Be specific. Be thoughtful. Be original--or build significantly on someone else's idea that you agree (or disagree) with. Make us THINK.
Length: 1-2 well-developed paragraphs (at least 8-10 sentences). You should really develop an idea here.
REVISE AND PROOFREAD BEFORE YOU POST. As always, I grade for both content AND style. Thanks :-)
To live in America is a privilege that I am lucky to have. In America you have rights that you do not get in other countries. The Founding Fathers created the declaration of independence along with the Bill of Rights because it enabled Americans to have independence and freedom that other countries do not have. Without these two documents America would not be the place that we know and love today. The meaning to me about being an American is that you are given the right to do whatever you think you can do, and you are able to try to change anything you do not like in any part of America
ReplyDeleteTo live in America is a privilege, that I am lucky to have. In America you have rights that you do not get in other countries. The Founding Fathers created the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights because they enabled Americans to have independence, and freedom that other countries do not have. Without these two documents, America would not be the place that we know and love today. To be an American to me, means that I am given the right to do what ever I want, and I am able to try to change anything that I do not like about any part of America.
DeleteI love living in America. In America we have the Declaration of Independence as well as the constituion, which give us rights. Like the rights to free speech, free assembly, the right to bare arms, or the right to a trial. I feel lucky to have all of these rights. In America, almost everyone is given a shot; if you have the work ethic you can achieve anything in this country. I also think America is big, good, and nice.
ReplyDeleteI love living in America. In America we have the Declaration of Independence as well as the Constituion, which gives us our rights as Americans. Some of the rights that we are given are the right to free speech, the right to free assembly, the right to bear arms, and the right to a fair trial. I feel lucky to have all of these freedom in my life. In America, almost everyone is given a shot. If you have the work ethic, and you put in the time needed to do the best job possible, then you can do anything in this country. You are lucky to live in America.
DeleteBeing an American is a gift that not many people get to experience. We Americans take so many things for granted, but that is only because we are accustomed to things in our culture that are unheard of in many countries. Being an American means you are innovative and creative. The American Dream describes the hopes of every American. With hard work anything is possible. Being an American means anything is possible.
ReplyDeleteI like how you referred to living in America as a gift.
DeleteBeing an American is a gift that not many people get to experience. We Americans take our freedoms for granted, but that is only because we are accustomed to priviledges that are unheard of in many countries. The rights, freedoms, and priviledges collectively established in the Constitution and Bill of Rights cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
DeleteBeing an American means being innovative and creative. The American Dream describes the hopes of every American, a hope stating that with hard work anything is possible. Being an American means anything is possible. 'MERICA
Being an American allows us to do whatever we can imagine. Living in America gives me all the resources I need to achieve my goals and gives me the freedom to choose what those goals are. The American dream is the belief that if you use the resources America offers you can achieve anything and always be successful.
ReplyDeleteBeing American lets me do whatever I can possibly imagine. Living in America gives me resources, such as education, work, and entertainment, that I need to achieve my goals and it also allows me the freedom to choose what those goals are. The American dream is the belief that if you use the freedom and resources America offers, you can achieve anything.
DeleteBeing an American is definetely a special privelage. Most people don't recieve this oppurtunity because being an American is something we can be proud of. We get rights and privelages that in some countries, could never be imagined of. An American appreciates his freedom, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press because we realize that these things are not a gift, but a right. We pretty much live by one standard. "Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
ReplyDeleteBeing an American is definitely a special privilege. Most people don't receive this opportunity. An American is something we can be proud of and live up to. We get rights and privileges that in some countries could never be imagined. An American appreciates his freedom, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press, which are all given to us by our Declaration of Independence. We realize that these things are not a gift, but a right. An American lives by one standard. "Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." This standard can be only achieved by hard work, which every American is highly capable of accomplishing.
DeleteI like this quotation, Sidak. Who said it?
DeleteBeing an American is about being thankful and appreciative. As an American I firmly believe that we are given so many opportunities for success. As an American it is our duty to take advantage of these opportunities. Being an American means being well educated and working hard at everything we do. I think being American means embracing other cultures too. The United States is very diverse and we use it as an advantage. I feel that being American means being competitive. The reason we have so many advances in science ad medicine is because we are trying to beat other countries to the next best thing.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American is about being thankful and appreciative. Americans are given unlimited amounts of opportunities for success. As Americans it is our duty to take advantage of these opportunities. To do this Americans must be well educated and work hard at everything we do. An American embraces other cultures. The United States is very diverse and we use it as an advantage. I believe that an Americain is not an ethnicity but instead we are a group of people that strive to be the best. Americans are competitive. Americans are constantly trying to out do not only other countries but fellow Americans. The reason we have so many advances in science and medicine is because we are trying to accomplish the next best thing. In the 2012 summer olympics the United States brought home the most gold medals. The reason our country was able to achieve this was because the athletes trained their whole lives. They wanted to be the best no matter what the cost was.
DeleteWhat does it truly mean to be an American? Is it the countless rights we are BORN with that other countries don't even consider giving their people? Is it the fact that we have a Declaration of Independence, a Constitution, and a Bill of Rights that confirm our freedom and independence? Imagine: no freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceful assembly, or petition. These belong only to the First Amendment, and there are 26 more after that; think of all the countries that don't even have the privilege to take part in the First Amendment Rights. Living in America is something that most of us don't think about because we don't have to. We don't have to worry about being safe everyday or wars or getting in trouble because of speaking our minds. Americans are so privileged and blessed, and everyone should take advantage of what is given to them, because some where else, in our world, someone is being denied our basic rights.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it truly mean to be an American? Is it the countless rights we are BORN with that other countries don't even consider giving their people? Is it the fact that we have a Declaration of Independence, a Constitution, and a Bill of Rights that confirm our freedom and independence? Imagine: no freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceful assembly, or petition. These belong only to our First Amendment, and there are 26 more.
DeleteWhen my mom was growing up, she lived behind the Berlin Wall. She always had to worry about being watched; even mail sent over to the other side of the wall was blacked out. In short, everyone was treated like caged animals.
Living in America is something that most of us don't think about because we don't have to. We don't have to fear punishment for speaking our minds. Americans are so privileged, and we should take advantage of what is given to us because somewhere else in our world, someone is being denied our basic rights.
Being an American is being able to be yourself and achieve whatever you set your heart to. Here in America we are supported by Declaration of Independence, and Constitution which enables us to go out everyday as who we are and what we believe in. In America, everyone is rightly accepted. It doesn't matter if you're white, back, rich, poor, Christian, Jew or anything. Here in America all men and women are seen as equal. We have the privilege to go out everyday not fearing what it is we might say or do, unlike many other countries where you don't have that right and must follow a set of rules. Being American is something we might take for granted, but I know that it is a privilege. Here I am whoever I wish to be and may have the freedom to live as I please and no one can condemn me for it.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American is being able to be yourself and achieve whatever you set your heart to. We are supported by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution,which enables us to go out everyday and be who we are and guarantees protection in what we believe in. In America, everyone should be accepted. It shouldn't matter if you're white, black, rich, poor, Christian, or Jewish. All men and women should be seen as equal despite their many differences and backgrounds. Having people from all over who are different and believe in different things is what makes up America and why we're the land of opportunity. We have the privilege to go out everyday not fearing what it is we might say or do, unlike many other countries where you don't have that right and must follow a set of rules given to you.Being American is something we might take for granted, but I know that it is a true blessing. Here I am whoever I wish to be and may have the freedom to live as I please and no one can condemn me for it.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American means to be independent. Why I say this is because it is different from Japan about the way of independence and responsible. For example, we can choose to own guns here in America, which is not allowed for general people to have in Japan because it is too dangerous for general public to handle guns. This means that it is a personal responsibility not a social responsibility to protect myself and my own family from other violence for Americans, so that it is my responsibility if you couldn’t protect your family. I think that is why American can choose to have guns. Another example, you can choose your health insurance from wide variety, while the Government offers health insurance in Japan. To be an American means to be responsible.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American means to be independent. This is different from Japan. In America, independence and responsibility are important and wide-reaching. For example, we can choose to own guns here in America, which is not allowed for people in Japan. The reason is that handling guns are too dangerous for the general public. This means that it is a personal responsibility, not a social responsibility to protect myself and my own family from other violence for Americans. Therefore, it is my responsibility if I couldn’t protect my family. I think that is why Americans choose to have guns. Another example, you can choose your health insurance from wide variety, while the Government offers health insurance in Japan. Health insurance is important for every one that is injured or has diseases or even healthy people. From these examples, I think to be an American means to be responsible and protect my own range.
DeleteBeing an American means a lot to me. I was not born in America, therefore did not grow up here and was not able to witness all of the cool things when I was little. When I did move to America, I loved it the moment I entered the United States. Being American makes me feel free and away from harm. I know that is not always true, but America does certainly make me feel safe. I am able to be myself and express the way I am and the way I feel. There are so many rights that we have that is almost unbelievable. I agree with Anastasia, we don't have to worry about being safe everyday because it just happens. We don't have to stress over that, because that is one of the great features that make up America. We have so much room for success. I loved being an American.
ReplyDeleteI like how you showed a different view from having grown up in Canada, it seemed like a quality perspective for this topic about being an American.
DeleteI like your view on America because you weren't born here. I agree that in America we have room for success, and I would love to read about the moment when you first came to America. Nice job Jack.
DeleteSick
worth a lot of value.
DeleteI like your post because I recognized myself in what you wrote. I think all of us who do not born in America feel the same. It's a huge opportunity and a great privilege to be able to live in the greatest world power. Good job Jack!
DeleteBeing an American means a lot to me. I was not born in America; therefore,I did not grow up here and was not able to witness all of the cool things when I was little. I loved America the moment I stepped foot into the United States. Being American makes me feel free and away from harm. I know that is not always true, but America does certainly make me feel safe. I am able to be myself and express the way I am and the way I feel. There are so many rights that we have that is almost unbelievable. I agree with Anastasia: we don't have to worry about being safe everyday because it just happens. We don't have to stress over that because that is one of the great features that make up America. We have so much room for success. America has that distinct feeling that I am home and I am where I belong.
DeleteI may not be the best person to explain how it is to be an American. Maybe my viewpoint is not what most expected, but in a year and a half I spent living in America I realized that being American is being patriotic. The vast majority of people I have met here were extremely patriotic, and you guys love the country of were you live. Americans love to be Americans. I think that be an American is to love the place you came, is know the opportunities you have, being American is having the freedom to be who you are
ReplyDeleteI may not be the best person to explain how it is to be an American. Maybe my viewpoint is not what most people expected, but in the a year and a half I have spent living in America, I realized that being American is being patriotic. The vast majority of people I have met here are extremely patriotic. I can tell this because, for example, in all types of big games (soccer, basketball, etc...), someone sings the National Anthem. In most of the countries that I know, people don't do that. Americans love the country where they live. Americans love to be Americans. I think that be an American is to love the place you came from, is to know the opportunities you have, is to love your language, is to love your costumes. Being an American means to love America.
DeleteTo be an American means that I am free. I know that when I grow up I can pick the job I want and receive the education I need. It means that I can say "The Pledge of Allegiance" and that I can vote for the President, my county clerk, or the Mayor. Being an American means fairness, equality, freedom, uniqueness and loyalty. There are too many people who don't take enough pride in being an American and take all of the wonderful things our country has to offer for granted. Being an America means that even the little things are important and to take nothing for granted. America is truly a one-of-a-kind type of place. We need to take advantage of this amazing opportunity that God has blessed us with and so many other people around the world would kill to have. Being an American means that our ancestors fought for our freedom and came to this country for a reason. So, don't waste it; live the American Dream.
ReplyDeleteTo be an American means that I am free. I know that when I grow up I can pick the job I want and receive the education I need. It means that I can say "The Pledge of Allegiance" and that I can vote for the President or Mayor. Being an American means fairness, equality, freedom, uniqueness and loyalty. There are too many people who don't take enough pride in being an American and take all of the wonderful things our country has to offer for granted. Being an American means that even the little things are important and to take nothing for granted. America is truly a one-of-a-kind type of place. We need to take advantage of this amazing opportunity that God has blessed us with and that so many other people around the world would kill to have. Being an American means that our ancestors fought for our freedom and came to this country for a reason. They did these things so that when their children and grandchildren grow up they will be thankful, hard-working and be able to live the life that they wanted and chose; they did this in hope that their descendants would think of them while they're living as an architect in the rich streets of San Francisco or a business owner in New York. So, don't waste it; live the American Dream.
DeleteAmerica is original, and so are the people. An American that is remembered and succeeds is someone who stands out, not someone who goes with the crowd. Although society is a constant reminder that standing out is frowned upon, America and the founding fathers clearly had a different idea when they created the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. They created those documents because they wanted to create an America that would succeed and not be smothered and taken over by other countries. They wanted America to be different.
ReplyDeleteThe reason that the founding fathers did not go with the the government of the other countries is because they wanted America and its people to be successful. They wanted America to stand out and its people to be proud of their county in which they live. They wanted Americans to able to achieve whatever they wanted, because in most countries, doing what you want is nothing but a silly childhood fantasy.
Being an American is being original, because being an original in America will mean that you will succeed. But, you will succeed if and only if you do everything in your power to make sure that it happens.
America is original, and so are the people. An American who is remembered and succeeds is someone who stands out, not someone who goes with the crowd. Although society is a constant reminder that standing out is frowned upon, America and the founding fathers clearly had a different idea when they created the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of The United States. They created those important documents because they wanted to create an America that would succeed. They wanted to set up our country for success. The founding fathers did not want America to be smothered and taken over by other countries. They wanted America to be different.
DeleteThe reason that the founding fathers did not go with the the government of the other countries, like socialism, or a monarchy, is because they wanted America and its people to be successful. They wanted America to stand out and its people to be proud of their county in which they live. They wanted Americans to be able to achieve whatever they wanted, because in most countries, doing what you want is nothing but a silly childhood fantasy.
Being an American is being original, because being an original in America will mean success. But, you will only succeed only if you do everything in your power to make sure that it happens. This goes along with the American Dream, that with hard work comes success. Not everyone works hard, so if you work hard, you will be standing out just by working hard, and therefore you will have a better chance of success.
In America we have way more opportunities. We are able to get a good education, while people in other countries have never gotten a chance to be in shcool or learn. As Americans, we take many things for granted. Many Americans haven't been exposed to the struggle people in other countries experience. In America, we are sheltered from a lot of bad things. Being an American means we have to work harder each day to make it to the top because nothing comes easy to us. We strive for new ideas and developments. Being an American also means we try to be the best we can be and live the dream.
ReplyDeleteIn America, we have way more opportunities. We are able to get a good education while people in other countries have never gotten a chance to be in school or learn. We don't have to worry about being killed for wanting to go to school because it is a right that we have. As Americans, we take many things for granted. We have clean water, vaccines, medicines, and food. Many people in other countries do not have these, and they suffer everyday because of it. In America we can prevent and cure diseases, while in other countries thousands of people die from different diseases everyday. Many Americans haven't been exposed to the struggle that people in other countries have experienced.In America we are sheltered from a lot of bad things. There is not a war going on in our country. We don't have to be scared everyday that there might be a bomb going off. Being an American means we have to work harder each day to make it to the top because nothing comes easy to us. We strive for new ideas and developments. Being an American also means we are pushed to be the best we can be. Americans are supposed to be treated equally. Men and women have the same rights in America. In other countries, women are treated like they aren't humans. As Americans we take many things for granted, but we are are hard workers and want to make this world a better place. In America we get to live the dream.
DeleteBeing an American is being in a constant state of confusion. Most of the world looks to American's as an example. We are at the forefront of innovation on technology, medicine, government, and helping make the world a better place. Many countries praise us for that, and many people come to America to try and be a part of that. They are trying to fulfill the American Dream.
ReplyDeleteAnother part of the world looks to American's as horrible. People inside complain of the debt crisis, bad politicians, and rising gas prices. People outside ask why we are in so many wars for a country so young. Other countries stereotype Americans as fat and lazy, outsourcing to China and India for everything, unable to get our spending under control. America is both sides of an ever flipping coin.
I agree with this and think this is true for almost everything in the world. There are ALWAYS two sides to a story. Many people also look down on Americans. In The Joy Luck Club, the mothers are always saying "it is just the American way"
DeleteI really agree with you. No one really thinks about the fact that in other countries they often times look at America as being lazy and corrupt.
DeleteI completely agree with you Diana. I was talking with Daniel and Jack earlier today on this subject during study hall. Yes, as Americans, we have some of the best of the best around the world. However, we also have some of the worst in the world. For example, the educational system is not the best compared to the rest of the world, yet we are he birthplace for modern science and medicine and new technologies like Microsoft and Apple. We have some of the best athletes in the world and some come to America to train. However, we are also home to the highest obesity rates in the world. The coin simile perfectly describes America today.
DeleteBeing an American is being in a constant state of confusion. Most of the world looks to American's as an example. We are at the forefront of innovation on technology, medicine, government, and helping make the world a better place. Other countries copy our pop culture, fashion, art, and social movements. Even with all its flaws, America is still a world power, which many countries praise and respectfully fear. Millions of people come to America to try and be a part of that every year. In the past, they suffered through horrible boat trips to get here, and even today we have tons of people risk their lives coming across the Mexican border to live here illegally. They want to be part of something like no other. They are trying to fulfill the American Dream.
DeleteAnother part of the world looks to Americans as horrible. People inside complain of the debt crisis, bad politicians, and rising gas prices. People outside ask why we are in so many wars for a country so young, especially ones that seem pointless. Other countries stereotype Americans as fat and lazy, outsourcing to China and India for everything, unable to get our spending under control. They toss us aside into a box of McDonalds, wastefulness, soda, stupidity, and obesity. They forget all the good we have done because all they want to see is the bad, and negativity is louder than kindness. America is both sides of an ever flipping coin.
Being American is being the best and having the best. America has the best education; therefore, Americans have the most opportunity. Sometimes we take our opportunities for granted, but usually Americans rise to the occasion and make something out of their opportunities. Also as Alice mentioned, we are proud to be Americans, and that is a huge reason in why America is so great. Were are unified not only because we are americans, but because we love being Americans. America is the greatest country in the world because of what we have. From american football to freedom of speech, America offers it. In America, you make yourself.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post Jack! I completely agree with you and the way you described how lucky we are to recieve such a well-rounded education. I also liked the mention to American Football!
DeleteBeing American is being the best and having the best. America has the best education; therefore, Americans have the most opportunity. Students from all around the world come to America to learn, but you don't see so many Americans studying in other countries. Sometimes we take our opportunities for granted, but usually Americans rise to the occasion and make something out of their opportunities. Also as Alice mentioned, we are proud to be Americans, and that is a huge reason in why America is so great. We are unified not only because we are Americans, but because we love being Americans. Since the beginning of our nation, we Americans have fought for our rights, our freedom, and our country. Even today there are millions of troops that volunteered their lives for the sake of our country. The pride of our military expresses everyone in our country's love for America. America is the greatest country in the world because of what we have. America has everthing from American football to freedom of speech. In America, you make yourself. People say that the "American Dream" is now a myth, but with the same determination that our forefathers possesed, we can do anything. I still believe America is the land of opportunity.
Delete"Land of the free and home of the brave." When thinking about being American, the amount of rights and freedoms we have are the first things that pop into my head. But, after thinking harder on the topic the idea of being American means something so much more to me. It means being the best example to all other nations. America is the world leader in democracy, freedom of speech, religious conviction, pursuit of happiness, and understanding. We are truly blessed to wake up each day and know we have the power and support to accomplish any dream. We live in a community of optimism and hopefulness and that makes it especially motivating to work hard everyday to better our futures. I am proud to be an American and will do my best to represent my country well as i get older.
ReplyDelete"Land of the free and home of the brave." This is my favorite quote to describe our nation. It truly portrays the best description of what our country has to offer. America is all about taking advantage of the countless opportunities that are given to us as citizens. As a child, I remember watching a movie about a family that moved to America in hopes of a new beginning.I remember that day extremely well. It was the first time that I understood and appreciated the idea of living in one of the most successful countries in the entire world. Being the best example to all other nations is what America represents. America is the world leader in democracy, freedom of speech, religious conviction, pursuit of happiness, and understanding. We are truly blessed to wake up each day and know we have the power and support to accomplish any dream. We live in a community of optimism and hopefulness and that makes it especially motivating to work hard everyday to better our futures.
DeleteI don’t know what it truly means to be an American.
ReplyDeleteI cannot call myself completely Indian; I was born in America, my first language is English, my friends are white, and I went to English schools. But I cannot call myself completely American; I have a lot of Indian friends, I can read, write, and speak in Hindi, I go to our prayer centre every Sunday, my favorite foods are Indian dishes, and I am fully immersed in my culture whether it be learning dance, learning to cook, or listening to Indian music and watching Indian soap operas.
I feel extremely lucky to live in America. In America, you can do anything. My mom and dad came to Canada and America owning twenty dollars. I am the daughter of two individuals who turned twenty dollars into two nice cars and a beautiful house, an amazing education for both my brother and I, an animal hospital, and countless gifts on birthdays and Christmas.
Many immigrants here look for the “American Dream.” Everyone’s American Dream is different. A lot of peoples’ American Dream is to own their own apartment and have a stable job. Things that our generation see as insignificant could be someone else’s riches.
If I had to define what being an American meant, I could go on and on about the great liberties and rights we have here. But the most important thing about being an American is that here, you can start with dust and turn it into gold with the support of people who are willing to help you, even if they’re just strangers. In America my family has seen first hand the amount of generosity and kindness people have in this country. In a lot of other countries there is more backstabbing and manipulating. To be American means to embrace your community and those around you. Because of that, I am truly proud to call myself an American.
I don’t know what it truly means to be an American.
DeleteI cannot call myself completely Indian; I was born in America, my first language is English, my friends are white, and I went to English schools. But I cannot call myself completely American; I have Indian friends, I can read, write, and speak in Hindi, I go to our prayer center every Sunday, my favorite foods are Indian dishes, and I am fully immersed in my culture whether it be learning dance, learning to cook, or listening to Indian music and watching Indian soap operas.
I feel extremely lucky to live in America. In America, you can do anything. My mom and dad came to Canada and America owning twenty dollars. I am the daughter of two individuals who turned twenty dollars into two nice cars and a beautiful house, an amazing education for my brother and I, an animal hospital, and countless gifts on birthdays and Christmas.
Many immigrants here look for the “American Dream.” Everyone’s American Dream is different. A lot of peoples’ American Dream is to own their own apartment and have a stable job. Things that our generation sees as insignificant could be someone else’s riches.
If I had to define what being an American meant, I could go on and on about the great liberties and rights we have here. But the most important thing about being an American is that here, you can start with dust and turn it into gold with the support of people who are willing to help you, even if they’re just strangers. In America, my family has seen firsthand the amount of generosity and kindness people have in this country. In a lot of other countries, for example India, communities are hard to form because trust is not valued there. To be American means to embrace your community and those around you, and your work ethic defines you, not your family's name or how much money you have. Because of that, I am truly proud to call myself an American.
I don’t know what it truly means to be an American.
DeleteI cannot call myself completely Indian; I was born in America, my first language is English, my friends are white, and I went to English schools. But I cannot call myself completely American; I have Indian friends; I can read, write, and speak in Hindi; I go to our prayer center every Sunday; my favorite foods are Indian dishes; I am fully immersed in my culture whether it be learning dance, learning to cook, or listening to Indian music and watching Indian soap operas.
I feel extremely lucky to live in America. In America, you can do anything. My mom and dad came to North America owning twenty dollars. I am the daughter of two individuals who turned twenty dollars into two nice cars and a beautiful house, an amazing education for my brother and I, an animal hospital, and countless gifts on birthdays and Christmas.
Many immigrants here look for the “American Dream.” Everyone’s American Dream is different. A lot of peoples’ American Dream is to own their own apartment and have a stable job. Things that our generation sees as insignificant could be someone else’s riches.
If I had to define what being an American meant, I could go on and on about the great liberties and rights we have here. But the most important thing about being an American is that here, you can start with dust and turn it into gold with the support of people who are willing to help you, even if they’re just strangers. In America, my family has seen firsthand the amount of generosity and kindness people have in this country. In a lot of other countries, for example India, communities are hard to form because trust is not valued there. To be American means to embrace your community and those around you, and your work ethic defines you, not your family's name or how much money you have. Because of that, I am truly proud to call myself an American.
Being an American is definitely a privilege that only a fraction of the world can say they have. I'm lucky to be able to say that I'm an American, something that I definitely take for granted at times but am so appreciative of. Being a first-generation American, I'm surrounded by people who, for a long time, didn't know what it was like to be free and be able to go as far in life as they wanted. My parents and other family members risked their lives to be able to come to America, knowing that freedom would be their reward. They would rather die than live in a place where communism controlled their lives, which speaks to how powerful the freedom of America can be.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is a place where anything can happen, as long as the work is done to make it happen. My dad came here with no money in his pockets and only the clothes on his back, and he's now very successful because he had the motivation and will to work for it. My parents are living examples of how being an American can drastically change people's lives for the better, as long as they're willing to work hard. In America, the sky is the limit as to where someone can go in life, and that's something that few other places in the world can claim.
I really like your post Thuyvs! It's intriguing, and I'd like to know more about your family's journey to America.
DeleteI loved your line about your parents wanting to die rather than have communism rule them. My mom lived in similar conditions, only half way across the world.
DeleteI am very grateful for living in The United States of America and being American. To be an American means that I am free. It means that when I grow up I can pick the job that I want. It means that I have a right to education. It means that I can vote for who I want to when I get old enough to vote. It means that I can say “The Pledge of Allegiance” with confidence. In America we are support the Declaration of Independence, and Constitution which help us to not be afraid of being punished for the color of your or what god you believe in. Being an American is great and i am proud to be one.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how you described how living in America is different than being an American citizen.
DeleteI am very grateful to live in the United States of America and to be an American. To be an American means that I am free. In the present day in the United States, everyone has a chance to be better than the situation that they previously came from. It doesn’t matter if I was born rich or poor; I have a chance to work myself up to the mountain-top with hard work and dedication. It also means that I have a right to an education. To be an American means that I can vote for whoever you want to be the head of our wonderful country. It doesn’t matter if you vote Republican or Democrat. It means that I can say “The Pledge of Allegiance” with confidence. In America, we have laws that help us to not be afraid of being punished for the color of our skin or what God we believe in. Being an American is a great opportunity and I am proud to be one.
DeleteTo be American is to understand our origin and our ancestry. Yes, we were once established for the sole benefit of England, but we have shown the world we are more than capable of writing our own history and creating our own culture. We are among the few countries in the world who feel secure and confident enough to grant its citizens such outstanding rights. The freedom of speech and the press are rights commonly taken for granted because we fail to realize their significance: even if the ideas introduced go against the government itself, we can still introduce them to our country. We are entrusted with these rights because we believe they are essential to our prosperity and our possession of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
ReplyDeleteTo be American is to also embrace our traditions and our holidays. The fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and even Colombus Day mark the important moments in our history we cherish, and we believe they are worthy of commemorating, for these moments are times no other country can celebrate. These moments are what make us uniquely American, and what our forefathers fought and died for.
To be American is to understand our origin and our ancestry. Yes, we were once established for the sole benefit of England, but we have shown the world we are more than capable of writing our own history and creating our own culture. We are among the few countries in the world who feel secure and confident enough to grant its citizens such outstanding rights. The freedoms of speech and the press are rights commonly taken for granted because we fail to realize their significance: even if the ideas introduced go against the government itself, we can still introduce them to our country without fear of punishment. We are entrusted with these rights because we believe they are essential to our prosperity and our possession of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
DeleteTo be American is to also embrace our traditions and holidays because we take take time out of our busy schedules to recognize those who made these days possible. The fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and even Columbus Day mark the significant moments in our history we cherish, and we believe they are worthy of commemorating, for these moments are times no other country can celebrate. These moments are what make us uniquely American and what our forefathers fought and died for.
The meaning of an American changes every few years. We will be proud of our country the first five, and we will neglect America the next five. The reason for this is ignorance. Don't be ashamed. We are all ignorant in our own ways. We choose not to understand why exactly the economy is in the dumps, or why people are being refused certain things. But when I got to the very basic morals of America and learned to follow them, America was the the most altruistic and stable country I could ever be in. I realized that it is impossible for any country to have complete peace, for that would end up to be a form of fascism. It is important to sacrifice to gain certain very important things. So back to the question. What does it mean to be an American? To me it means hope, peace, liberty, dreams, and love. America, when taken to its full potential, can be a opportunistic land. America is not just a place. It is an idea. It is the very thought of seizing your chances and making the very best out of your life. I just have to learn how to weave throughout the obstacles and be successful.
ReplyDeleteTo me America is not just numbers. We will always be spending more and more on education, jobs, and welfare. Sometimes my family will be further down the hole than ever because of these things, but that doesn't matter. I would rather be out on the streets and speaking freely than rich in a country with fewer rights. I would especially stay out of any country with restricted rights to education. That is one of the marvels of America. We have limitless search engines such as Google, parents that can tell us what they want, and schools that can teach us what we want to know (although at this time we are struggling a little with that issue). Whenever I am curious about anything, whether it be a form of government, how things work, or even why we exist, I can just ask. Nobody is holding me down and nobody will hold me down. I can achieve my goals in America via my own curiosity.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is the land of opportunity, and laziness. People from all over the world have the idea that America is a place where jobs are just handed out to you. They say Americans are lazy, and do not have to work as hard as other cultures. For the most part Americans are lazy but those are the unsuccessful ones. In America success is not handed out it is earned. Americans work hard for every buck they receive some more than others. The true America is where opportunity is given to those who want it more and work more than others. This message should be sent to all nations, so as to prepare any foreigners making the trip to be in the right mindset.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is the universal place of refuge. In the book The Joy Luck Club Suyuan Woo moved from China to San Francisco because of the terrible wars going on in China. In the book Sold the main character fled to America to get away from the immorality of sex trafficking. These books both are based on true stories. Because of this knowledge I believe all people living in America should appreciate the gift that has been given to them in knowing how hard people have to work to get to this land of opportunity. To be an American means you have made it. It doesn’t matter if you were born here or you are a person who worked long and hard to migrate here the main point is that you have made it. As Americans it is are duty to help people who haven’t made it by giving to charities that then help those people thrive. America is a lighthouse of hope that shines on all surrounding countries, and we as Americans are the light guiding others to this beautiful place we call home.
I strongly agree with this post because of what you said about working hard. Many Americans realize too late in their lives that they should have worked harder in school. If they did they would have had a much better life. However, I disagree with your statement, "America is the land of opportunity, and laziness." Although there may be many Americans that aren't passionate, I would not associate lazy with America. There are still thousands, if not millions of people working extremely hard to get a great job. Trouble is that there is and there always will be discrimination and unfairness against the hard working people.
DeleteHowever, I like the overall idea of the post and how you said that America does not grant you the job. You have to actually work for them.
America is the land of opportunity and laziness. People from all over the world have the idea that America is a place where jobs are just handed out to you. They say Americans are lazy and do not have to work as hard as other cultures. For the most part, Americans are lazy – but those are the unsuccessful ones. In America, success is not handed out; it is earned. Americans work hard for every buck they receive, some more than others. The true America is where opportunity is given to those who want it more and work more than others. This message should be sent to all nations that to be successful takes hard work. You can’t lazy your way to the top in America.
DeleteAmerica is the universal place of refuge. In The Joy Luck Club, Suyuan Woo moved from China to San Francisco because of the terrible wars going on in China. In Sold, the main character fled to America to get away from the immorality of sex trafficking. These books are both based on true stories. I believe all people living in America should appreciate the gift that has been given to them in knowing how hard people have to work to get to this land of opportunity. To be an American means you have made it. It doesn’t matter if you were born here or you were a person who worked long and hard to migrate here, the main point is that you have made it. As Americans, it is our duty to help people who haven’t made it by giving to charities that then help those people thrive. America is a lighthouse of hope that shines on all surrounding countries, and we as Americans are the light guiding others to this beautiful place we call home.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteDaniel,
DeleteIt's sad, but I agree that we take our privileges for granted, and we unfortunately do not see the conditions of others in the world; however, it is the American Dream that through hard work, anything is possible. I believe this is more true. I liked your connection to The Joy Luck Club because it drew a parallel to something we discuss everyday. Good work!
To be an American is the most important and best thing a person can have. Being an American signifies all of our rights that this great nation has given us that the 27 amendments have declared. An American can go to bed at night not scared for their life, or what tomorrow will bring. An American can speak his/her own mind, and not have repercussions by the government. When i went to China, I found out that the government in China sets regulations on their citizens.When I watched the news or looked in a newspaper, it said nothing criticizing the government and their ruler. Even when I showed my host aunt a picture of the hammer and sickle, the communism symbol, her face turned to stone and she said, "No, No i can't talk about this." I was in shock. The greatest moment when i truly felt grateful to be an American was when my plane was landing into Newark, NJ from China and i could see the statue of liberty shining in the lights at night and a bridge in the background that had red, white and blue lights on it. This is when i truly felt my American pride, and what it truly means to be an American.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteTo be an American is the best opportunity a person can have. The 27 Amendments that were created signifies all of our rights that this great nation has given us by this document. An American can go to bed at night without fear about what tomorrow could bring. An American can speak his own mind and not be persecuted by the government. As Americans, we all have the right to an education. The rights to an education can open doors for a person and further one’s knowledge of what goes on in the crazy world we live in today.
DeleteWhen I went to China, I found out that the government in China sets regulations on its citizens. When I watched the news or looked in a newspaper, it said nothing criticizing the government and its ruler. Even when I showed my host aunt a picture of the hammer and sickle, the communism symbol, her face turned to stone and she said, "No, No. It can't talk about this." I was in shock. I felt most grateful to be an American when my plane was landing into Newark, NJ from China and I could see the Statue of Liberty shining in the lights at night and a bridge in the background that had red, white and blue lights on it. This is when I truly felt my American pride and what it truly means to be an American.
Being American. It is like being part of a national championship team every year of your life. It is beating china by fourteen medals in the 2012 Olympics. It is something that no one anywhere else in the world can say. To me being American means that I watch real football on the weekends. It means I can express any religion that I want. Being American lets me sleep at night knowing that our nation’s enemies will never be able to touch me. It means, I am free. Being American lets me know that no matter what happens to me, I will always be able to come back up, and that there will always be people to help me.
ReplyDeleteBeing American is something that is not really a privilege though, it is a responsibility. America is a light house in a world that has be darkened by hate, cruelty, and injustice. It is our responsibility to shine that light. Whether it be by defeating our enemies, and liberating others, or by something as simple as going to work every day and doing the best that you possibly can.
There is something inside all Americans, sometimes buried deeper than others, which allows this lighthouse to shine. It is patriotism. Love for their country. It is this love that binds us all together, and this patriotism is what allows for us to be so great. This fire in our souls allowed us to save the world from evil in both World Wars. This fire pushed Americans through the Great Depression. The drive to push us through recession. Our patriotism allows us to do this because each American knows that America is the greatest country that ever was, and it would be a sin to let her down. So to me being American is not some great privilege that has been bestowed upon me; it is a duty. It means that when my nation calls I must be ready to answer. It means that we all must lie beside what is most precious to ourselves, to protect what is most precious to us all.
If tomorrow all the things were gone
I’d worked for all my life
And I had to start again
With just my children and my wife
I’d thank my lucky stars
To be livin' here today
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can’t take that away
And I’m proud to be an American
Where at least I know I’m free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I gladly stand up
Next to you and defend her still today
‘Cause there ain't no doubt, I love this land
God bless the USA- Proud to Be an American-Lee Greenwood
sweet lighthouse metaphor.
Deleteyah cool lighthouse metaphor wonder how you came up with that
Deletep.s= look at my last sentence :(
I love this. It is the most inspiring POEM I have ever heard.
DeleteThis is really good Daniel! In my post, I talked about how being an American was a privilege, but after reading your response, I definitely see how it's a duty. I never thought about it that way, but we do have to work to uphold America. There's a difference between living in America, which is a privilege, and being an American, which is a duty.
DeleteBeing American. It is like being part of a national championship team every year of your life. It is beating china by fourteen medals in the 2012 Olympics. It is something that no one anywhere else in the world can say. To me being American means that I watch real football on the weekends. It means I can express any religion that I want. Being American lets me sleep at night knowing that our nation’s enemies will never be able to touch me. It means; I am free. Being American lets me know that no matter what happens to me, I will always be able to come back up, and that there will always be people to help me do it.
DeleteBeing American is something that is not really a privilege though, but more of a responsibility. America is a light house in a world that has be darkened by hate, cruelty, and injustice. It is our responsibility to shine that light. Whether it be by defeating our enemies, and liberating others, or by something as simple as going to work every day and doing the best that you possibly can.
There is something inside all Americans, sometimes buried deeper than others, which allows this lighthouse to shine. It is patriotism. Love for their country. It is this love that binds us all together, and this patriotism is what allows for us to be so great. This fire in our souls allowed us to save the world from evil in both World Wars. This fire pushed Americans through the Great Depression. It is the drive that will push us through recession. Our patriotism allows us to do this because each American knows that America is the greatest country that ever was, and it would be a sin to let her down. So to me being American is not some great privilege that has been bestowed upon me; it is a duty. It means that when my nation calls I must be ready to answer. It means that we all must lie beside what is most precious to ourselves, to protect what is most precious to us all.
If tomorrow all the things were gone
I’d worked for all my life
And I had to start again
With just my children and my wife
I’d thank my lucky stars
To be livin' here today
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can’t take that away
And I’m proud to be an American
Where at least I know I’m free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I gladly stand up
Next to you and defend her still today
‘Cause there ain't no doubt, I love this land
God bless the USA- Proud to Be an American-Lee Greenwood
Being American. It is like being part of a national championship team every year of your life. It is beating China by fourteen medals in the 2012 Olympics. It is something that no one anywhere else in the world can say. To me being American means that I watch real football on the weekends. It means I can express any religion that I want. Being American lets me sleep at night knowing that our nation’s enemies will never be able to touch me. It means; I am free. Being American lets me know that no matter what happens to me, I will always be able to come back up, and that there will always be people to help me do it.
DeleteBeing American is something that is not really a privilege though, but more of a responsibility. America is a light house in a world that has be darkened by hate, cruelty, and injustice. It is our responsibility to shine that light. Whether it be by defeating our enemies, and liberating others, or by something as simple as going to work every day and doing the best that you possibly can.
There is something inside all Americans, sometimes buried deeper than others, which allows this lighthouse to shine. It is patriotism. Love for their country. It is this love that binds us all together, and this patriotism is what allows for us to be so great. This fire in our souls allowed us to save the world from evil in both World Wars. This fire pushed Americans through the Great Depression. It is the drive that will push us through recession. Our patriotism allows us to do this because each American knows that America is the greatest country that ever was, and it would be a sin to let her down. So to me being American is not some great privilege that has been bestowed upon me; it is a duty. It means that when my nation calls I must be ready to answer. It means that we all must lie beside what is most precious to ourselves, to protect what is most precious to us all.
If tomorrow all the things were gone
I’d worked for all my life
And I had to start again
With just my children and my wife
I’d thank my lucky stars
To be livin' here today
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can’t take that away
And I’m proud to be an American
Where at least I know I’m free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I gladly stand up
Next to you and defend her still today
‘Cause there ain't no doubt, I love this land
God bless the USA- Proud to Be an American-Lee Greenwood
The American dream to some people may seem as a guaranteed life of freedom, a job and a successful generation, but I think that statement overstates what any country is capable of doing. I am not saying that the United States doesn't give you those values, but it does not guarantee them. In the United States constitution, it states all americans are given these three rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This does not say Americans can easily get jobs; this does not say money grows on trees in the United States. Just like other nations, the United States have to obtain money and resources.
ReplyDeleteI can see how people immigrating to the United States would see how there are no struggles. The United States has plenty of people living under what we call poverty and living "The struggle." We send out ambassadors and representatives in expensive clothes, speaking in proper English with iPhones and fancy cars. These people seem more sophisticated than people in other countries because we put out the best of the best. This could be a good thing and a bad thing. The good is that We as a country are giving out a good impression on other countries, but the bad is that foreigners mistake the pursuit of happiness for the guarantee of happiness. This country was founded by people who made their own breaks. Our founding fathers were fortunate enough to have a good life, and were nice to share some of their fortune with our country. Living in the United States is a special opportunity that many do not get to experience, but making a life for yourself and future generations is on you.
This piece had great value Jake, and I would like to know this is how you really think of America?
DeleteThe American Dream to some people may seem a guaranteed life of freedom, a job, and a successful generation, but I think that statement exaggerates what any country, including the United States is capable of doing. I am not saying that the United States doesn't offer any of those values, but it does not guarantee them. In the United States constitution, it states all Americans are given these three rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This does not say Americans can easily get jobs; this does not say money grows on trees in the United States. Just like other nations, the United States has to work for its money and resources.
DeleteI can see how people immigrating to the United States would see how there are no struggles. The United States has plenty of people living under what we call poverty, and living "The struggle." We send out ambassadors and representatives to other countries in their expensive clothes, speaking in proper English with iPhones and fancy cars. These men and women seem more sophisticated than people in other countries because we put out the best of the best. This could be a good thing and a bad thing. The good is that we as a country are giving out a good impression on other countries, but the bad is that foreigners mistake the pursuit of happiness for the guarantee of happiness. This country was founded by people who made their own breaks. Our founding fathers were fortunate enough to have a good life, and were nice to share some of their fortune with our country. Living in the United States is a special opportunity that many do not get to experience, but making a life for yourself and future generations is on you.
Being an American means you have the right to criticize your government. If you disagree with governmental policy, you can demonstrate against it. You can criticize your leaders and call for them to resign at the polls. If your country is at war, you can protest that war. You can not be made to watch government programs or to mouth government propaganda. You are free.
ReplyDeleteIn America, hard work is supposed to bring success; that is the American Dream. However, a person's chances of achieving the American Dream without a good education is slim to none. One of the challenges of this country is to make good education and the American Dream available to everyone.
How could we make education more widespread in America?
DeleteBeing an American means you have the right to criticize your government. If you disagree with governmental policy, you can demonstrate against it. You can criticize your leaders and call for them to resign at the polls. If your country is at war, you can protest that war. You can not be made to watch government programs or to mouth government propaganda. You are free.
DeleteIn America, hard work is supposed to bring success; that is the American Dream. However, a person's chances of achieving the American Dream without a good education is slim to none. Along with getting a good education, you get chances to speak publically, to interact with other educated people, and opportunities that people without an education would not have the privilege of getting. All of these would help you reach the American Dream. One of the challenges of this country is to make good education and the American Dream available to everyone.
I'm a proud American, but I am skeptical about the hype that comes with being one. America is the best, right? I have thought about this question a lot while learning about other countries and their legacies. People love to brag about our own country. A common stance seems to be, "We're number one in everything!!" Yes, it is the "land of opportunity" and, yes, it can be very beneficial if you make use of all the country has to offer, but are we really that great? Our people seem to judge our success by our sports, which are successful enough in most cases, but sports do not usually have a great international meaning. People then talk about the job opportunities, since our minimum wage is one of the highest in the world, and then they mention our variety of culture. These are all valid points, but our citizens need to relax.
ReplyDeleteThe United States is far from the best country if one looks at the numbers. In fact, it's scary how blinded we all are by our egos. One of the most important aspects to a nation is its education system. Based on test scores we are not doing a very good job as we are 27th and 22nd in math and science scores respectively. Americans also are quick to point our that our health care is superb. Well, that's great, except for the fact that we are 178th internationally in "Infant Mortality Rate" and 49th in life expectancy. For the sake of adding more numbers, we are 4th in total exports and 3rd in median household income. Economically, we thrive off of imports, and we are somewhere around 14 trillion dollars in debt.
There is not another nation that I would rather be a part of, but the hype of being American is almost fake.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/02/us/american-exceptionalism-other-countries-lessons/index.html
Deletesource
I'm a proud American, but I am skeptical about the hype that comes with being one. America is the best, right? I have thought about this question constantly while learning about other countries and their legacies. We Americans love to brag about our country. A common stance seems to be, "We're number one in everything!!" Yes, America is the "land of opportunity" and, yes, living can be very beneficial if you make use of all the country has to offer, but are we really that great? Our people seem to judge our success by our sports, which are successful enough in most cases, but sports do not usually have a great international meaning. People then talk about the job opportunities, since our minimum wage is one of the highest in the world, and then they mention our variety of culture. These are all valid points, but our citizens need to relax.
DeleteThe United States is far from the best country if one studies the numbers. In fact, it's scary how blinded we all are by our egos. One of the most important aspects of a nation is its education system. Based on test scores, we are not doing a very good job as we are 27th and 22nd in math and science scores respectively. Americans also are quick to point out that our health care is superb. Well, that's great, except for the fact that we are 178th internationally in "Infant Mortality Rate" and 49th in life expectancy. For the sake of providing more numbers, we are 4th in total exports and 3rd in median household income. Economically, we thrive off of imports, and we are around 14 trillion dollars in debt.
There is not another nation that I would rather be a part of, but the hype of being American is almost fake.
We are still the best, just because of the freedom that we have. NOWHERE else in the world can you find a place like the United States of America.
DeleteI like this. it shows how some people are so blinded by the spirit of america, which is a good thing, but also makes some of us ignorant to more prior topics
DeleteYou make a really good point by talking about how we think we're #1 but the stats prove it wrong. But being an American isn't about the numbers. Being an American is about living in a place where you have the opportunity to do what you want and go where you want in life, not having the #1 rank in the world.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American is definitely a privilege that I believe everyone has taken advantage of at some point in time. Only a fraction of the world has experienced the American life style, and if a slave from somewhere else in the world were to come over here, I would be willing to bet they would say the American life is way better than where they came from. To be an American is to be free. To be an American is to have freedom of speech. To be an American is having the right to education. These are three things all Americans can say they have. There are somethings all Americans don't have the right too such as: shelter, food, and water. There's no doubt that there are some people that would say America "isn't all it's cracked up to be," and you couldn't disagree with those acusations.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American is definitely a privilege that I believe many Americans have taken advantage of at some point in time. Only a fraction of the world has experienced the American lifestyle, and if a slave from somewhere else in the world were to come to America, I would be willing to bet he would say the American life is way better than where he came from. To be an American is to be free. To be an American is to have freedom of speech. To be an American is to have the right to education. These are three things all Americans can say they have. There are also things some Americans don't have the right to such as shelter, food, and water. There's no doubt in my mind that there are some people in America that would say "America isn't all it's cracked up to be," and you couldn't disagree with those statements because some people in America don't have a decent lifestyle.
DeleteTo be an American is to be happy. The reason why I say this is because that is what it means to people from other countries, like immigrants. My parents came from Bosnia and Herzegovina to America. They came here, so they could be happy. Their country was in a war when they arrived to America. Getting away from their country and settling in America meant happiness to them. Now, my parents are thankful for being here, being part of this great country while enjoying American freedom. I feel that being an American can mean many different things to different people, but I do know for sure what it means to my family and me: happiness.
ReplyDeleteTo be an American is to be happy. The reason I say this is because this is what it means to immigrants and people from other countries. My parents came from Bosnia and Herzegovina to America. They came here, so they could be happy. Their country was at war when they arrived to America. Getting away from their country and settling in America meant happiness to them. Now my parents are thankful for being here, for being part of this great country while enjoying American freedom. I feel that being an American can mean hope, freedom, and justice, but I do know for sure what it means to my family and me: happiness.
DeleteBeing an American means you are subject to the rights as any other person would at birth. Anyone has the right to achieve their ambitions under certain regulations. We are allowed to express opinion, and we're even allowed to talk about our disapproval of the government and to use those to improve our standards. As long as we follow the rules and regulations, we are subject to equal rights, such as protection, pass justice, etc (I'll stop before I end up reciting the U.S. Constitution and the Amendements). An American is an ambassador for the rest of the world. Many people look up to the country and it's opportunity, and they want the same. I even hear stories on how people from other countries will put American passport cases over their passports to have other people think they're American. Compared to the limits, regulations, and unfairness many other people of different nationalities have to go through, I can understand why they would dream of becoming a citizen here. I'm proud to have the opportunities that have been given by our founding fathers and passed down by the government.
ReplyDeleteIt is true America has alot of what countries want to emulate. We have a stable democracy that allows all mature people to vote. I want to ask though isdoes it come at a cost?
DeleteTo be an American means that anyone is subject to the rights that any other person has at birth. Anyone has the right to achieve their ambitions under certain regulations. We are allowed to express opinion, and we're even allowed to talk about our disapproval of the government and to use those to improve our standards. As long as we follow the rules and regulations, we are subject to equal rights, such as protection, the passing of justice, etc (I'll stop before I end up reciting the U.S. Constitution and the Amendements). An American is an ambassador for the rest of the world. Many people look up to the country and its opportunity, and they want these chances. I even hear stories on how people from other countries will put American passport cases over their passports to have other people think they're American. Compared to the limits, regulations, and unfairness many other people of different nationalities have to go through, I can understand why they would dream of becoming a citizen here. At the same time, there are people in the world that hate Americans and America as a country. It's our responsibility to handle these people with respect and dignity as well as forcefully. I'm proud to have the opportunities that have been given by our founding fathers and have been enforced by the government and its people.
DeleteTo be American. What does it mean to be American? When I think of America, the first thing that comes to mind is fat people and fast food. That is not what America is or should be. To be American should be a feeling you have in your gut. You should feel, sorry for the word, free. What does it mean to be free? To me, it means you can go to sleep knowing your government is not going to bomb you. You can speak your mind without being killed. You can vote. You can go to school. You have all the opportunities you could ever ask for. You can enter and leave the country as you please. I can continue. As an American, I get so many opportunities that billions of people will never get. Being American should unite us. We should embrace our love of this country and love the people. Our people. I think that being an American has lost its true meaning, and I think we, the people, need to bring it back.
ReplyDeleteKate, I agree with how you said that being American should unite us all. I also love your last line, "I think that being an American has lost its true meaning, and I think we, the people, need to bring it back."
DeleteI agree with you fully Kate. We as Americans are taking so much advantage of all the opportunities offered to us. Go Kate!
DeleteTo be American. What does it mean to be American? When I think of America, the first thing that comes to mind is fat people and fast food. That is not what America is or should be. To be American should be a feeling you have in your gut. You should feel, for lack of a better word, free. What does it mean to be free? It means you can go to sleep at night knowing your government is not going to bomb you. You can speak your mind without being persecuted. You can vote. You can go to school. You have all the opportunities you could ever ask for. You can enter and leave the country as you please.
DeleteAs an American, I get so many opportunities that billions of people will never get. Being American should unite us. We should embrace our love of this country and love the people - our people. I think that being an American has lost its true meaning. We the people need to bring it back. Elaborating on Alice's point about being patriotic, I believe that the fourth of July should not just be a party. We should think about all the sacrifices our forefathers made for us.
I like your point about how America should unite us. Today, there are so many sides being taken and confrontation about anything and everything. Either it being from politics, religion, rights, personal choices etc. everyone chooses a side and looks down on those who are oppose them. Yes, we do have the freedom of speech and speaking our minds, but I think that we should have more respect for those whose ideas we might not fully understand. As you said, "I think that being an American has lost its true meaning, and I think we, the people, need to bring it back."
DeleteBeing American means being able to watch the presidential debate live in my living room. The presidential debate alone is equal to America. It stands for our right to vote and choose who we want for our leader. In America, we are privileged to be able to go to bed and not worry about what will happen tomorrow. We can be who we want, and we have the freedom to do as we please.
ReplyDeleteAs I read the responses from my fellow classmates, I find more and more reason to love America. These sixty some reasons don't even begin to cover what America is. America is so vast and ever changing that it's almost impossible to describe in a paragraph. While I don't agree with every post above mine; that's alright. That's exactly what America is: the freedom to say what you want, the confidence to say what you believe, and the ability to say what you know. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else, nor would I want to. God Bless the Home of the Free!!
Gandy! I love this post! I really like how you put specific examples in your post like the debate tonight. your points really made me think.
DeleteTo be an American means to be free. You have all the power vested in yourself to do, become, and/or what you want to make out of yourself. In all reality you have very few limitations in America. Yes, we still have laws to abide by but all in all we have every right to make our own foundation in our lifestyles. We embrace our freedom every fourth of July and I believe we should cherish this a bit more than we take for granit. Most countries around the world have to worry more about bombing, wars, and simple things such as clean drinking water. All of these public luxuries are more so given to us with out second thought, but for others it's not as so. As for voicing your own opinion, most countries revolt and breakout in to fighting if a group does not agree with how things are run. America has a choice. So why don't we take more advantage of this?
ReplyDeleteTo be an American means to be free. You have all the power vested in yourself to do, become, and/or choose what you want to make out of yourself. In all reality, you have very few limitations in America. Yes, we still have laws to abide by, but all in all we have every right to make our own foundation in our lifestyles. We embrace our freedom every fourth of July, and I believe we should cherish this a bit more than we take for granted. Most countries around the world have to worry more about bombing, wars, and simple things such as clean drinking water. All of these public luxuries are more so given to us with out second thought, but for others it is not so. As for voicing our own opinion most countries revolt and break out into fighting if a group does not agree with how things are being run. America has a choice. So why don't we take advantage of this?
DeleteWhat does it mean to be an American? Probably the main thing would be that you are free. America was created by its people to be free and to give all of its citizens freedom. The freedom of America has great values that allow many things, such as freedom of speech to freedom of religious practices and many other things. But other than the great American freedom, there is also the opportunities of great value that America gives. There are so many privileges that we are given being born as an American.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean to be an American? Today, I would say that it is a placed ruled by the greedy rich, that in America, money speaks first. This country was founded that its citizens could have freedom. The people that fought the British to be free were British themselves. Now, the future has changed the image that was America. Originally a land under God, is now a land under many gods and none. There are so many cultures and races that have left their mark that now being an American means anything.
DeleteBeing an American is that you can do want you want to do, such as picking the school that you want to go to or choosing the college that you wish to enroll in. Being an American helps you through this because you are free, no one is telling you that you can not do want you put your mind to. Being an American is being free to say 'no' to choices that you don't agree with or not wanting to do what someone tells you to. Also to add on to the last sentence is being free, you can say what you think, no one is telling you to be quiet and keep your opinions to yourself. To be an American myself is telling to me is, I don't have to choose what career I am going to do as when I'm older, I have time to think about it and finding out what I like. Also by being free to say what you think and what I think that we are all different in our own unique way that we don't have to be following everyone else in what we want to do with our lives; with picking a career, not everyone has to do or wants the exact job as the other person.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American means being able to have your own voice. You don't have to go to the same college as your parents or your siblings. You can pursue the career of your own choice. You can support the political leaders of your choice and vote for the people you believe in. By everyone else having their own voice, they have their own opinion and your own imagination.No one in the whole world is not telling you to say this,say that, do this, do that, in want you want to accomplish.
DeleteTo be an American means that you are a citizen of the United States of America, and be protected by the freedom and rights that the country provides for all of it's people. Growing up in America would sometimes make people take for granted it's freedom when compared to other places in the world, where people are sometimes in flee from wars or a dictatorship and situations we had never had to endure because of the freedom the this country provides. The people have the rights to express themselves for what they might believe in such as government matters. America has great opportunities for jobs and choices in the direction someone would want to take their career or dream. Because of this opportunity and freedom, people look to immigrate to this country or just stay a citizen because of the freedom that is sometimes uncommon in other places
ReplyDeleteTo be an American is to be a citizen of the United States of America, where all citizens are protected by the freedom and rights that the country provides for all of its people. Growing up in America would sometimes make someone take for granted the level of freedom in this country when compared to other countries in the world, where people are sometimes in flee from wars or a dictatorship and situations we had never had to endure or imagine because of the freedom that America provides. The people have the rights to express themselves for what they believe in, such as political matters or personal beliefs. America has great opportunities for jobs and choices for the direction someone would want to take their career or dream. Because of this freedom and opportunity, people often look to immigrate to America from their own country or just stay a citizen if they are already because of the freedom that is sometimes unknown in other countries.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAmerica, thou half-brother of the world;
ReplyDeleteWith something good and bad of every land.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteTo me, being American means being free to be myself. I have had this privilege for my whole life, but sadly, I cannot say the same for my parents. They grew up in Soviet-ruled Uzbekistan. They definitely did not have the same rights as I have as an American today. Their whole country was isolated from the rest of the world. So many things that people in this age take for granted would not have appeared in my parents' wildest dreams in Uzbekistan. Let me put this into perspective for you: after my parents arrived in Louisville, a local friend of my dad took him out for lunch. My dad was confused at first when his friend's car stopped at some sort of a window. He remembers hearing the Americans speaking very fast, a quick exchange of dollar bills, and to my father's amazement, a meal came out of the window! This was my father's first experience with fast food. Why is this important? Well it's important because it wasn't like my parents were poor people back in Russia... They were actually living pretty well off, but when you live under an oppressing government, you don't know that there are better things out there, so why would you strive to be the best?
ReplyDeleteIn America, people know that success is based on hard work, and that you always have a chance to better yourself and the quality of your life.
To me, being American means being free to be myself. I have had this privilege for my whole life, but sadly I cannot say the same for my parents. They grew up in Soviet-ruled Uzbekistan. They definitely did not have the same rights as I have as an American today. Their whole country was isolated from the rest of the world. So many things that people in this age take for granted would not have appeared in my parents' wildest dreams in Uzbekistan. Let me put this into perspective for you: after my parents arrived in Louisville, a local friend of my dad's took him out for lunch. My dad was confused at first when his friend's car stopped at some sort of a window. He remembers hearing the Americans speaking very fast, a quick exchange of dollar bills and, to my father's amazement, a meal came out of the window! This was my father's first experience with fast food. Why is this important? Well it's important because it wasn't like my parents were poor people back in Russia... They were actually living pretty well off, but when you live under the rule of an oppressing government, you don't know that there are better things out there, so why would you strive to be the best?
DeleteIn America, people know that success is based on hard work, and that you always have a chance to better yourself and the quality of your life.
To be an American is to dive head first into a stew pot of cultures and backgrounds never knowing what you will taste once you get a bite of it. Many people have been in this stew pots for many generations, one after another. Over time, the family's main culture slowly fuses into what today we call "American culture." With every birth of a new generation and the death of an old one, the core culture that are actually the roots of that family diminishes.
ReplyDeleteI would say that I am one of the lucky ones. I am the first true African American in my family. The generations before mine are purebred African. My parents are legal American citizens, but if you ask them their nationality, they would say Congolese or African. They were not born here, yet they have found the courage to step into the stew pot of America and have five girls. They have taught those girls how to embrace their roots and to be proud of it through their Congolese traditions.
It is sad that I cannot speak my parents' native tongue nor cook all of the traditional meals, but I am proud of my African heritage and will make sure my future children will know where they came from and embrace it.
For some people, to be an American is to be free and have all the rights that make us so different compared to other countries as American citizens. For me, being an American is all those things, but mostly about the backgrounds and cultures of the people who make up America today. Those cultural differences make America such a unique country.
Christelle, I really loved the stew pot metaphor you used throughout this blog post! It really connected the whole piece. I also really loved how you pointed out the cultural background of america because that's not what first comes to mind. It was also really great how you made it personal. Go Christelle!
DeleteI became an American citizen this past year along with my mother. Even though I was born in Ecuador and recently became a citizen, I have considered myself an American all my life. To me being an American means feeling secure at night along with being able to say what I think without the fear of being persucated by the government. I have been to Ecuador and seen every house surrounded by walls with glass on them.I couldn't imagine my life Ecuador becuase I don't feel safe there. In America I feel protected.
ReplyDeleteI am blessed to be an American because I receive the rights that comes along with it. To say that this year my mother can vote for the first time inspires me. My uncle, aunt, and cousins waited ten years to get accepted as residents of The United States. They dropped their lives in Ecuador at a chance to recieve the privileges that come along with being an American.Beging an American is privilege that I'm blessed to have.
I became an American citizen this past year along with my mother. When my mother passed the test and swore oath to the American flag I automatically became a citizen. I remember leaving school early to sign my citizenship papers. This was a moment that I will never forget because I was no longer a resident of The United States;I was a citizen. Even though I was born in Ecuador and recently became a citizen, I have considered myself an American all my life. To me, being an American means feeling secure at night along with being able to say what I think without the fear of being persecuted by the government. I have been to Ecuador and seen every house surrounded by walls with glass on them.I have seen people being robbed and begging on every street. I love Ecuador, but I couldn't imagine my life there becuase I don't feel safe. In America, I feel protected.
DeleteI am blessed to be an American because I receive the rights that comes along with it. To say that this year my mother can vote for the first time inspires me. My uncle, aunt, and cousins waited ten years to get accepted as residents of The United States. They dropped their lives in Ecuador at a chance to recieve the privileges that come along with being an American. It is a struggle for them especially for my Aunt and Uncle because they know very little english. They are trying hard to learn english because they know how much of a honor it is to be an American. Being an American is a privilege that I'm blessed to have.
In agreement to what Anastasia and Crystal said, I believe being American gives you specific rights which you are born with. While people in other nations are fighting for these same rights and privileges, we get them simply because we live in this country. Because of the Constitution, we are not bound to certain ideas or beliefs. We are free to express ourselves and be whoever we want to be.
ReplyDeleteEvery law in the Constitution helps shape our everyday lives. We have a say in the kind of job, education, leader, and beliefs we choose to have. We can be any race or religion and still have equal rights. Americans have the opportunity to fulfill any dreams they may have, unlike citizens of many other countries.
In agreement to what Anastasia and Crystal said, I believe being American gives you specific rights that you are born with. While people in other nations are fighting for these same rights and privileges, we get them simply because we live in this country. Because of the Constitution, we are not bound to certain ideas or beliefs. We are free to express ourselves and be whoever we want to be.
DeleteEvery amendment in the Constitution helps shape our everyday lives. We have a say in the kind of job, education, leader, and beliefs we choose to have. We can be any race or religion and still have equal rights. We don’t have the same worries as citizens in other countries; like starvation and war.
On the news I constantly hear about protests being shut down, bibles being burnt, and people being killed because their religion or beliefs. The First Amendment protects us from these disasters without our citizens even giving it a second thought. Americans often don’t appreciate all the freedom we are handed; although we may not be the richest or most technologically advanced country in the world, Americans have the opportunity to fulfill any dreams they may have unlike citizens of many other countries.
To be American is to be able to pursuit happiness. As stated in the Constitution by our Founding Fathers in 1776, all men have certain unalienable rights which among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In America, life is lived how you want it to be lived. No one is told how to dress or what religion to worship. Everyone is free. Slavery does not exist. Neither does a government that treats a specific race, social class, sexuality, or religious group differently because all men (and women) are created equally. You also have the rights to an education. America provides every child with an education. Because of these rights, Americans are diverse. Each American has different interests and beliefs. Americans are not a group but instead individuals. All the rights given to us by our Founding Fathers are what enable us to be Americans and pursue happiness.
ReplyDeleteThough I agree these are the written rights of an American, things like human trafficking and slavery do exist in the United States. And if men and women are created equally, then why do men get paid so much more than women for doing the same job?
DeleteAs an American, I am able pursue happiness. Why am I able to pursue happiness? It is because I am safe. I don't have to worry each day about being blown up by a car bomb or hit by a bullet caused by drug trafficking. I am safe because there are officers that care and are proud about this country. The military takes pride in what they do and works their hardest to protect me. The state police also work very hard to protect me. They enforce laws such as alcohol and drug abuse which prevent the loss of innocent lives. Just the other night, a police stopped my mom because she did not have her tail lights on. His first words were "I didn't want you getting hit." It shows that Americans are a family and they all care about other's safety. One night, I was watching an episode of Caught on Camera. It showed situations of disaster where some people help and some people did not. As I watched this, I observed accidents in America where the majority of people stopped and helped. Then, there was an accident in another country. A little girl was alone and was hit by a bus on a street market. Ten people walked by before one stopped and helped. So to me, being American means being safe and being part of a family.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"Being American" no longer holds the same sentiment it used to. The feeling of superiority, that we are the best country in the world has long been present in the minds of the American people, but times are changing. While Americans enjoy privileges that some other countries don't have, the nation is no longer the golden country it used to be. In addition to falling behind in terms of education and the economy, the way the world views us is also changing, and not in a positive way. Being a world-traveler, I am often out of the country with my family. Especially over the last few years, the animosity towards America has grown. Whenever we are out of the country, we no longer tell people we are American, opting to stay quiet. People are very angry with America, and they often bash the behavior of American tourists. It is no longer a proud thing to say "I'm American" outside of this country, because outside of this little bubble we're living in, that statement might not be a good thing. It's time to ease up on the pride and get a reality check. We are not the nation we once were. But with effort and cooperation, and a realistic view of ourselves, we can once again be great.
ReplyDelete"Being American" no longer holds the same sentiment it used to. The feeling of superiority, that we are the best country in the world, has long been present in the minds of the American people: but times are changing. While Americans enjoy privileges that some other countries don't have, the nation is no longer the golden country it used to be. We consider ourselves to be "the best." But what is "the best"? In addition to falling behind in terms of education and the economy, the way the world views us is also changing, and not in a positive way. Being a world-traveler, I am often out of the country with my family. Especially over the last few years, the world's animosity towards America has grown. Whenever we are out of the country, we no longer tell people we are American, opting to stay quiet. People are very angry with America, and they bash the behavior of American tourists, often rightfully so, who I am embarrassed to associate myself with. It is no longer a proud thing to say "I'm American" because outside of this little bubble we're living in, that statement often has a negative connotation. It's time to ease up on the pride and get a reality check. The problem is that Americans are so blinded by the benefits they are given that many do not recognize the plethora of problems the nation has, just like any other country in the world. We are not the nation we once were. But with effort,education, and a realistic view of ourselves, we can once again be great.
DeleteI agree with everything you said. Your points are all true, especially the idea that people are beginnning to resent America.
DeleteGood job Anisha! I can definitely tell that you are pasionate about this subject!
DeleteVery interesting, Anisha. You brought up good points, yet I have a different opinion. Also as a world traveler, I do not feel ashamed to call myself American and people do not resent me for being an American. I also think that people are not completely blinded by their opportunities. People can see rationally with all of the opportunities we are given.
DeleteBeing ashamed of being America has nothing to do with the country. Instead it is a perspective of how you view your country. You say we blindly ignore our benefits. I say you go to any war memorial, or look any veteran in the eye, and see if you can not see the cost that has been paid for those benefits. Freedom is not free, so remember those who paid its price for you.
DeleteAnisha! I really liked your comment. I definitely agree with it all. America has been blinded by its superiority that right now they are suffering. Good job conveying it all!
DeleteTo be an American, is to be free. That is why our country is so appealing to other people. We, as a country, are strong and will fight for our freedrom. I am proud to say I'm an American because of the accomplishments of my people and also my country. Yes, like every country, America is far from perfect. "United we stand, divided we fall." I am honored and blessed to have the privelidges that I have and to be surrounded by the people I am. I recieve an education, live in a home, and have a family that loves me and supports me. No, not all Americans have those privelidges but many Americans work for them. America is a land of strength and perservearance and I will tell anyone who asks that I am proud to say that I am an American.
ReplyDeleteTo be an American is not a right or a privilege, but it is an opportunity. America is known as the "land of opportunity" and that is for many different reasons. In many countries, children are deprived of education, food, and shelter. Although many children in America struggle with those same obstacles, there are far less children in our country that die from hunger than there are in other countries. For example, 67% of girls in Uganda drop out of their primary school, far from the percentage of the American female's dropout. I personally think that people come to America to take charge of this opportunity that they are given and should embrace the obstacles that are thrown at them in order to be successful. An American is given so many opportunities and I think people need to start counting their blessings. No, America is not perfect nor will it ever be, but compared to most countries, it's getting pretty close it.
DeleteTo be American gives you freedom that other countries can not offer. There are a lot of stereotypes against Americans these days. As popular and inviting as America seems, there are a lot of internal problems in our country. There are many benefits to being born an American. We get many rights just by being here that many other do not. Though our country as a whole may have problems, as an individual I am very proud to be an American. As an individual, America has granted me with the freedom that I often take for granted. On a day to day basis I usually over look the fact that I able to be fed whenever I please, given the chance of a great education, and the ability to speak my mind. These blogposts are just one example of America's gift of freedom of speech.
ReplyDeleteTo be an American is a gift. It's a gift that Americans take for granted everyday. We have the best if everything in America. The strongest military in the world. America is so great because we have freedom. This means when your born you have the ability to do whatever you want with your life and have the same chance as any other person to do so.You also have freedom of speech; where you can how you feel to an extent. Nothing compares to being able to be an American.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American in often taken for granted. People often think the privileges of being an American as a right that they are granted with out doing anything. Well, I believe they are wrong. We are so blessed to live in a country with out constant wars, overpowering dictators, and harsh rules about the freedom in speech of others and the media. In America, our democracy allows us so much leeway into our government to change what we want to. Electing our own president who will fight for what we want. We also have so much freedom in social media. We can post anything online today and not have to worry about men with guns in our houses. Some countries even regulate what you can search on the internet or don't even allow Facebook! I am proud to be an American; knowing I can wake up every day and not have to fear that my rights will be taken away from me. I love waking up and knowing that I'm free.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American is taken for granted. Citizens often think the privileges given to Americans are rights granted to them without them doing anything; just living in the country gives them special rights.
DeleteWell, I believe they are wrong. We, as citizens, are so blessed to live in a country without constant wars, overpowering dictators, and harsh rules about our freedom of speech and in the media. In America, our democracy allows us so much leeway in our government to change what we want to.
Americans have so much freedom in social media. We can post anything online today and not have to worry about men with guns in our houses, telling us what we can or can't wirte about online or say in the newspapers. Some countries even regulate what you can search on Google and don't allow Facebook! We as American citizens are so fortunate to be able to access any information that we would like to know with a few short taps at a keyboard and a click of the mouse. People being restricted in what they are allowed to know is a foreign concept for us. Americans are allowed to constantly expand their knowledge of the world, and are priviledged enough not to be held down by an overbearing government.
I am proud to be an American. Knowing I can wake up every day and not have to fear that my rights will be taken away from me is a blessing not granted to all of the worlds people. I love waking up and knowing that I'm free.
Being an American is a gift. By living in America we are entitled to certain rights that people in other countries are not. With articles like the Declaration of Independence and The Bill of Rights we can do literally, anything. We are fortunate to live in a place like this so that we can achieve our goals and dreams. Countries ruled by communists and dictators do not have the same opportunities as Americans and makes it tougher to achieve their goals. Without the people in charge of our country or the documents written by our founding fathers nothing that we do today could be possible. The thing that sets America apart from all other countries is the equal opportunity each and every one of our citizens share. America truly is the land of the free.
ReplyDeleteGood point about democracy compared to communism and dictatorship. Good job, Harper!
DeleteBeing an American is a gift. By living in America we are entitled to certain rights that people in other countries are not. We are fortunate to live in a setting so that we can achieve our goals and dreams. People who live in countries ruled by communists and dictators do not have the same opportunities as Americans, and makes it nearly impossible to achieve their goals. Without the people in charge of our country, or the documents written long ago, nothing that we do today could be possible. Although we have these rights, many Americans take them for granted. Citizens of third world countries, who do not have equal rights, would kill to be an American. We complain about going to an expensive, private school; meanwhile, children in other countries are forced to work instead. According to globalissues.com 22,000 children die per day from poverty. While these children live in extremely harsh conditions and have a scarce amount of food and water, we live a life of luxury and a life of freedom. By having these opportunities we have the right to do anything, say anything, and be anyone who we want to be. The thing that sets America apart from all other countries is the equal opportunity that each and every one of our citizens share.
DeleteBeing American is taking things for granted. We all do it, no matter what age, gender, or race. All of us our guilty to at one point and time saying something such as my phone is dead now what do I do? Or my coffee from McDonalds this morning tasted terrible. As Americans we take the little things in life for granted. But as Americans we are blessed to have the freedom of speech, and we get the right to life our life as we wish. But being an American is something none of us in America would change. America is the land of opportunity and most people who don’t live in America want to be here. Being an American is a privilege and cannot be described in words, and it never will be, because being an American is different for every single person living in America, and that’s what makes America so special.
ReplyDeleteBeing American is taking things for granted. We all do it, no matter what age, gender, or race. All of us are guilty of saying something such as my phone is dead. Now what do I do? Or my coffee from McDonalds this morning tasted terrible. As Americans we take the little things in life for granted. But as Americans we are blessed to have the freedom of speech, and we get rights to live our life the way we please. But being an American is something none of us in America would change. America is the land of opportunity, and most people who don’t live in America want to be here. Being an American is a privilege and cannot be described in words. This feeling will never be matched because being an American is different for every single person living in America. And that’s what makes America so special.
DeleteTo be an American is a gift. It's a gift, which Americans take for granted every day. You have the best of everything in America. America has the strongest military in the world. But America is America because we have freedom. This means when you're born you have the ability to do whatever you want with your life and have the same chance as any other person to do so. You also have freedom of speech; where you can how you feel to an extent. Nothing compares to being able to be an American.
ReplyDeleteI like how you said gift and not privilege, but maybe state your personal opinion more clearly. This will better help the reader understand your views and how you have written the post.
DeleteI feel lucky to be an American. In books that I have read, the characters talk about the "American" dream and how America is a free place. All around the world America is described as a land flowing with milk and honey. Sometimes I wish I could say the same. I have lived in the US my entire life, and being here for 16 years I just see it as another place. The descriptions that I read from people are almost magical, and I wish I could see it the same way. But with these positive feedbacks, can come with stereotypes like how all people in America like to eat McDonalds. It is all on perspective.
ReplyDeleteTo me, being American is being able to follow whatever path I want. It is having freedom that other countries around the world are fighting and dying for. We have the freedom to pick whatever school to go to, where to live, and what career to pursue. Although we don't realize it we have it better than so many other countries around the world, and we take it for granted. We forget that once upon a time our country and ancestors were fighting just as hard as the countries today for our freedom. We have to remember that living in the country we do is a gift thanks to the people before us.
ReplyDeleteTo me, being American is being able to follow whatever path I want. It is having freedom that other countries around the world are fighting and dying for. We have the freedom to pick whatever school to go to, where to live, and what career to pursue. Although we don't realize it we have it better than so many other countries around the world, and we take it for granted. We forget that once upon a time our country and ancestors were fighting just as hard as the today's countries for their freedom. We have to remember that living in the country we do is a gift, thanks to the people before us.
DeleteBeing an American means you have an opportunity to have a happy life if you work for it, and it the right to liberty and equality. Take Dale Earnhart Jr. for example, he worked for his name in NASCAR and he had just as much right as anyone to do that. America is full of good values and if you work for it, a person can create a life of prosperity for themselves and their family.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post Yags! I like how you have good values. I like how you put an example of a true American Dale Earnhart Jr. Overall good opinnions.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteBeing an American means you have an opportunity to have a happy life if you work for it. Being an American is also rights to liberty and equality. Take Dale Earnhardt Jr. for example. He worked hard to make a name in NASCAR and he had just as much right as anyone to do that. Dale’s effort to become what he wanted to be makes him a perfect example of the opportunities of America. These chances at a new start and a better start are what drive people, American or foreign, to create a guideline for their life based on their effort and desire to succeed. America is full of good values and if a person works for them, he can create a life of prosperity for himself and his family.
DeleteBeing American means being apart of a system in which we are either the top crust of society or the others. America is built upon equality which has been decimated with years of movements, and due to this the average American is a confused person. His being is made up of class and color. Are you white or other, are you rich or other these are what you must answer to determine what kind of an American you are. Being American means you have the ultimate oppurtunity to be something great in this world; however, the cost to which Americans pay to be the best makes us the worst. Being American means you must suffer hell to get to Heaven.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion of being an American is that which says that we are part of a system which wants perfection. America wants to say it is built upon equality; however I believe that that staement is false. From the day of birth, Americans are judged by ancestry, genetics, and class. His being is made up of class and color. In our education, America is portryaed as a country who fought for what is right(in their eyes) and succedded in becoming the "greatest country on Earth." America wants to be perfect. That is its flaw. Americans must go through school with perfect looks, grades, and social skills or be crushed under bullying and peer pressure. Americans must get high earning jobs after graduating college. They must be ideal citizens and never lie. This type of massed "perfection" has brought the meaning of America through the dirt. His looks must be apart of the majority, he must be well off, he must be PERFECT.The cost that this country has paid for such thoughts have been heavy. All types of suicide have risen, and the country just turns a blind eye. It reminds me of Sparta. From the age of five Spartan (or American in this case) children go off to school where they are trained to be the best soldier in the world. They must fight each other in test (or pop quizzes, hah) to show they have learned. Death is frowned upon but the Spartan or American machine continues forward never trying to fix its child and adult killing ways. To succedded in the end of all this you must go through Hell to get to Heaven. My heaven which I have yet to get is a bed at the end of the day.
DeleteTo be an American means to have freedom. I believe that our most important freedom is that of speech and thought. We are allowed to speak our minds about any topic, disagree or agree we are safe. In other countries, if you speak out against a political group, or disagree with a stance, you can be jailed or killed. In America you are saved by our freedom of speech to express our opinions. This is also important because, even if they are wrong, hurtful, or controversial, we are allowed to see each other’s opinions and in turn make our own. In all, our freedom of speech allows America to be diverse and allows us to excel.
ReplyDeleteTo be an American means to have an opinion. I believe that our most important freedoms are that of speech, thought, and personal opinion. We are allowed to speak our minds about any topic, whether we disagree or agree, and we stay safe. In other countries, if you speak out against a political group or disagree with a stance, you can be jailed or killed. We vote for our President, which is one of our greatest achievements for expressing our opinions. We hope our President is a reflection of our opinions, no matter what other countries and people think. Our opinions are also important not only for politics, but also for simple things like what we eat or learn in school. In America, you are saved by our Constitution and the freedom of speech to express our opinions. No matter our views, safety is important because if we are wrong, hurtful, or controversial, we are allowed to see each other’s opinion and in turn make our own. Our opinions allow America to be diverse and allow us to excel.
DeleteQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
DeleteQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean to be an American, you ask? Although I have been in the United States for only a year and a half, I have noticed a few details. As previous comments concluded, America is blessed. It has good health care, comparatively good lifestyle, and good education. But American people, I feel, concentrate on one point: Rights. Yes, American people do have rights compared to other countries, but every person has a responsibility as well. I do not mean, for example, joining the army but caring for the country and having responsibility towards it. Many people here take it in a way that "it is my right to do this and this." But did they ever think about what their country needs? American people need to strive to better their country. Yes, it is important to have a right as many countries do not, but I notice that in other countries, people try to better themselves as well as their countries from their previous condition, and America is still the same. America has focused their energy on power and patriotism that they forgot about the real issues of the world, and they are right now suffering.
ReplyDeleteTo me, being American means having a voice and mattering in society. America is one of the few true democracies left in the world, and I think that is something to be proud of. While watching all of the Presidential debates on T.V. with my mom, we often get into debates ourselves over the issues. I take it for granted that I can not only have opinions, but that if I have a problem with something, I can go out and make a change. Being American means being an active part of our country to make it better. America is all about give and take. You are given rights, but it is your responsibility to go out and do something with those rights.
ReplyDeleteBeing american means that we can walk the streets without fear of being killed. We should all be proud of this country, and even if times are changing and others resent the U.S, that isn't a reason to be ashamed of our country. Others have fought and thousands of people have died defending this country for the freedom that we usually take for granted. We have priveleges and rights that most of the world doesn't have, like having running water at our fingertips or the ability to vote to change a leader. In dictatorships, the leader often kills without reason, and people starve to death everyday. We don't have to worry about any of that as Americans, since we have already had those people fight and give their lives so that we could have a democracy.
ReplyDelete