Ok, what sums up being American to you?

Question

Im not American, but am interested in finding out what it means to be American.

Answer 1

Being an American to me means that i come from a long line of heros who had to fight for my freedom and continue to do it, it means when your a kid you can grow up to be ANYTHING you want to be, i can live however i want and say whatever i want because of the sacrifices my ancestors made, this country is only a little over 200 years old and we're the most successful in the world! that has to count for something! i know my children will grow up safe and well educated because i live here, America is full of great people so don't believe what any of thes A$$HOLES say please

Answer 2

I find it odd that you are asking what sums up being an american, but there are so many from other countries trying to answer a question obviously not meant for them, jealousy will get you no where, anyway to answer your question, It means freedom of speech, religion, love, it means pride in our nation, in our military and in our president, it means security, and if your not american, you will never understand, God Bless the USA as you have and as i pray you will continue to do!

Answer 3

Goodness gracious and mercy me, just look at them answers POUR in. Downright charming.

What does it mean? The U.S. is a country, so being an American (though that word is unfortunate as it ignores all of the rest of the Americas) means being a citizen of that country. Anyone who thinks we are all identical to each other are bigots.

Not all Americans are closed-minded, ignorant, brutes. There is, I admit, a strong anti-intellectual streak in American culture, and a tendency to see violence as the first-choice solution to all problems. These are some of the things that drive me craziest about Americans (of which I am one).

But, to me, what it's really about is the document that defines the nation. The government of the US was constituted to

-not fall apart, as did the first attempt at a country
-set in place systems to redress wrongs
-develop ways to get along with each other
-protect itself
-make things better for its citizens
-make it so that we can do what we want (within reason) and make our own decisions for ourselves, and that these freedoms not be taken away.

These are the purposes, as laid out in the Preamble to the Constitution. (Well, OK, I paraphrased.)

America is also defined (in theory) by a bunch of ideas expressed in the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution, among my personal favorites

-Government can't shove any religion down citizen's throats, or prevent citizens from speaking their minds publicly, or get together to diss whatever and whomever they want, or to try to get the government to stop whatever badness it may be doing

-Government can't harass citizens without having good reason to suspect them guilty of crime

-Citizens accused of criminal behavior have the right to a fair and speedy trial

-The government is prohibited from torture

-This list is not an exhaustive list; just because a right wasn't listed doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

To me, it's these ideas that are what America is (supposed to be) about.

(Just to be explicit, I'm not saying that our ideals are unique to us -- as so many ignorant Americans do.)

Nor am I suggesting that many Americans aren't ignorant, arrogant, short-sighted, and brutal. I just don't think that that's what defines us.

Answer 4

I don't think there is anything to it since we all live on a stolen land. So Americans are basically a bunch of ignorant thieves that have a hard time acknoledging it (or that their ancestors did at least) and being obnoxious when they visit other countries.
I would like to say that it is the United States with united nation buts its nothing but a bunch of segregated racist!
Oh yea and I am bitter lol

Answer 5

Born in the United States of America or Nationlized as an American Citizen.

Yup that's it.

Answer 6

america was created on the principles of freedom and anarchy but christians seem to have decided that christianity is the american way. america has very little history as the country it is today, it's only about 200 years old. most of the people are of european, african or central american descent. it's had very little chance to create it's own unique culture (that's not to say america isn't unique....). today america is the sole world power (although china will probably come to challenge it in the next 20 years, it seems to be fading communism out) and people, especially gullible christians and blind patriots seem to think that america is superior to everyone else. still, you can't say they're as bad as muslims (muslims are in a different league altogether)

i'm wouldn't say all americans are stupid but look at it this way: over half of them voted for george bush, twice.

Answer 7

poorly educated, although in their own opinion, God's gift to education and any job they happen to want.
arrogant
uncultured
self-opinionated
lard arses
highly superstitious - or, as they'd call it, religious.
individually fascist.
gullible to the extreme
incapable of electing a president with a brain: a B movie actor, a peanut farmer, a born again fundamentalist xtian, a crook, a perverted sex-maniac and most recently, the biggest joke of all - the president who doesn't seem to even know if it's night or day.

Guess what, I'm not American either - thank heavens.

Oh yes, I forgot - they take big men and let them play rounders, a game invented in England under the name "Rounders" and designed to be safe and fun for little schoolgirls. They choose to call it baseball.

Answer 8

Being brainwashed by Bush and his Weapons of Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssssssssssssss
Destruction.

He's more likely to find Weapons of
Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssssssssssss
turbation!

And oh yes, a triple cheeseburger with all the trimmings, large fries with extra large fries and a diet soda...........

C'mon, sing

Only in a America...................

Answer 9

I think it is being over-pious and under developed with an over bloated sense of history.Not bad for a country that's only five minutes old.
British all the way ,baby!!
(bit American,that,sorry)

Answer 10

Being loud and fat.
OR -- being obsessed with youth.
OR ---- being a fat loudmouth that joined a gym then had liposuction and cosmetic surgery instead. ;o) (only joking)

A nation that can produce "Friends" & "Will & Grace" and have us all laughing ourselves silly for years - can't be bad.

Not forgetting the wonderful "Simpsons" & "South Park" - only the yanks eh? Great!

Keep it up guys, you rock!