Lengthy and Likely Unpopular - On Being American

What does it mean to be an American? Often it is little more than a title we wear only when it fits our needs. My daughter, in second grade, brought home a chart she had made in school entitled: "What Am I?" On this chart were the names of her classmates with their ethnicity. Of the 35 children in her class, only two listed themselves as American. I know a number of those children and not only had they known no other homeland but American, but their parents have known no other as well.

Time and again, when a young person is asked what they are the list of all the "other" countries which are part of their heritage is given. What is the shame in saying American? This does not denigrate any heritage but accepts a responsibility to call the US HOME. I firmly stand behind the ideal of the melting pot, but somewhere along the way we should have blended into one. What constitutes an American?

When you commit to living your life in a country that you chose, you are making a larger commitment than you may realize. You are saying, "This is where I want to call home." Because of the diversity of the background of the American Heritage, people tend to look at us as a holding pen for "other countries". This is not the case. America prides itself on it's helping hand policy and has unquestioningly taken in people who would either want, or in many cases, need, to leave their motherland behind. Does that mean that we should assimilate into the cultures of each of the ethnicities that team onto our shores year after year? Of course not. Should they be ONLY American, not at all; however, for better or worse, you are now not only Irish, Spanish, Italian lalala - you are ALSO American. Wear it with the same pride you wear your geneology.

What that means is that you have chosen us to be host to your new life. You have come here hoping to make a better life for you and your family and we have welcomed you. Frequently we do this with open arms and resettlement money raised through taxes paid by those of us who are already here. Now you may feel that this new life you are creating is of your own doing; however, here's a little news for you, you are making this new life here - in America with us Americans. Yet anti-American sentiment is alive and well and living in the U.S. Not even covertly but openly. This is beyond tolerable. We have people coming here from other countries whose laws put to death anyone expounding ideas against the leadership of their country. However, there exists a freedom to come here and hate us, freely. This needs to be re-examined. To criticize an idea is a world of difference from criticizing a people. There need not be censorship in order to insist that those who come here to make lives do so with the same spirit that has us welcome them.

Alternatively, we Americans must also realize that as the host to our newest citizens there must be tolerance, understanding and acceptance. To levy the emotional fine of September 11th against those peaceful, law-abiding people who have come to join us in this country, is an affront to all that we as a people are meant to stand for. In every society, all across the globe, there are fanatics who will destroy - often in the name of the Father - but those people are radical offshoots of sincere and noble individuals. When we extend our hand across the globe to those who are in need, we must adopt the same philosophy that we have visited upon in the chapter of giving - doing so with an open hand.

Okay yell at me all you want but hey, it's my blog and I'll say what I want.

Peace