British actress, and newly minted American citizen, Emily Blunt found out the other day how un-welcoming our nation can be. Why, you ask? Ms. Blunt made an unseemly comment during an interview with the Hollywood Reporter about her reaction to watching the first GOP debate on television with her family on a morning news show. You see, it frightened the precious English rose.

“I became an American citizen recently, and that night, we watched the Republican debate and I thought, ‘This was a terrible mistake. What have I done?'”

Evidently Ms. Blunt found it more terrifying that her most recent film, in which she plays an Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent that is investigating drug traffic on the U.S. Mexico border. You can see her apology below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1TGkZN0X2s

On an appearance on Today-a common stop for apology tours-Ms. Blunt claimed that her political and cultural gaffe was an “offhand comment” and “was not intended to cause offense”.

Gee Emily, that is an interesting comment but when you tell the citizens of your new country that between 39 and 47% of them are “frightening” to you there is going to be some backlash. That backlash came in the form of an open invitation from the folks on Fox and Friends to leave Hollywood.

If you are wondering why I italicized the word “citizens” above it is simple. You see, Ms. Blunt recently gave up being a subject to the British crown. A “subject” is defined by Merriam Webster as “one that is placed under authority or control: as in vassal”. As an American citizen  Ms. Blunt enjoys certain rights, responsibilities and is defined by the same resource as one who “legally belongs to a country and has the rights and protection of that country”.

That’s right Emily. As an American citizen  you are protected in ways a subject never could be. Perhaps you should re-read the Constitution. It is this pretty cool document that I am sure you had to read to pass your citizenship test.

Perhaps Ms. Blunt should remember that the blessings of Liberty rest on the heads of citizens as opposed to subjects-even if those citizens only consider themselves “half-American”.

Or perhaps Ms. Blunt should simply observe the advice above.