This is a true story. Some years ago, I failed to complete a United States Census form correctly, and my error prompted an official call. “What,” the Census employee asked me,” is your ‘country of origin?’” I responded without hesitation. “The United States. America. Here. Our country.”   “No,” she replied. “That’s not correct. Before that. Everyone’s from somewhere.”   “Well,” I replied. “As far back as I know, it’s America. My fourth great grandfather is buried in East Brookfield, Vermont, and my great great Grandfather is buried in Haverhill, NH.  Before that, another long-ago grandfather was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1642, and his grandson, my fifth great grandfather, fought in the Revolutionary War. So I’m a citizen of America.”   The Census employee was hardly impressed. “Well,” she said, “there is no category for ‘America’ as a ‘country of origin.’” “How is that possible?” I replied. “It’s America. How can there be no official option to choose America as your ‘country of origin?’” “Are you Native American?” she asked, Her professional duties obviously required persistence and patience.  “No,” I responded. “I don’t go that far back, I’m pretty sure.” “Well,” she said, “so what is your ‘country of origin?’  The Census form does ask you for a ‘Place of Birth,’ so that can be the United States. You could say that. That’s citizenship not a country of origin.” This conversation occurred around the time Meryl Streep had said, evidently to some controversy, that “We’re all from Africa, originally…” So I repeated that. “If, over time. you never lose where you’re from originally, I guess you’d have to say Africa then, at least from what I know about humanity’s origin story.”  Undeterred, she said, “So are you African American?”   “Well,” I replied, “probably not in the sense I imagine you intend your question.”  I was being annoying and she was finally exasperated with me. She undoubtedly had better things to do. There was a slight pause before she said, “Now, you’re being obstreperous.” She was right. I was. At the moment, I lacked the wit to understand this federal form wasn’t a bureaucratic cul-de-sac but a celebration of wisdom. I should have respected the United States Census on its face. No matter how long any family may have lived in the United States, it’s still not your “country of origin” unless one is Native American.   The U.S. Census recognizes birth or naturalization as the avenues to citizenship. “Citizenship,” the Census declares to this day, is defined not by how long your family has lived here but where you were on the day you were born or naturalized.   I’m just grateful to be a citizen together with all my fellow first-generation neighbors. Jay Stroud, Quechee Read the story on VTDigger here: Jay Stroud: Citizenship isn’t ancestry. It’s birth or naturalization.. ...read more read less