA,” Murray said.
“Little did I know all that was preparing for my own emigration many years later.”
For him, America became a state of mind, a Utopia for free thinking and great ideas – a destination he knew he wanted to reach some day.
In 2000, he met Wathen, who was spending a college semester in London, England, and had taken an excursion to Belfast. The two hit it off from the start.
Remaining in phone and e-mail contact with each other, Murray visited Wathen and met her parents the next summer.
“I was taken into her family like a son,” he said. “The warmth I felt became a bond which congeals me to this day.” He and Wathen married in 2003.
The more time he spent in America, the more he considered becoming a citizen.
“I took a conscious effort to pursue becoming a citizen in 2006 when, during a phone conversation with my friend in Belfast, I, without thinking about it, referred to America as ‘home,’” said Murray. The journey to citizenship had begun.
After years of form filing, fee paying, studying, and answering interview questions covering a host of American civics and historical data, Murray passed all requirements and only his swearing-in ceremony remained.
Taking the oath
At the hour-long event, which involved the opening and closing of United States district court, the keynote speaker was Elaine Chao, U.S. secretary of labor and wife of Senator Mitch McConnell.
Chao empathized with the candidates, recalling the 11,000 miles she had traveled on a cargo ship from Taiwan to America as an 8-year-old girl who spoke no English.
“Wherever you go in the world, you can proudly claim the mantle of being an American,” said Chao. “What precious words those are.”
As Chief Judge of United States District Court John G. Heyburn II administered the Oath of Allegiance, Murray, like the others, stood teary-eyed, sharing the feelings of a former immigrant from Armenia, George Mardikian, who wrote these words that were printed inside the program:
“You who have been born in America, I wish I could make you understand what it is like not to be an American; not to have been an American all your life and then suddenly with the words of a man in flowing robes to be one, for that moment and forever after.
“One moment you belong with your fathers to a million dead yesterdays; the next you belong with America to a million unborn tomorrows.”
Band director taking job in Florida
Shane Mitchell, who has directed the LaRue County High School Band of Hawks for the past five years, has resigned his position to take a teaching job at Melbourne High School in Florida.
“I was looking for a schedule where I could teach music, and only music,” said Mitchell, “and when this position became open, my family decided to put our sights on Florida.”
Melbourne, located near Cocoa Beach, houses about 2,000 students in grades 9-12.
“I’ll be teaching orchestra, jazz band, concert band, symphonic band, and wind ensemble as well as marching band,” said Mitchell. “The school is in Brevard County which has 19 high schools and is nationally recognized for its support of music education.”
At LaRue, he guided the Marching Band of Hawks to a Distinguished (highest) rating in all concert festivals in which they participated. The band made the state marching band semi-finals all five years he served as director and, in 2004, competed in the state finals.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better band program than the one I’ve had here,” Mitchell said. “The kids plus the support I have received from parents and from the school district has been great the entire time.”
His title at Melbourne will be director of instrumental music. Mitchell holds a bachelor of music degree from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Eastern Kentucky University. Before coming to LaRue, he was assistant band director at Lexington Bryan Station for four and one-half years.
“Although I’m anxious and nervous about it, I’m looking forward to teaching there,” he said.
He expects a new band director at LCHS to be named sometime this week.
Celebrations planned for July 4
On July 4, 1776, the United States claimed independence from Britain and a democracy was born.
It’s our country’s tradition to celebrate our freedom that day with picnics, family gatherings and fireworks.
Locally, three events are planned on Independence Day.
Concert honoring Lincoln
At 5 p.m., the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site will hold a musical tribute to the 16th President – in honor of the observance of his 200th birthday. Lincoln’s birth is being celebrated with period and patriot songs. It’s the first time the park has held a Fourth of July celebration and Sandy Brue, Chief of Interpretation and Resource Management, hopes to make it an annual event.
“Since this is the summer leading up to the actual (Lincoln) bicentennial on Feb. 12, 2009, I thought it would provide an opportunity to offer more for the visitors and the community,” said Brue. “We have seen a slight increase in visitation, and more bus groups, more groups coming to the area because they have heard about the bicentennial. I am happy that our visitation is not down with the economy and high gas prices, like it is in other areas. I think all the marketing and media attention has helped.”
Performing will be Anne Milligan, Glen Rice and Jim Sayre.
Milligan is a singer and songwriter; her most recent CD is titled “Thoughts of Home,” a collection of traditional American Folk music.
Rice, former principal of Buffalo Elementary School, embarked on a music career after retirement. His latest CD is “A Man for All Times.”
Sayre, who lives in Lawrenceburg, is a professional Lincoln presenter who will recite the Gettysburg Address and selections from other Lincoln speeches.
The program will be held at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial building and audience members will be permitted to sit on the steps. Visitors are welcome to bring cushions or blankets for the steps, but lawn chairs are not allowed, said Brue.
“Because this is a formal memorial we can’t allow picnicking and lawn chairs, except in the picnic area across the street,” said Brue, “but we can use the steps.”
Brue said the Band of Hawks concert was held in the same spot in May and drew a good-sized crowd.
“After the success of the band concert in May, it seems like a great idea to have a July 4 concert,” she said.
The program will be moved inside the auditorium in case of inclement weather.
A pair of churches will also host community events.
Buffalo Baptist Church, located at 2530 Greensburg Rd., will have a community picnic with a cookout starting at 5 p.m.
Homemade ice cream will also be served. There will be games and activities for children and adults.
A gospel and bluegrass concert will be held at 7 p.m. with Eddie Black, Rice, Brenda Martin, J.T. and Virginia Napier, Kenny Stinson and Perfect Timing, Terry Sandidge and Bro. Rodney Troutman performing.
Antique cars will also be on display.
Organizers suggest bringing lawn chairs. For more information, call 325-3820.
Roanoke House of Prayer celebration
Roanoke House of Prayer at 11 Gray Road will host a cookout at 6 p.m. Other events include horseshoe, corn hole, volleyball and basketball games. There will also be water games for children.
