February 8, 2014
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I learned a disturbing thing tonight.
Do you know it is not possible to renounce your United States citizenship?
I have been critical of other nations, because I could not understand why their citizens couldn't have the right to leave their countries if they so choose.
Tonight I learned that this is true even of the United States, which heralds freedom to the world.
This is a shock to me.
I also learned that it is illegal to mutilate a passport. Another shock. If we buy it and pay for it, is it not then ours to do as we will with it?
I always thought in the United States we were free... and free to choose anywhere we wanted to live, and where we wanted to be a citizen. I did not know that we needed 'permission' to renounce citizenship in this country. I knew that we needed permission from a country to be allowed in... but to be allowed out?
There apparently is, no such thing, as 'a man without a country', even when that might be the choice of his choosing.
Comments (4)
I've heard of renouncing our citizenship. I think some people do it in their hearts and then set out to destroy it from within.
I didn't know it was illegal to mutilate a passport. Interesting! Some people renounce their citizenship so they won't have to pay taxes. It is supposed to be the duty of the stranger in the land to pay taxes and not the citizens but times change don't they? Thanks for your comment! It was a light to my day too! 
Lynn, I think you need a time out. Take a deep breath. Relax. Think happy thoughts. This will all go away.
Hope you have a great weekend. Your second favorite senior citizen
frank
it never entered my mind but mom has several old passports and I just told brother and sister to keep them cause it's nice history to see where mom has been and the photo looks so old.
I just googled both of these issues.
It is possible to renounce one's citizenship according to several sites that I found. One of the sites said that it isn't wise to do so unless a person is absolutely sure that they never wish to have it back, because if done, it is permanent.
Regarding passports: They are legal proof of citizenship needed for traveling, and so as long as they haven't expired there shouldn't be any reason to mutilate or destroy them. If it happens somehow, they can be replaced.
As far as an old passport, it can be destroyed if one wants to do so.
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