Around the world, people have many preconceptions of what an American is. Some people see it as being able to have a hope or a dream that could only be given in America. Being an American means that one is offered freedom of religion, justice and rights. America offers a lot to people, giving them a chance to find success and happiness. Being born in America simply does not make you any more superior than those who were born elsewhere and live in America. America is more than just citizenship. You do not necessarily need a piece of paper to prove that you are “American.” In America we have unlimited sense of possibilities. We have obligations to speak and act in such a way to keep America a home of the free and maintain liberty. As usual, people come to America to live the “American dream” and see America as the land of plenty, freedom and equality. The reality is pretty different from the …show more content…
There is no ethnic attachment to being an American. Anyone can be an American, so long as they pledge allegiance to this country. Americans seek personal liberty, and worship as they please. One of the best known aspects of being an American is being able to embrace their religion, their beliefs and history as they choose, without the fear of judgement. In the short story “America and I,” by Anzia Yezierska, says “Once I thought that in America everybody works for love. Nobody has to worry for a living…”(Yezierska 20) Yezierska was an immigrant and a newcomer to America. She explains her experiences as an immigrant coming to America to start a new life. It took her a while to consider herself as a true American, but still reveled in her success. Many immigrants feel ostracized for the color of their skin but still learn to navigate their lives through hostility, and try their best become a
What Does It Mean To Be An American? So I think that to be an american is that you have the rights to say I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and so on. Also to be an american you can pick the job you really want, what shift to work, and the most important thing of all you can get an education. To be an american there is a lot of duties to do.
What it means to be an American has nothing to do with race, gender, size, origin, etc. Being an American solely relies on how far we have came as a country to call the United States of America a home, how we have fought through blood, sweat, and tears; depressions, wars, and movements for rights. Being an American means there is freedom of religion so you have the right to believe in whatever suits you. Americans work with the opportunities given to us to not only better, as well as protect our homeland and retrieve knowledge to better our future, but Americans give up their own lives to help do the same thing for other countries as well.
The soil of the middle-east stained with the blood of our American soldiers just so we can not take advantage of our right to vote. Though sometimes questionable, America's overall image portrayed to other countries is an honorable one. America is known for its democracy and as well as being a land of opportunities and many freedoms. America's assortment of ethnicities and cultures is proof that our country is a desirable one. Wars are being fought at this very moment to defend these freedoms.
What does it mean to be an American? In my eyes to be an American means to have privileges, rights, and freedom. America isn't perfect, but it is one of the only countries that have rights given to people of different diversities and gender. America does not have tremendous poverty. Instead we have choices given to us by the people who fought and died for the American people. Without George Washington and the other patriots who planted the first seed in the ground and help plant the American nation we live in now who knows what America would be like now.
An American is someone who doesn't rely on others for their individual happiness. Someone with the freedom to independently make decisions towards becoming a better person without conforming to society's standards/sentiments. Americans have equal rights no matter where they come from. “Of every hue and caste I am, of every rank and religion... I resist anything better than my own diversity,” (Whitman) Walt Whitman is saying that no matter the color of your skin, your rank/wealth in society, or your religion, you are just as equal as everybody else. We are all so different and diverse yet so equal. Although we are equal, we cannot rely on one another for our own happiness. “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in
Do you consider yourself to be an American? Being an American is not just having a citizenship or living in America it is much more. America doesn’t just allow the people inside the country to stay, but America gives everyone a second chance at life and give them more opportunities. America has had a long strive for freedom and independence, making the opportunity of living here that much more special. In this essay I will be reading to you my thoughts of what it means to be an American. Bravery, honor, hope, and the freedom and equality of all Americans are the topics that I feel are most important.
What does it mean to be an American? Being an American means a multitude of different things. It depends on who the person is and what is the most important to them. It may be that they are free, or that they are proud, or simply because they appreciate the country’s history. This country has so many privileges that other countries do not have, and this sets it aside from them.
Conversely, many believe that being an American comes only from an emotional standpoint and that no other classification is needed. As declared by Jose Antonio Vargas of the Huffington Post, “What it means to be an American is less about who you are than what you are about— how you live your life, how you contribute to this country, how you pledge allegiance to a flag hoping and praying it will make room for you.” Albeit this emotion may contribute to Americanism, it cannot operate by itself. Without citizenship, one cannot be considered American. Going back to the original definition, to be an American is to be, “a native inhabitant of the U.S.: a U.S. citizen.” Anything past this denotation is simply an opinion and cannot be used when coming up with an unambiguous definition of the
Many people dream about being an American. They dream because they envision America as the land of peace and prosperity. But is it? At times it has been, and at times its not. It is hard for the United States to be correct all the time because they have been unwilling designated as the “World Police”. Throughout history there have been examples politically, economically, and socially, where being an American is rewarding and times where it is embarrassing. To be an American means progress. We evolved from a world ruled by white men to a world of equal opportunity.
Being an American means to have opportunities that are available to us that others don’t get in other parts of the world. The United States of America is a country that is based on being a free country for citizens to have more freedom than anywhere else. It is one of the only countries that give rights to people of different diversities and genders. To be an American means to have opportunities, rights, and freedom.
America is a providing country and will support anyone who wants to have their freedoms. People that come or live in America for this reason and many more are called Americans. Unlike other countries, our government isn’t strict and you can do a lot of stuff that you can’t do in other countries. Also, most people in America are here to work and to meet their life goals. Americans like to work to meet life goals and in a lot of countries you don’t have the opportunities that America gives them.
Immigration is a worldwide issue. Thousands of people escape from their native countries for various issues which include fleeing from war, violence, or simply fleeing to find a better future elsewhere. Our country itself was born on the basis of European immigrants migrating into the new world to find new lands, people to convert, freedom, and economic prosperity. As thousands of millions of people flow into other countries, they bring with them traditional values that are a custom to them in their native countries. In America specifically, our country is home to millions of immigrants from countries all over the world. So the question is why are some of these immigrants and their descendants considered “American” while others are thought of as outsiders? Many immigrants and their descendants are considered America while others are classified differently because the generation the immigrants is plays a huge role in the classification of the immigrant, the languages and culture the immigrant brings defines him or her, and because some immigrants adapt to their new environment faster than other immigrants.
To be a member in the American society an individual must engage in society, and have the desire to thrive and be something in life. Foreigners can develop the American belief system even though they were not born in the U.S. The American persona has influenced the foreign policy and prevented the U.S. from a major war. Now, the American Persona does not require major fixes. As observed, it takes more than just being born in the U.S. to be considered an American, the traits of an individual are what truly makes up the American
“A man 's country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle; and patriotism is loyalty to that principle,” George William. According to a 1998 definition an American is anyone who loves life enough to want the best that it has to offer, anyone who understands that to achieve the best in life requires action, exertion, and effort, anyone who understands the need to use one’s mind and wits to meet life’s challenges, anyone who understands that achieving the best in life requires risks (Hudgins, page 1). A more current definition of an American is a person born, raised, or living in North America or South America (merriam-webster, page 1 of 1). My definition varies a little from theirs though, in my
Feeling different isn’t necessarily something uncommon to me, especially growing up as a Mexican-American living in the United States. It’s interesting because you would think I’d feel like I belonged in America. After all, I was born in America. Just like Richard Rodriguez mentions in his chapter “Asians” from the book “Days of Obligation, “I didn’t like America...” (Rodriguez 172), until I started school and just like him “...I became Americanized” (Rodriguez 172). Like Rodriguez implies, the school system in America ensures that students learn about America and the language which inevitably Americanizes them. With that being said coming to this point, where I can say I am American was a journey of its own.