What does it really
What does it really mean to be an American? That question is on par with: What is the meaning of life? It in technically a nonsensical question.
U.S.A is the giant social experiment in progress. It is a country unlike anyother, with no accepted social identity, nor one religious institution providing the groundwork of one prevailing system of morals and social rules...therefore it comes under scrutiny the most; by its own and the rest of the world (also for our nagging need to control everything and everyone).
If we can give any accepted answer then i'd guess the answer would be; Being an American means upholding the ideals of the forefathers who started this nation to escape persecution; religious and economical. This entails; doing our best to take advantages of the oppertunities avliable to us, to speak in freedom, to question ourselves and our governing bodies. To fight against what we find unjust and ban together in masses through the rights given to us to challenge the norms.
To give voice to, to protect, to uphold the ideals of, to ensure for our children and their children, what is inherently the most precious and valuable to the very nature of our soul: Our right to live in a life shaped by us. Nothing less, nothing more.
I'd say thats what it means to be American.
But times-a-changin, we can all see that the political and social face of this nation is privy to change and so we must face the fact. But one thing that does please me is that people like you, people like the posters on DC CONNECTION, the endless editorials, the political bloggers are doing one thing that was made sure first and foremost by the founding bodies of this nation: Voicing their opinion. Shows that the nation hasn't fallen silent, that the eyes are awake tonight and seeing the lack of justice around us.
We stop living the day we become silent about things that matter
~ Martin Luther King. Jr
posted by The Big Sleazy @ 1:09 PM
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