Arlington, VA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/12/2019 --In November of 2019, Norway announced plans to allow dual citizenship beginning January 1st, 2020. The news comes a few weeks after the Dutch parliament voted to permit 100,000 of its citizens residing in the UK to seek dual nationality in the event of a no-deal Brexit, according to The Irish Times.
Dual citizenship is a fairly common occurrence with U.S.-Canada citizens, but how other countries and governments handle more than one nationality varies.
News outlets have recently speculated about what kind of citizenship Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's child will have. According to CNN Travel, the child is granted dual citizenship on the basis of each parent holding citizenship in two different countries.
The fascination of their citizenship within the media cycle doesn't end there. Meghan Markle is reportedly in the process of becoming a UK citizen, a process which could take years. However, it is unclear whether or not she will retain a dual citizenship with the U.S.
Why is it that the subject of singular, dual, or multiple citizenship is such a hot political topic? Does it truly matter where someone lives or where they come from?
It appears that it comes down to the question of loyalty. Can someone retain loyalty to more than one home or country they've come to love and know?
Ken Reiman, first-time author and U.S. Foreign Service diplomat says "yes". Duality can be used to open diplomatic doors to strengthen peace and bilateral and multilateral ties, so long as dual national assets are effectively employed and empowered to leverage their diverse background.
In his memoir, Love Both Keep Both, Reiman details his personal and public life as a diplomat with dual citizenship. He tells readers the story of his heritage from a Japanese mother and American father, and his lifelong desire to serve the United States as a member of the U.S. Foreign Service in Japan.
Reiman traces his education in Arizona, childhood summers in Japan, and both his grandmothers' love as driving forces behind his unwavering commitment to be a bridge between the U.S. and Japan.
At 24, after completing a Bachelor's degree in Foreign Service at Georgetown University, a year at Keio University studying Japanese politics and a Master's degree at Stanford in East Asian Studies, Reiman entered the world of diplomacy serving the U.S. with distinction in Asia, Africa, and South America. He takes us on many journeys describing the good times as well as the high stress and bureaucratic obstacles he faced while seeking an assignment in Japan.
Throughout heartbreak and struggles to prove his loyalty, he argues for the advantages for both countries to utilize dual nationals instead of shunning them. Diversity is not just about accepting those with one passport or nationality. Two countries as vibrant and strong as the U.S. and Japan can surely find ways to utilize dual national talent to strengthen the alliance further – diplomatically and economically.
He makes a strong case for letting dual national diplomats serve in the country of their national origin without asking them to renounce their non-U.S. nationality. He calls for beneficial new considerations governments should undertake to maximize the background, language skills, and talent of dual citizens to promote diversity, diplomacy, and peace. He challenges the way we view multinational human beings.
He inspires those whose very DNA is multicultural and multilingual to "dare" to be themselves to create a more just world together. He shows us how to advance a relationship further through dual citizens who embody the values of both, can translate those values to each side, and demonstrates that united we can accomplish so much more if we do not let prejudice defeat us. Ultimately, love not hate prevails. You can love one and hate the other, hate both or love both. Ken Reiman choses to love both heritages equally.
Love Both, Keep Both is informative as well as heartfelt, especially for Americans who understand the inherent value of diversity and for Japanese who view the U.S. as their greatest ally. If Japan becomes a country that accepts dual citizenship, the wealth of ideas and people this transformation brings not only can make Japan a more "global" country but also help her redefine her identity amidst a rapidly declining population.
The message is simple: embrace dual nationality as a gift, and never apologize for loving all of who you are to become the positive force for change God intended you to be.
You can purchase your copy of Love Both, Keep Both on Amazon and Indigo River Publishing.