What does it mean to be an American?

Question

"Proud to be an American." We've all heard the phrase, but what's "being American" really about? The oath for U.S. citizenship doesn't mention language, religion or ethnicity - terms other countries often use to define themselves.

Answer 1

You have choices to be hateful or kind to be rich or poor. Even the most free European countries still restrict the most basic rights Americans take for granted.


Germany has laws that says you can't name children ceratin names associated with the oppisite sex. In the US you can name your kid gay-dirt and no one can stop you.

God bless America.

Answer 2

Thank You Australia ...


Written by an Australian Dentist...

You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.
So someone wrote this and to answer your question what does it mean to be an American here you go:
"An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.


An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.


An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim.
In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.


An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.


An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world.
The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.


An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.


When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!


As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan. Americans welcome the best of everything...the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services. But they also welcome the least.


The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty , welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America.


Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

Answer 3

Americans are a culture and it's proud being part of that culture. After 9/11 everyone saw how America stood up and united regardless of color, religion, race, ect. Those people who come to America and earn citizenship feel proud to be an American and all American citizens have their back. People who don't live in America don't understand. We love our freedom. Even if you don't like what someone says, as Americans we still value that they have the right to say it.

Answer 4

We are the luckiest people in the world just because we are born here in the greatest country on the face of the earth. People who criticize America do not know what they are talking about - they need to live somewhere else and if they don't realize how lucky they were to be American they should never come back. That will make room for the people who want to live here and will appreciate the blessing. Trust me, a huge percentage of people in the world would change places with an American if they could. America should not define itself by its diversity - it is evident, but by the fact that it is the melting pot of the world. This gives us a kind of strength that cannot be matched. It is kind of a "one for all and all for one" mentality that can overcome so much. Unfortunately, America is divided right now for complicated reasons. I think the biggest reason is the politicians are so divisive. I don't want to say which ones because that would cause half of you to dismiss what I say. Pray for our country to come together. We need to be unified to conquer our enemies who want to destroy our very way of life.

Answer 5

Being American can mean a lot of things:

Being American means that the Border Patrol didn't catch you or that your husband mail ordered you from Russia or The Philipines. Also, being American can mean to be related to the same persons -twice- and to personally know your pizza delivery guy. Being American can also mean to go to the mall, buy all kinds of crap that you don't need and never use them nor wear them. Being American is puking on a trash can in Tijuana and getting naked with your mother in the beach in Costa Rica. From living on a beat up trailer in the deep stinky south or eating at MCD's 7 times a day in Ohio.

For whatever reason that applies to you, Dios Bendiga al Yu-Es-Ei, vato!

Answer 6

I think that being an American is to live your own life and let the next guy live his. Don't be a dick and tell him to leave if he doesn't like it. America is built on dissent, were supposed to challange what our government is doing. The government supports what WE want, not what it wants. It supports OUR intrests, we don't support it's. WE demand it's loyalty, it doesn't demand ours. Everybody has what being an american is all about, a democracy cannot work without the active participation of the people.

Don't accept the simple answer, dig deeper to find treasure.

Answer 7

It means, among other things, being a citizen of the country with the most personal liberties in the world. It means being an individual and being able to express yourself however you wish. It means taking personal responsibility for your actions, as opposed to letting the government do it for you. You can work where you wish, worship where you wish, educate yourself to whatever level you're comfortable with, sail you boat through thousands of miles of water without permits, fly your personal aircraft through free skies without permits, live in a box under a bridge if that's what turns you on. Personal freedom, the most precious gift any government can offer its citizens.

Answer 8

To be an American means to be Argentinan, Brazilian, Canadian, Chilean, Colombian, Costa Rican, Ecuadorian, Guatemalan, Panamanian, Paraguayan, Mexican, Peruvian, United Statesian, Uruguayan or Venezuelan, since all of these countries are in the Americas. Don't try to tell any of them they are not Americans.

It means to be a guest of the Native Americans.

"Pride goeth before a fall."

It's an accident of birth. It means you're an Earthlian, just like everyone else on the planet.

If you're referring to being a United Statesian, It means to be thankful for being born in, or having been able to adopt the country in the world most blessed with natural resources, enabling it to become the country it is.

It's to be grateful that, though not perfect, it has more freedom than any other country in the world.

It is to pray, though living in China this

Prayer for America:

O Thou kind Lord! This gathering is turning to Thee. These hearts are radiant with Thy love. These minds and spirits are exhilarated by the message of Thy glad-tidings. O God! Let this American democracy become glorious in spiritual degrees even as it has aspired to material degrees, and render this just government victorious. Confirm this revered naton to upraise the standard of the oneness of humanity, to promulgate the Most Great Peace, to become thereby most glorious and praiseworthy among all the nations of the world. O God! This American nation is worthy of Thy favors and is deserving of Thy mercy. Make it precious and near to Thee through Thy bounty and bestowal.
--'Abdu'l-Baha

Answer 9

It means different things to different people. "We the People" are just that. People. We are citizens of a republic governed by the rules, laws, and rights outlined in our Constitution in which we can choose to elect representatives to serve our best interests and preserve our institutions in ways that best suits our own agendas... Now where we break up the lines of autonomical boundaries is where it gets complicated, but yeah, that pretty much sums up being American in a nutshell. ;)

Answer 10

some americans are proud of our country for what we stand for and what we believe me im not so proud i mean liik at what we do to ourselves really think about it we start wars kill people in different countrys and we cant even take responsability for what we do. we worry about what is going on over there and no what is going on in our own back yards if you ask me we are pretty pathetic excuse for a "good" country.