After watching all of the presentations on what it is to be american I had to ask myself what it meant to be American to me? I have lived in America all my life and till this day I still have no idea how or what it means to be American. American is defined by being a native or citizen in the United States. which is true but what happen to are so called American Dream? If a foreigner ever asked me I would probably say to be an American it means to be free. But are we really free? I thought about Langston Hughes poem "Let America Be America Again" and how he wishes that America could go back to the time where we were free. At the same time he says that America was never America to him at times I know what he means. I feel living in America for me is yes a place to have better opportunities then other countries but we say we want to help immigrants here but be so quick to send them back too.
I guess you can say I am still in the process of finding myself. I do classify myself as an American but only because where I reside. When it all comes down to it everyone does and will have there own definitions in which they believe is being American. I know I am still trying to define it for myself that I may or may not come to an conclusion with it but I am happy to keep trying.
I agree that I associate myself as an American because this is all I know. I think that I've never personally believed in America being the "land of opportunities" America has a dark past of racisms, discrimination and gender inequalities that show that the country as been misrepresented for centuries. I think that the culture isn't the one that provides the opportunities but we do as people.. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ashley I agree with you as well and nice to know I am not the only one.
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