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Am I One of those Immigrants Right-Wing Politicians Want You to Hate?

Let’s replace black and white thinking with the many colors of reality

10 min readSep 8, 2025

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What is this? There will be a test at the end. (Source: Piqsels)

This week, the Czech government approved my application for permanent residency in the Czech Republic. This doesn’t mean I am a Czech citizen, but it does grant to me certain legal rights, including the rights to live and work here.

I qualify for permanent residency because I’ve been a very good boy, jumping through all the required hoops and over all the required hurdles. I previously had to go through multiple two-year temporary status applications. That involved large fees, lots of paperwork (actual physical paper, too), and multiple appointments at government offices.

I had to go through that song and dance every two years because I was not born here. Only in the country of my birth do I have a near absolute right to live and work. This is true for every one of us. We are citizens only of the country in which we were born, barring considerable legal maneuvering.

I use philosophy to peel back the facades and reveal the realities beneath. To support my work, please consider following me.

Expat > Immigrant > Migrant > Refugee > Alien

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Douglas Giles, PhD
Douglas Giles, PhD

Written by Douglas Giles, PhD

Philosopher by trade & temperament, professor for 21 years, bringing philosophy out of its ivory tower and into everyday life. https://dgilesauthor.com/

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