I am in full support of the ongoing conferences and lawsuit that focus on citizenship rights for residents of the United States territories. The US took ownership of the Virgin Islands in 1917, and citizenship for the residents was granted through an act of Congress in 1927. This legal precedent, which is controlled by Congress, rather than the US Constitution, gave residents living in the USVI limited rights, but they can’t vote for the president, and they don’t have a voting representative in Congress.
People born in America Samoa have fewer rights than residents of other US territories, for they are not full citizens. They are considered non-citizen nationals, and if they moved to one of the 50 states, they would have to go through the naturalisation process to gain full rights of citizenship.
Military draft
In 1968, while I was in the job corps in New Jersey, I was drafted for the military through the St. Thomas board. I signed up for the Navy rather than the Army, which was a smart move because being in the Navy turned out to be much more comfortable, with warm bunks to sleep on every night and three hot meals a day. If USVIslanders can be drafted into the military, fight and die for the US, then they should be given full constitutional rights as US citizens.
A similar case comes to mind: Until 1971, US citizens weren’t able to vote until they were 21 years old, but they were drafted into the US military at age 18. After many demonstrations and much agitation, Congress changed the voting age to 18 by passing the 26th Amendment to the Constitution.
Many US Virgin Islanders died during the Vietnam War. Once citizens can fight and die for their country, they should be given full citizenship with all constitutional rights.
French model
France has a much more civilised approach to dealing with its overseas territories. French territories — including those in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans; French Guiana on the South American continent; and several peri-Antarctic islands — have representation in the parliament of France, and the right to vote in elections to the European Parliament.
On the other hand, until recently residents of British overseas territories had to go through the visitors’ line to enter the United Kingdom. To date, the UK government does less for its overseas territories than any other country. The US Virgin Islands receives a lot of assistance from the US, but its citizens need to have full constitutional rights.
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