Being American

            What does being American mean? Being American is a way of life and has nothing to do with nationality, ethnicity, place of birth or anything else. It is about freedom and personal responsibility. This means we are independent people. It is about working hard to achieve your dream and overcoming obstacles. This means we don’t stop trying just because it gets hard. It is about being able to disagree with someone but defending their right to disagree. This mean we help each other out when needed no matter what kind of ideas they have. Being American is a way of life.

            Freedom is what this country was built on. Not everyone was free at the founding of this country but it is that ideal placed at the root of our society that allowed for freedom to grow and reach more people with each passing generation. Each generation must take up the responsibility of freedom from our fathers and mothers lest it be lost to the ages. The responsibility of freedom is very heavy and is a difficult burden. This responsibility is the personal responsibility of each individual. It is the individual that allows for the society to be free. It is saying, sure it might be easier to have the government take care of this for me, but I can do it myself. Once you allow someone else to make choices for you, you are no better than a slave. The government cannot give you freedom, only you as an individual can accept the responsibility of freedom.

            The American Dream has changed and grown over time. Each generation defines the American Dream a bit differently, just as each individual has a different desire and dream for their own life. No one can give you everything you desire in life because no one other then you truly knows what that is. That means the best way to reach your dream is to work hard. Working hard can mean very different things to different people. To a writer working hard means writing every day and reading a lot. To a carpenter it means making things out of wood and working with an experienced carpenter. We all face challenges, from the rich to the poor, from the tall to the short. It is these challenges that test our character and push us to be that much better or to change our way of thinking. These challenges are not something to loath but something to overcome and in the overcoming to become stronger, smarter, and better.

            In America, a society made up of individuals, we will often disagree as much as we agree. One of our greatest ideals planted at the founding of our great country is the idea that we can speak freely to one another. This means we can disagree, we can have bad ideas and can say them out loud for everyone to hear. This allows us all to have a voice and to be heard so that we can settle problems with words. So that we can reach a consensus on what will be the best path going forward and try to follow that path. This is a powerful tool of the individual and is what makes us all part of the American society. That is why we must protect the right to speak for those we most disagree. If someone is deprived of that right then everyone can be deprived of that right and that will be the death of a free society and the individual.

            Being American is more than just being born here. It is about the responsibility of freedom. It is about working hard to make yourself better and overcoming challenges that get in your way. It about having the freedom to disagree and not letting that disagreement stand in the way of helping each other. Being American means something. It means more than nationality, ethnicity, place of birth or anything else. Being American is a way of life.