The American Spectator

A CARPETBAGGER IN FULL br> Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.’s London’s American Mayor : /p>

Thank you so much for that informative article on London’s newly-elected Mayor Boris Johnson. What a stunning revelation: That he’s actually a US citizen. I’ve been reading every news story on-line that I can get a hold of on Johnson, and I’ve not seen this even mentioned anywhere else.

Many are trying to spin Johnson’s victory to fit their needs. For instance, the Ron Paul anti-War paleo-libertarians are trying to claim him as one of their own cause of some negative things he’s had to say about Bush in the past. I’ve even seen liberals saying that he’s one of them in disguise. But you’ve got him pegged: He’s a Reaganesque/Thatcherite libertarian Tory. What could be better.

p>Pity, our American GOP leaders are not yet taking their cue from him. br> — Eric Dondero, Publisher br> Libertarian Republican blog /p>

I read your recent article “London’s American Mayor” on the website of the American Spectator with interest. However, some of your assertions are patently ridiculous.

True. Boris was born here and therefore automatically received American citizenship. However, at the very least, that would make him an American in name only. For the most part, he was schooled in Britain — I went to school there, my family lived there, my sister married a Brit more than 30 years ago and has lived there the whole time, except for some visits here. She’s still an American — but it wasn’t a given. She has had to return every couple of years. I think that may have changed, but don’t know for sure. But, I vaguely remember a conversation about that after my mother died. Her kids are Brits. the point is, I have a pretty good idea of what the mind set is over there in certain issues. There is no way the Brits would have elected an American as mayor; that would have made bigger news than anything else

One of my brothers was born in Italy — Naples. Until a certain age he had dual passports. At some point a choice had to be made. Of course, there never really was a choice in his mind — being born in Italy doesn’t make one an Italian. Just as being born in American doesn’t make one an American. Perhaps citizenship-wise, but that is all.