What It Means to be American

What it means to be American? Everybody you ask this question to will have a completely different response. Some responses might have similarities but none will be exactly the same. In the beginning of the year my response was “To be an American means having a rich history, having opportunities to better ourselves, and having freedoms.” Unfortunately not everyone has had the same opportunities or freedoms. Native Americans, who are indigenous, dealt with having their freedoms taken away, less opportunities even though they had rich history in this land before it was taken away from them. Look at what Zitkala-Sa endured. Not only that, but African Americans have fought long and hard for freedom and equality as well. W.E.B. Du Bois stood for change. His opposition of Booker T. Washington’s views are recorded in “The Souls of Black Folk”. Immigrants are another oppressed group. Ralph Ellison also speaks of difficulties endured and how he was treated in “Invisible Man”. Gloria Anzaldua tells of first-hand experiences of Mexicans having their equality and freedoms stripped in “El Sonavabitche”.

Native Americans are considered the first group to be established here in what we call America. As I stated earlier “To be an American means having a rich history, having opportunities to better ourselves, and having freedoms.” Natice Americans have some of the richest history of any culture. The passed down stories of their ancestors from generation to generation, they had ultimate freedom as hunters and gatherers, doing whatever they had to, to survive. The story of what happened to the Native Americans is common knowledge, so I won’t talk about that, what I will talk about is someone who endured duress. Zitkala-Sa “School Days of an I...

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...k as hard as you can only to find out you are not getting paid. People claim immigrants are taking jobs away and they don’t have to pay taxes. Well imagine if instead of waging a war against “Illegal” immigrants, we just let them in. Allow them to work in the country make some money and then take it to their homes. They’re working hard. They’re trying to better themselves and their families. They’re trying to live the American Dream, but with all these immigration laws we aren’t allowing them. Most people live to work. Have a nice house a nice car go on a vacation once in awhile. But how is it that we can sing a song that says “And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free” if we aren’t being fair. We live in the greatest country of all. What type of country are we if we don’t allow other people the chance to better themselves, and have freedoms?