What is American?

[CommanderQ]

What is American in your Opinion:

 

Well, I've noticed alot of threads around here about what is UnAmerican or what can be defined as traitorous or what the UN, far-Left, or any type of Liberal is doing. I believe that the first thing that needs to be done before doing such things, is to define what is American.

 

In your opinion, what should be considered an American or is American?

[mimartin]

To me every American Citizen is an American.

 

So my answer would be:

 

Someone born within the United States, Someone born to two United States Citizens, someone born to one U.S. citizen (provided 1. That parent lived at least 5 year in the US before the child was born. 2. At least 2 of those 5 years were after the parent reached the age of 14.), or someone that has been Naturalized.

[CommanderQ]

So, you think that an American is more a natural thing than it is an ideal?

[GarfieldJL]

To me every American Citizen is an American.

 

So my answer would be:

 

Someone born within the United States, Someone born to two United States Citizens, someone born to one U.S. citizen (provided 1. That parent lived at least 5 year in the US before the child was born. 2. At least 2 of those 5 years were after the parent reached the age of 14.), or someone that has been Naturalized.

 

That would be a good answer, however we can add to it with someone that has not sent a letter to the Secretary of State renouncing their citizenship.

[mimartin]

Yes, I believe being an American is a act of birth or through Naturalization.

 

I believe America was founded and has built itself on some very noble and ambitious ideas, but I do not believe those ideas in and of themselves translates into what it means to be an American.

 

 

The New Colossus

 

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

 

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

 

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

 

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

 

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

 

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

 

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

 

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

 

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

 

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

 

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

 

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

 

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

 

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" [/Quote]

Here is a famous poem by Emma Lazarus that is still displayed proudly within the pedestal on which Lady Liberty stands proudly. It is a very real American idea. It is an invitation to the world to send us their unwanted citizens. A very real and historically necessary idea that allowed us to become the nation we are today. However, I would not accuse someone of not being American if they opposed this same idea today.

 

We are American because, depend on how you look at it, we were lucky/unlucky enough to be born under a circumstance that made us a citizen. There is no grand birthright to it; we are no better or worse than any other citizen of the world.

 

I’m proud to be an American, however that does not mean my government has my unquestioning allegiances and it also does not mean I don’t see all our faults. I love my country despite its fault and would like to help correct those errors in judgment and intelligence.

[CommanderQ]

I agree with what you say there. We're definately both patriots for our country. I agree with the natrualization and the belief in the values that our country was based upon as you said. I think we have a very firm defenision here.

[Bimmerman]

Yes, I believe being an American is a act of birth or through Naturalization.

 

I believe America was founded and has built itself on some very noble and ambitious ideas, but I do not believe those ideas in and of themselves translates into what it means to be an American.

 

I couldn't agree with you more. I get tired of people calling each other "unamerican" for seemingly the smallest of slights- voting democrat/republican, buying a foreign car, being pro/anti choice, pro/anti gay, pro/anti pretty much anything. One can support one's country in their own way with their own politics; my definition of a patriot and anothers' may and probably will be strikingly different. The Americans who only pay lip service to the ideals the country was founded on (insert nearly any politician here) I would say are the least patriotic of all.

 

Many of the ideas the country was founded on were cribbed from the Greeks and Romans, so we definitely can't take credit for them. That, and calling ourselves Americans is rather arrogant, seeing as there are two continents with twenty or so countries that have equal claim to that title.

[Web Rider]

That, and calling ourselves Americans is rather arrogant, seeing as there are two continents with twenty or so countries that have equal claim to that title.

 

Except that the USA is the only nation on those continents to lack a different name, for all the United States ofs and People's Republics and so on and so forth, they all have names, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Canada, yet, The United States of America, sans the United States, only leaves you with "America". And no, going with any of the assortment of derogatory nicknames other nations give us would be like expecting blacks to refer to themselves as the "N" word.

[Astor]

Except that the USA is the only nation on those continents to lack a different name, for all the United States ofs and People's Republics and so on and so forth, they all have names, Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Canada, yet, The United States of America, sans the United States, only leaves you with "America". And no, going with any of the assortment of derogatory nicknames other nations give us would be like expecting blacks to refer to themselves as the "N" word.

 

And going by individual states would ultimately confuse things (Virginians, Californians, Rhode Islanders etc.). Also, I'd think that would serve to create divisions between people based on state (forgive me, i'm not aware of any that currently exists, but, as an outsider, and given mankind's tendency to find difference and develop it, it would seem likely).

[TriggerGod]

"American" is really a blend of many things. Really, all they are is a blend of European-African American-Other nationalities like Swedish or Norwegian. You'd think that with all these different bloods in our blood, we would be above racism. The only real difference between "white people" and "black people" is that 'white people' don't have chemicals in our skin that color it differently, so our hemoglobin shows through.

 

Now, in political views, American means All-Powerful. I admit it, our country polices the world, acting as World Police. Which is one of the major problems in this country. We always have to be better. Technological, strength, all around power in the world.

 

American is everyone born and raised in America, or someone with official citizenship.

[jonathan7]

Now, in political views, American means All-Powerful. I admit it, our country polices the world, acting as World Police. Which is one of the major problems in this country. We always have to be better. Technological, strength, all around power in the world.

 

Funny how the All-Powerful left Vietnam with its tails between its legs

[Q]

Especially after we won every major engagement.

 

Except on the home front, of course. It was here that we lost the war.

[Ctrl Alt Del]

seeing as there are two continents with twenty or so countries that have equal claim to that title.

 

Three continents, but I consider America to be just one New World. To be honest, that's not much of problem on my eyes, but yeah, it has a small and perhaps unintentional dose of arrogance on it.

[Arcesious]

The only true American: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerigo_Vespucci