America: the land of the free, the home of the brave, the great bread basket. Okay, no one really calls it that, but you get my point. America is a country made of immigrants for immigrants. We set the bar as far as immigration is concerned, because, well, we know how they feel.

Everyone in the U.S. is either an immigrant or a descendant of an immigrant. It is a cultural melting pot, if you will. Back in the olden days, people would pile onto boats and weather it until they came to see Lady Liberty. Back then, it cost little or nothing to be naturalized. Today, however, is a different story.

I was searching on the internet, and I just happened to search for the costs of naturalization. I clicked on the top link (www.uscitizenchip.info) and searched around until i finally found a price. Hold on to your hat, $99.95. Yes, $100.

So, if a person wants to come to America and become a citizen, not only must they meet the requirements, they must shell out some major cash. That money is even more major to countrie whose money is worth less than that of America's. So, why can't this be free? I mean, where does the money go? Wasn't it free before?

The money most likely goes to the government to pay for such important things as board metings in Hawaii and a National Toilet Museum. Those things get paid for by taxes; why can't this? The answer is it could, but, let's face it many people wouldn't be willing to pay them.

Let's think about this. There are people in this country that are very happy with the waty things ar egoing right now. They may not want to ahve many other people that they don't know or even look like running around. So, if there were a tax, they may not pay the tax for naturalization.

So, perhaps America is not as free as one may have thought. It certainly doesn't look like it. The reality is that America is a country built on money, and they'll get any way they can. Even if that means puting a price on freedom.