The Conversation I Just Had with My 11-Year-Old

I'm constantly reminded of our country's failures when my daughter finishes reading something and comes to me with an 11-year-old's version of WTF. Today, as she was reading the constitution, Article 1, she asks me why a naturalized citizen who has lived in the U.S. for a loooooooong time cannot be president. 

Good fucking question. Why are we still creating levels of citizen in this country? Why can't someone who immigrated here (regardless of motive and circumstance), went through the innumerable hoops required to be considered legal, and dedicated themselves to this nation still not be able to be a leader of the people? 

For a brief second, even though I knew better, I thought there's no way that still applies. Before giving her an answer, I actually googled to confirm that no recent legislation had gone through to amend this absurdity. Of course it hasn't changed. I knew that, but I am a hopeless romantic. An idealist. A woman who wants to believe that we are better than using someone's birthplace as a factor for discrimination.

The point is, I would like there to be a day when I can tell my child that the law has changed. That people who live here; people who become citizens can be president. That is it. That's the post.