My American Creed

The American Creed. Every American seems to have a different sense of what it is, from differences between states to differences between my classmates. Some believe that it is a sense of national patriotism and pride for one's country, others believe it is our diverse backgrounds which can connect the nation and give it an identity. I believe that the American Creed is about our individual freedoms. Our freedom to assemble, to practice whichever religion we chose, our right to privacy, our right to free speech, and one of the most important I believe; the right to disagree. The American Creed that unifies us all is the freedom to speak our mind, and in reflection of current events I believe that the American Creed may be in danger.

The right to assemble is a right long used by the people of America, even before the founding of the country. The movement for the revolution was begun by assembly, the civil rights movement could not have been possible without assembly, the women's suffrage movement could not have succeeded without the right to assemble. It is a right that unites our country and rallies them to fight for their rights to be honored and respected. Recently, hundreds to thousands of students on multiple university campuses have attempted to use this right to present their opinion on how what they think our government is supporting is wrong and cruel. The students in these non-violent protests represent what it means to be a part of the American creed. They are not anarchists praying on the downfall of America, they are Americans themselves, expressing their opinions on government decisions. The forceful removal of these peaceful encampments is a threat to the freedoms which make up the American creed.

Religious freedom and expression is held to the highest importance by the majority of the American population. Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Pagan, or other, you are able to freely exercise your religion without the threat of the government discriminating against you or punishing you for your differences in beliefs. Every religion has a community to connect with, a place to belong, a place to worship freely with people just like you. America’s freedom to practice whichever religion you choose creates a melting pot for different religions and viewpoints which may stem from them. People can compare these opinions and have insightful conversations about them. I believe that a large part of being a part of the American Creed is listening to what other people think and value. Their religion may be different from yours or they may value religion more than you, but we live in a country where we can learn about others as we have the freedom to be different.

Being a part of the American creed is being open minded. If you close your mind and only allow in the opinions of those like minded to you, there will be nothing to learn. It is ok to disagree, and it is even better to discuss why you disagree and attempt to understand why someone may think a certain way. Americans do not hold one singular identity. We are all so very different and unique, we all were brought up by different parents from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions. These things all affect who we grow up to be, and sometimes how receptive we are to outside opinions. I believe that to be a true part of the American Creed, one must be able to listen and evaluate the opinions of others. A conservative and leftist despite having very different views could still have a very insightful conversation, and those two could possibly even be friends. As Americans, we have the right and privilege to express these differences.

This idea of the American creed though, seems to be endangered by hate. The people of the United States have lost the idea of what it means to be united and free. Many political parties now tend to attack the other instead of listening. Things like Project 2025, fail critically to take into account how those actions may affect those who disagree. Merely using Project 2025 as an example, it means to be a complete conservative government take over, not accounting at all for opposing viewpoints economically or socially. People from any viewpoint(that do not pose a life threatening view such as certain historical and still active groups) should be able to freely express their opinion. Complete government takeovers by any singular party is a direct antithesis of the American Creed.

The American Creed, I believe, is truly all about differences. Our differences and right to express them have built this country into what it is today. There is still much work to be done in terms of how well we listen to each other, as currently much hate centered around our differences. I believe though that one day, our national unity, our American Creed, will be able to bring us into a time of peace. The American Creed is the freedom to be different and to think freely.