What does it mean to be an American?

What does it mean to be an American? Everyone has a different opinion on this subject. Some people say its freedom. Other say its the opportunity to be and do what we want to do. But isn't it more than that; isn't there more to it? Now, when I say that there is more to it, that it’s more prodigious than just freedom and opportunity. I don’t disagree when people depict themselves of having those traits. But, like I said earlier, it extends further than that. What are you doing for your community? What are the actions you are taking that help other people? How are you connected or related to people that have served to protect us and the country? Before I mention anything else, I want to thank all the men and women who have persevered and defended the people of this country and that have protected our right and freedoms, and that you will never, ever be forgotten for your service, bravery, and dedication.

When I deem myself as an American I think of the wonderful education that I along with many others are able to receive,and the acceptance of diversity among us. Sometimes I feel as others don’t realize how the different cultures, race, religion, and all the other things that fall underneath that category affect us today. Without the acceptance of our different and unique qualities that we have there would be riots and outburst and complete chaos. Now I want you to think about something for a minute...how exactly would you picture this country and what it would be like if we were more concerned about the color of someone skin or even their religion? I know how I would see it that way. We would fail. -We would try so hard to succeed just to fail,BECAUSE WE ARE NOT TOGETHER,WE ARE NOT...ACCEPTING OF PEOPLE...FOR WHO THEY REALLY ARE. As Martin Luther King Jr once said, ”We should be identified not by the color of our skin but by the content of our character.” When I ask myself,what makes me an American? The acceptance of diversity always comes to mind,because it is such an important subject that factors in to why I am an American. The reason for that being is, we accept all of the diversity, we don’t care about how dark or how light you skin is, we don’t care about the fact that you as an individual might have different religious beliefs, all we care about is the content of your character.

Before I’m done with my speech I want to bring up another very important part that plays a very significant role in being an American. That is our rights. If you have realized or have research/study other places, some of them don’t have the rights that we do, some of their government are dictatorships. Which if you didn’t know what that was, it’s where a person(the dictator) has almost all the power. We as Americans have rights such as religious freedom,freedom of speech,freedom of the press,etc. I very much appreciate these rights. You might ask yourself, I get that the rights we have are great, but why should you care so much? That is a good question, BUT WHAT AM I EXACTLY DOING RIGHT NOW,I AM UP HERE DELIVERING YOU ALL A SPEECH...ABOUT MY OWN OPINION,ABOUT HOW I...IDENTIFY MYSELF AS AN AMERICAN. Would I necessarily be allowed to do this if I did not have the rights that I have? NO! That is another reason why I think I am an American. I hope I have changed everyone perspective on what it really means to be an American.