'Why I'm turning my back on my homeland'

HIS family first settled in the United States of America in 1776, the year of his country of birth's Declaration of Independence. Now he's getting out, but why?

MAKING A STAND: Randall Dietz is planning to renounce his US citizenship over Donald Trump's presidency and policies . Picture: Warren Lynam

WURTULLA internet technology worker Randall Dietz loves America but the election of Donald Trump has shocked him to the core.

The dual US and Australian citizen now wants to turn his back on the country of his birth and where his relatives and family still live.

The Unitywater employee was born into a typical US immigrant family with his father's side arriving from Germany in 1776 - the year of the Declaration of Independence - and his mother from Swedish roots.

For Randall renouncing US citizenship is something he has thought about carefully.

But the election result and the Trump administration's policy direction has left him rattled.

"I love America, it made me who I am," he said.

"But the recent election has shocked me to the core.

"The campaign rhetoric that underpinned the election result disgusted me.

"That rhetoric is now becoming reality at a rapid rate and the consequences will be felt not just in the USA and the here and now, but throughout the entire world, potentially for generations to come.

"I do not for a moment believe bigotry and misinformation will "make America great again" - rather they will have the opposite effect.

"In any case, even if one was to believe that racism, fear and hate will do the trick, they are an unacceptable means to an end and I do not want to in any way be associated with such an agenda.

"It's a big step. It's bugging me and I have to do something about it."

Randall admits to having not closely followed US politics until last year as Trump began to increasingly look likely.

"You are joking," he said was what first came to mind.

"For me being a US citizen was about truth being a big deal. One thing in the campaign (presidential election) was that provable untruths were now alternative facts.

"That's not American."

The son of a state park ranger, Randall grew up with a close affinity to nature and surrounded by a community and friends with accents from around the globe.

He has a keen understanding of the environment and ecology and is offended by Trump's global warming denialism with any mention of Climate Change now removed from the White House website and government scientists no longer to speak directly to the public or media.

However getting out of America it appears is as hard as the new President has made getting in for people from a number of countries where Islam is the predominant religion.

"People are worried," Randall said. "No one thought in a million years he would do this. Who's next."

Randall's plan to rock up to a US consulate, explain his reasons, cancel the passport and renounce citizenship is not quite as easy as that.

There is no consulate in Brisbane for a start, with the closest in Sydney, and an interview and a lot of paperwork and fees apply.

"The original plan was to rock up and tell them I'm out and to get the message out about what is happening," he said.

"But you have to front a US Consulate in either Sydney or Melbourne since they closed Brisbane, have an interview and pay a fee of $2100 before they let you go.

"You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

Total costs for the exercise will amount to more than $4000.

Originally from Portland Oregon on the US west coast moved to Australia 30 years ago to follow his future wife.

Australia has done well out of the deal, the couple producing a daughter who is now a doctor and two sons who are studying engineering at university.

The kids, who were all born in Australia and are Australian citizens, were given the opportunity to secure dual citizenship before they turned 18 but chose not to.

Randall has launched a Gofundme page as much to promote hiss stand as to cover the costs.

Originally published as 'Why I'm turning my back on my homeland'