Webster's dictionary defines the word American as a citizen or inhabitant of America. America has been around for 200 plus years and the more it grows, the more prideful the country becomes. Other countries can look at America and have negative thoughts about the country and how much pride and self-absorbed it is, but that doesn't stop Americans from showing their pride. In my own words, being an American means feeling passionately prideful about America and the beautiful country it is. Being an American has an immense amount of privileges that some take for granted, like freedom. "Mike got himself a piece of white cloth and a piece of red cloth and fashioned himself a bamboo needle. Over a period of a couple of months, he sewed the American flag on the inside of his shirt." (McKain, 4) In McKain's speech he discusses what it feels like to be tortured and trapped in Vietnam as a prisoner of war. Mike is one of his cell mates that was with him. This shows that in times of adversity, if someone is giving life all they have and fight for justice in America, they're a true …show more content…
There are civil duties, such as voting, contributing to the community by working, and taking care of the country. "I am an American citizen and she is not. I am moved that thousands of long-term residents are finally taking the oath of citizenship. She is not." (Mukherjee, 6) This quote from "Two Ways to Belong in America" depicts the two ways to be a citizen in America. When it says "I am moved that thousands of long-term residents are finally taking the oath of citizenship." it stirs thoughts about what was the last straw to convince the long-term residents to finally become a citizen? Were their eyes opened to the gifts and treasures of America that some take for granted? When they took the oath, it was not an actual oath, it was the commitment to ones country to stay a true citizen through thick and
To be an American is to be proud of your flag and country, to be willing to suffer for America, and to never be willing to give up.
4 These consist of Freedom to express yourself, freedom to worship as you wish, right to a prompt, fair trial by jury, right to vote in elections for public officials, right to apply for federal employment requiring U.S. 6 citizenship, and the right to run for elected office, freedom to pursue “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Responsibilities are what is expected by the government from the people. 7 These consist of Support and defend the Constitution. 4 Stay informed of the issues affecting your community, participate in the democratic process, respect and obey federal, state, and local laws, respect the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others, participate in your local community, pay income and other taxes honestly, and on time, to federal, state, and local authorities, serve on a jury when called upon, and defend the country if the need should
Americans can cherish their freedom of expression and are part of a diverse culture. An American is someone who would embrace freedom and liberty. Overall, to be an American, it is crucial to embrace the culture and become a part of it disregarding where you were born.
An American is someone who is free to do whatever whenever he wants. He is someone who doesn't care about who judges him or what people think. All he cares about is his version of the American dream. His version may be different from everyone else's but an American has the freedom to be different in whatever way he wants to. This is what an American is.
A Path to Citizenship “What makes someone American isn’t just blood or birth but allegiance to our founding principles and faith in the idea that anyone from anywhere can write the next chapter of our story.” - President Barack Obama. The United States is the melting pot of the world. The great American country was built on immigration. Look around, so many people have ancestors that risked everything to come to the United States to make something of their lives, and the lives of their children.
Good Citizenship is something that is valued by a country. Although not normally noticed or recognized, good citizenship can come in many forms and can be very beneficial to a specified area. Good Citizenship could mean many different things but ultimately good citizenship promotes prosperity, and increases the well-being of said region. In this country we do have government officials, but they only can do so much, and reach so far, in this country you need to focus on "...Not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" (Kennedy). This means pulling your own weight and not relying solely on these officials and their policies, to get out and try to make this country the best it can be. Which is why through the use of the educatory school system in the United States and through obeying laws of their city/state or nation, and also through the practice of Volunteer work/charity the average American citizen can become above-average and awesome (in every sense of the word) and can also develop into a righteous, upstanding, convivial citizen.
true hero she is. These actions prove how she is capable to do such courageous acts
Being an American is more than just living in America, or being born in this country. Many people talk about being American’s and they aren't even in this country. Being an American is a way of life that people adapt into by seeing how we act. People all over the world eat the same things that we eat, so that can't really be a way of being an American. To me, being an American is embracing our ways of life, not fighting for the other guys, and loving our anthem and the flag.
In conclusion, everyone has the chance for themselves to make their own definition what it means to be an American. Having the American Dream, otherwise being successful, you can choose how you view being American. As I have previously explained in this essay, I believe being American means that you are a proud patriot of your country and show some type of position in your country, having a voice in your country and using your liberties promised to you by the government. What is your definition of being an
An American is a person who understands that through hard work that anything is achievable and that dedication is a necessity to succeed. A person who takes pride in all aspects of life including their work. “ Well there's pride in every American heart, and it's time we stand” (Greenwood Lines 24-25). This quote displays the claim that to be an American you must be prideful, and that pride originates from the heart. Greenwood used the word pride, and he was referring that all Americans have pride in what they worked for or what they attained through their hard work.
The definition of an American, is someone who is a citizen of the United States. Many African Americans, and immigrants struggled to become actual Americans in their lifetimes, because others didn 't see them as actual people; and based it on the color of someone. In today 's world people who live in America consider themselves as Americans, but to me there is certain qualities that make a person an American. To me being a true American is not based off of what Country they were born in, or what race their parents are, or even if they were immigrated to the United States. People from all over the world would say that maybe people could base this off of someone 's family heritage, or where they were before they came to America. If you were asked what makes an American an American what would you base it off of? To me there are four specific characteristics that make a person a true American; those three things would be, freedom, individuality, belief in the country, and happiness.
Ronald Regan describes America as, “…a place in the divine scheme that was set aside as a promised land” (“Loosing the American Dream”). Do Regan’s words have any truth to them? How can America be a promised land when immigrants are still fighting for the chance to pursue the American Dream and social acceptance? Immigrants have different motives for coming to America some may seek citizenship for political freedoms that they once did not have due to uprising civil wars in their native country. Others may come for social freedoms that they were not awarded in their home country due to sexual orientation. Others may come for economic freedoms that allows them to go from rags to riches. No matter the reason, immigrants risk everything for a chance to pursue the American dream. So why is it so hard for immigrants to earn a spot as a citizen of the United States of America? Why are immigrants still facing narrow-mindedness criticism for being foreign? It is time for Americans to change their prejudice views of immigrants.
The source is a statement regarding what is means to be a good citizen. It states that in order to be a good citizen, one must be willing to perform whatever task the country demands. Disregarding all other personal beliefs and interests to support one’s nation is the pinnacle of good citizenship. The source believes that the national interests of one’s country should also be one’s own priority. It displays a nationalistic, perhaps patriotic, perspective on the responsibility of a citizen.
The world around us will forever be growing, changing and challenging those who occupy it. Notions that once ruled nations and demanding commodities are phasing out and morphing into stronger and more influential concepts. Citizenship is considered one of these perceptions. Possessing the title of being citizen is defined as “a native or naturalised member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to its government and is entitled to its protection” (Dictionary.com, 2016). Describing oneself as a citizen can be interpreted in many ways; it is no longer about just being a citizen of one place or one nation, it’s about where someone belongs and the responsibilities an individual upholds.
It is through the events in the journey of life that shapes and molds who we are as people. As for me, immigrating to America was one of those milestones that have shaped who I am. Those who have had the opportunity of moving from a different country to America know what a privilege it is. I felt the same honor to know that I would be journeying to the land of opportunity. Without hesitance, I spent the last two months packing and making the final preparations before moving to a new continent. Although it was a bittersweet time, leaving my beloved family behind, I knew that I couldn’t resist the treasure that waited for me in the new land. Coming from a developing nation the high level of sophistication that greeted me on arrival to America made feel like I was in paradise.