What makes a person American?
Writing prompt from: Mrs. Holland
Date: Aug. 26, 2003 Rating: PG
Do you want to know what makes a person American in my mind, or in the average American's mind?
To the average American citizen, it means that you live in the United States, believe in God, and love the country.
To me, it's a bit more complex.
Many Americans go through life thinking they're American simply because they're patriotic and religious. This isn't true. America isn't about everyone being the same, and everyone liking the same thing. Not every American likes America, and that's their choice. Many people don't seem to remember that this country was founded on freedom of speech, and freedom to be ourselves. It seems anymore though, as soon as you walk out your door, you're bombarded with flags and bibles. I'm not saying this is bad, nor am I saying it's good. What I'm saying is that the average American thinks everyone has to be the same.
They also this that this country is perfect. They say it doesn't have problems. In truth, the citizen needs to realize that this country does have it's problems, just like every other country. We're the world police- man, and for that, we're hated. They need to see the hypocrisy in the politics, the hypocrisy in everyday life. But they also need to see the blessings. True, as I pointed out, we have many problems too, but we still have more freedom than some countries could ever fathom.
The true American needs to see past the lies being force-fed to us, and needs to think for themselves.
I digress, America isn't about everyone believing in God. And America isn't about everyone loving this country. America isn't about forcing you to believe something you don't want to. That's not America, that's a dictatorship. The great thing about America is that we don't have a dictatorship or a communist government. We have a democracy. We have the people choose.
But how can we trust these people when they've forgotten what America was founded on? Too many people now try to fit everyone into a stereotype, figuring that if everyone were the same, it'd be easy for them.
Or, they try to change you through blind patriotism and or blind religion. These people don't realize they're not being American, they in fact, think they're the ideal American. But there is no ideal American. I'm not saying I'm even close to being an ideal American. An ideal American is someone who can see the country's hypocrisy and see the blessing at the same time. The ideal American realizes that people who only care about themselves and their own wallet are running our government. There is no such thing as the ideal American. Everyone has their different views.
And if you think you're the ideal American, I'd like to hear your side.
If not, you need to re-read this article and think long and hard before saying you're a true American. Americans aren't necessarily born here. Americans can be from anywhere. They can live in China and be American. As long as they realize that there is good, bad and evil in everything, including their beloved country, but they can somehow get over that bad, then they're a true American.
Writing prompt from: Mrs. Holland
Date: Aug. 26, 2003 Rating: PG
Do you want to know what makes a person American in my mind, or in the average American's mind?
To the average American citizen, it means that you live in the United States, believe in God, and love the country.
To me, it's a bit more complex.
Many Americans go through life thinking they're American simply because they're patriotic and religious. This isn't true. America isn't about everyone being the same, and everyone liking the same thing. Not every American likes America, and that's their choice. Many people don't seem to remember that this country was founded on freedom of speech, and freedom to be ourselves. It seems anymore though, as soon as you walk out your door, you're bombarded with flags and bibles. I'm not saying this is bad, nor am I saying it's good. What I'm saying is that the average American thinks everyone has to be the same.
They also this that this country is perfect. They say it doesn't have problems. In truth, the citizen needs to realize that this country does have it's problems, just like every other country. We're the world police- man, and for that, we're hated. They need to see the hypocrisy in the politics, the hypocrisy in everyday life. But they also need to see the blessings. True, as I pointed out, we have many problems too, but we still have more freedom than some countries could ever fathom.
The true American needs to see past the lies being force-fed to us, and needs to think for themselves.
I digress, America isn't about everyone believing in God. And America isn't about everyone loving this country. America isn't about forcing you to believe something you don't want to. That's not America, that's a dictatorship. The great thing about America is that we don't have a dictatorship or a communist government. We have a democracy. We have the people choose.
But how can we trust these people when they've forgotten what America was founded on? Too many people now try to fit everyone into a stereotype, figuring that if everyone were the same, it'd be easy for them.
Or, they try to change you through blind patriotism and or blind religion. These people don't realize they're not being American, they in fact, think they're the ideal American. But there is no ideal American. I'm not saying I'm even close to being an ideal American. An ideal American is someone who can see the country's hypocrisy and see the blessing at the same time. The ideal American realizes that people who only care about themselves and their own wallet are running our government. There is no such thing as the ideal American. Everyone has their different views.
And if you think you're the ideal American, I'd like to hear your side.
If not, you need to re-read this article and think long and hard before saying you're a true American. Americans aren't necessarily born here. Americans can be from anywhere. They can live in China and be American. As long as they realize that there is good, bad and evil in everything, including their beloved country, but they can somehow get over that bad, then they're a true American.