What it Means to be an American

There are many facets to being an American. To say that being American consists of one or two characteristics would be a fallacy. Being an American involves utilizing our natural rights as human beings, as well as those rights afforded us by our government. Man is naturally afforded the right, as Thomas Jefferson so candidly put it, to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Americans do just this. They believe in freedom, as well as political equity for all people. Americans are among a select group of people in the world that are willing to fight for their natural rights. Why is there a war on terror? The answer can be found in the ideologies of other cultures in the world.

Some cultures do not emphasize or even recognize the natural rights of human beings. Just because someone is born into a fascist or communist government does not mean that they want to be there. Some cultures view freedom and equality as hindrances to the advancement of society. They simultaneously believe sexism, racism, and a variety of forms of segregation, to be the solution to ensuring stability and a prosperous society. Americans, on the other hand, see eliminating these inhumane acts as the only means by which significant progress in all fields can be made. As can be seen in America, some of the greatest advancements—social, political, and scientific—have occurred in the last thirty years, the time during which sexism, racism, and segregation have all lost, almost entirely, their foothold in our society. Prosperity is found in the preservation of freedom. Americans have held, from the very birth of this great nation, that equality is the only means by which a successful and stable society can be effectively built. Persecution is what drove the founding of this country, and the emphasis on equity is what eventually led to its success.

Being American means standing up for what you believe in, and not backing down in the face of hardship or adversity. Americans do this every day, as can be seen in the wars against terrorism, drugs, and domestic violence. All Americans have the opportunity to speak their minds and give their input on any matter. Because our government is a democracy, Americans are afforded the opportunity to vote, lobby, and demonstrate their freedom of speech. What is a little bureaucratic red tape in the face of freedom? It is absolutely nothing, as compared to an AK-47 or cruel and unusual punishment, a reality which millions of people live with worldwide. Americans not only utilize their natural rights as human beings, but also make use of the rights afforded to them by their government. So many people in the world are not allowed to express their ideologies or opinions on matters that directly affect them. The freedoms of speech, religion, and press are all rights that Americans are constitutionally guaranteed, and that so many other people only dream of having. Being an American means using these rights to defend freedom, and freedom is the basis of American society- a base which has held strong for over 200 years.