Hello everyone! This is your first assignment. In order to sign in you must have a Google account (it's free and you can sign up directly from this page by clicking on "Comments" and then choosing Google ID. You'll create an account and then be able to leave your feedback. Answer the following question then check in to respond to two other comments left by others. Your initial response is due by midnight, August 14. Your responses are due by midnight, August 16 (Sunday night). Here's the question:
What does it mean to be an American? Without relying on cliches or shallow self-congratulating nonsense, what makes America unique in the world?
(Make sure your answers are in accordance with the class rubric).
Ok, good luck, guys! I can't wait to hear what you have to say!
Awesome, we get to do our homework on the internet. Anyway, onto the question.
ReplyDeleteTo me, being an American is a very, very important aspect of my life. Just look around you at other countries. They have it so rough and most countries have such a high poverty level that it is almost impossible to imagine. Even some of the so-called "upper classes" in other countries are just as rich as the middle class Americans.
We have so many freedoms here in the United States. Freedom of speech, Freedom of religion, etc. Some countries don't even have any of those freedoms. In some countries, people are killed if they are even seen with a Bible or anything Christian related, yet here in the US we can worship freely in churches and even go out in public and spread the Gospel.
We are just so blessed here, we often take it for granted. Complaining we dont have that iPhone everyone has or the coolest clothes, when some people can't even find enough food to feed them and their families everyday. We as students have such a potential as well to be leaders here in this country. It may be something simple as manager of a store or it could be as big as the President of the United States. We have the opportunities, while most other countries don't even come close.
I think my above posts explain why we as Americans are unique. We have some much freedom and are blessed with such a great country.
So, that's what I have to say. Glad I can be the first post here so I hope I encouraged others to post as well.
To be an American is to really love and respect our awesome country instead of just living here and calling yourself an american ,and really by definition it is what being an american entails. I also think that being an American means having a good deal of national pride.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is different in our world because of the way she was founded. Our founding fathers defied the King they loved and started a revolution in order to be free from his oppressive rule and excessive taxation to create the first real free country on earth.
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ReplyDeleteYeah Colby maybe I should have tackled the freedoms and wealth in my comment and I've got to agree with you on that! Our freedoms are so rare and our wealth (even with our newly crippling debt) dwarfs that of most counties on our planet Earth, not to mention that our country sets the standard when it comes to freedoms and right. I mean think about it, before america a country with any freedom of religion (besides catholicism) was unthought of! Just one more I thing we should be seriously proud of!
ReplyDeleteBasically to me, to be an american is awesome. We have tons of freedoms that we should greatly appreciate that we probably from time to time overlook and or ignore. I know i do. As americans we also have certain duties and responsibilities such as jury duty (even though everyone hates it), protecting our country, serving in the military or on a police force for example; when i go to bed at night i want to have the comfort and confidence that i will awake the next day (if it be God's will).
ReplyDeletecolby.... yours was very good and i agree with you completely. And yes we do look over our freedoms way too much.
ReplyDeleteI think being an American is more than just a name we where given, but something that was earned and should be worn proudly by its people. We have so many more privileges and rights than other countries. Freedom of speech, Freedom of religion, ect... We really are blessed to be in such a wonderful country where we have other privileges like the right to own a business and the right to move or travel where we want and the right to own land.
ReplyDeleteAnd some more things that make America different than other countries is one our Military. We have one of the most powerful military's period, maybe not number wise but technology and advancement wise we do. And another is our Government, we have Democracy and the right to vote on our leader. Well all these thing i mentioned are what makes America the land of the Free!
Ah, the Military, forgot about that one. Yes, our Military is literally the best there is. We have such commitment, training, technology, and firepower compared to other countries. Sure China has like 40 billion troops, but they are probably poorly trained and just thrown weapons to use. Nothing against China(They make like everything we own), just making a point about our Military. Good people. Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteTo be an American means, in my opinion, means conserving the constitution and looking out for the common good of the country. This does NOT mean getting caught up in little things that segregate us, but looking past that to build up a nation. I'm not trying to say be "happy go lucky innocents". As an american, it would be in your benefit to study the current and know what's happening. If a person doesn't know what's happening how can they defend their rights?
ReplyDeleteAs we know, some of our new leaders are not focusing very heavily on the good of a nation. The only way to uphold our constitution and fight back against this poor movement is to be involved in our nation. While they are old, our founding documents got us to where we are.
I believe that these are very important in calling yourself an American citizen. Keep the founding documents in place. Don't forget to be plugged in to the current news.
Very True, Ryan. Our founding fathers and their decisions have gotten us very far and should be remembered and held high. We we're also founded on Christian belief and it kills be that even though we are founded on those beliefs, there are pretty much swept under the rug by the majority of our government officials.
ReplyDeletei totally think Poehner has viewed the American name correctly. The American named was earned. I get tired of people saying that this is a terrible country. The only people i've heard say that are those that are uninformed.
ReplyDeleteAnd Jacob also remembered how it was founded which is great to those who disrespect the country. You need to remember our foundation.
ReplyDeleteWow, I typed out an answer but when I clicked to post it, an error message came up and I lost all of it, so I typed it out on Microsoft word, but if you’re reading this then it worked the second time.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American means to be a citizen of the United States of America, whether you were born there, immigrated there, or whatever. Being an American is having all of the rights and freedoms that we have in the U.S., being under and following the government and laws of the United States, supporting America, working to make it a better place, and following our beliefs and purposes as a nation.
America is a very unique country. We are very strong and powerful and fairly big. Though it may not be AS unique now, when our country was first founded, our style of Democratic-Republic government was different in how it worked and was set up and we elected other people to make laws and decisions for us. Even after recent events our economy is still fairly good, especially compared to third-world countries. We also have more freedom and rights than most other countries, and have the opportunity to enjoy luxuries that a lot of other countries can’t afford.
America, as a nation drives a lot of cars and uses them for a primary means of transport, eats a lot of meat and fast food, watch a lot of television and enjoy baseball.
There are a lot of other things that make America unique, and being an American is a great privilege and responsibility. I am proud to be an American.
Two things that make America unique in the world are our freedom of speech and religion. In countries like China and Iran citizens can not speak freely about their religious and political views. Our first amendment guarantees that freedom of speech.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful that I can speak freely here in America ~ that I can express my love for God without being persecuted or even killed. In America I am free to "speak my mind."
being an american to me is being part of something that is greater than ourselves but at the same is based on the individual views and opinions of the ppl, we're the single greatest nation in the world hands down. and i believe quite possibly in all history. america has the most powerful military the world has ever seen. but i believe wat makes america truely great is its freedom and diversity. in america we are the "melting pot" and a breeding ground for new ideas, in america u can agree to disagree. unlike most nations across the world were if u disagree with the gov't u can be killed or simply "disappear". i think the fact that in america u can see and go and your are totally free to travel but at the same time there is a check and balance within the govt that creates stability, though sometimes our govt is not perfect and we dont agree with the choices made by officials we still have the right to vote them in and out of office. . . the most important thing that i believe makes america great is religious freedom, in many countries across the world this freedom simply does not exist, in america u are free to voice ur beliefs and views. if u rele think about it just image if our founding fathers had no faith, in almost every document that was writen by our founding fathers God or providence was mentioned with great respect and reverance. our founding fathers views were based on their world view and being that it was a christian world view it totally shaped the freedoms we have and the reason our govt has lasted; though we're still quite young at the beginning of our nation God was active and ever present in our founding fathers lives, this foundation is wat i believe makes america both great and unique.
ReplyDeleteThat is also another great point, money. America being one of the wealthiest countries in the world, so the people have money for food and a home, while in other countries some people live in mud huts and fight for food.
ReplyDeleteAlso how the rest of the world is effected by the united States. when the U.S economy goes down most of the time the rest of the world also fell the effects of it aswell.
Wow. It's hard to say something original at this point because everybody has had amazing answers and said pretty much said everything there is to say.
ReplyDeleteBeing an American is such an amazing privilege to me and to every other citizen who claims her as their homeland. We take it for granted far too often. When you think about all the freedoms that we currently have and the capitalist government that we currently practice, it's all part of what makes America great. I mean, think about it. She must be amazing when you consider there are people who are literally dying to cross into her borders.
I think the most important thing that sets America apart is the fact that she was founded on Christianity. Regardless of what political leaders or even other citizens say, our foundation was the Bible and Biblical principles. Sadly, we are seemingly straying from that foundation but I do believe that it's what made America great and it's the reason she's prospered.
I am very proud to be a citizen of America and she may not be perfect, but I do love this country very, very much.
Are Armed forces are something I overlooked as well Colby and I wish I hadn't. They fight all day in night in foreign lands to keep us safe from terrorists and other people who would wish the american people harm!
ReplyDeletewhen i here the word american the first thing i think of is someone that lives in the U.S.A. but really its more than that.... to be an american is to be proud that u live in a free country that has rights like free speech, right to bear arms, and freedom of religion. Also as jacob and a few others mentioned before me we have a great military and a pretty good gov. for now so we should all be thankful for where we live.
ReplyDeleteWell, being an American can mean different things to various individuals. To some it means the opportunity to make an unbelievable salary while others see it as the right to take care of themselves and their families. While both of these are admirable views, I feel we often overlook certain factors in being an American and what it means.
ReplyDeleteMoney. Of course we have to talk about money. As an American I have the opportunity to make as much money as I am willing to work for. We have that so precious priviledge of creativity. While other countries are so concerned with sameness, we as Americans can express ourselves to do anything that makes us happy. Our jobs, religion, and education are determined by us. America encourages initiative and creativity. We can make the money we need doing what we like. That in itself is an unbelievable priviledge.
Freedom. I need to realize the price others paid for me to be free. I need to realize what freedom is in general. That should be what "American" means to us. We have the priviledge, the right, to make our personal choices. Our religious practices, our educational requests, even our homes, we have the right to choose what we want. On our holidays that celebrate America, we talk about the freedom. We are not bound by anything but ourselves. Americans have freedom.
Responsibilty. This is probably not the most popular to talk about when we talk about what it means to be an American, but I feel it's important. What does it mean to be an American? Don't you think because we are Americans we have the responsibility for America? Therefore being an American means having the duty to protect the country with everything in our power. We need to love our country and show the responsibility to respect America. That means, as Americans, we need to embrace that right and that duty to love our country.
So money/creativity, freedom, and responsibility are just a few factors in what it means to be American. Being an American is a blessing from God. We all are so priviledged in who we are, here, now. I believe that being an American gives us so many good things. We have so much to be thankful for. This is what it means to be an American.
Well the first thing that came to mind was our freedom. The second thing was our government. The third thing was our standard of living. So to the first thing, our freedom is one of the many things that makes us different than other nations. Americans commonly abuse the freedoms that they have. One of the most widely abused freedom is the freedom to vote. This abuse efects my second point the government. In no other country do the citizens have so much control over the government.To my third point the standard of living. Americans are so used to having everything they want on demmand when ever where ever. So to end this thing what it means to be an American, I guess it means that we're lazy people who don't take the time to try to make our nation what we want it. We also love baseball, apple pie, and our momma's. As long as some foreign guy is out in the 102 degree heat playing outfield, somebody else made the pie, and momma got dinner on the table on time.
ReplyDeleteJon, I really liked your comment about being an American whether or not you were born here. I think we often stereotype people without thinking about it. You are an American no matter where you were born.
ReplyDeleteI'm not exactly sure what else there is to say that hasn't already been said, but I'll give it a shot.
ReplyDeleteI'm positive that America would never be where we are today if it were not for our founding fathers who very wisely based the constitution on biblical principles. It frustrates me that many of the people in political office fail to remember that God is the only reason we are so blessed.
Being an American is important to me because i am not an American citizen by birth, so of course all the priviledges and rights mean a lot to me. My point in saying this, is that if I had not become an American citizen when I was 17 months old, my life would have been much harder, in agreement to what some have said about other countries being in poverty, and having someone tell them what they can and cannot acheieve and how they should live and how they should worship. I don't have to spend my whole life preparing myself to be a gymnast in the olympics if I don't want to. I can worship God openly and freely and go to a Christian school where prayer is not prohibited. And unlike some other countries, I can drive to school instead of walking like, four hours to school every morning through the jungle or something. These are just a few examples of why I'm glad I'm American.
Some people take advantage on what they've been given and I don't ever want to do that. Here in America I can become all that I want to be and have good education in order to do that.
So of course, I am proud to be an American, and I'm very thankful for those who have given thier lives for her and who have not forgotten that with freedom comes responsibility.
To me being an American is no laughing matter. It is the land of the free, the home of the brave, and it was started on Christian grounds and continues till this day to be a Christian nation no matter what anyone says. This nation is far from perfect and is in a hard economic time right now but we have certain rights that no one can take from us
ReplyDelete(according to the Declaration & Constitution). We have freedom of speech, religion, press, etc. And some countries don't even have that. For example, in England they don't have guns or knives and we have both. Also we can drive on the road without having to pay a tax. In the country mentioned above they have to pay a road tax, congestion tax,smog tax, etc. everytime they enter London,etc.
But with these rights come certain responsibilities that we have to fulfill. Like voting, jurry duty, and volunteering to help our comunity.
This country is known for being a safe haven, and I hope that it continues to be so. From the begining of this country people have came here to escape persecusion. The Protestants came here for religious freedom, and others have came here because of war or famine in their country, or a chance for success. This country was founded with this in mind. A place for people to be free and to worship the ONE TRUE GOD.
ashleyclarkglass I completely agree with you I am very happy that I have freedom of speach and I can talk about Jesus Christ without worrying that someone will kill me.
ReplyDeletevanessa I agree with you though I wish that people would come into this country legally. It must be pretty amazing for people to want to come into it so much. And as a nation we have strayed from the WORD and i think that if our generation became known as the generation that made a change for GOD we could make this country better for those who will come in the future
ReplyDeleteWhoa, some excellent points here guys. Who knew only after a period of 1 day after an assignment was given, and 3 days before it is even due that almost all of ones thunder could be stolen. Haha.
ReplyDeleteTo cover what some have already said, as Americans we are blessed with Democracy (meaning the right to vote, the right to have no limit to our salary, and the right to worship. Which I will elaborate on in a moment). Along with Democracy we get some of the benefits to go with it. A strong Military, Freedom from communism along other oppressive government powers, Freedom of expression, and so on and so forth. There are many people that will bash Democracy to no end, bringing out its every flaw and stating how imperfect of a government we operate on. When I hear this I can't help but think, "Buddy, do you honestly think YOU could do better? Besides, it's freedom of speech that allows you to say that." The discussion usual ends there.
Now to elaborate on freedom of religion. I think almost every person that has replied so far has all said or at least mentioned something along the lines of "Being American is having the choice to vote. So be a good American and go vote." Yes, that is correct, but to truly understand what our national heritage means we must dig even deeper into our roots.
Remember in 1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue? Well when the goof-ball accidentally landed on our continent, I doubt he knew what he was uncovering. One hundred twenty-eight years later when the pilgrims landed in 1620 at Plymouth, they only had one thing on their mind: Starting a new colony. Why you may ask? Freedom to practice their religion freely. That is the root of America, that is our foundation, what we were made from.
Now lets fast-forward about 400 years later. Today we are not allowed to pray in our schools. Today we can't post the Ten Commandments in public. When the founding fathers wrote the Constitution, they wanted future Americans to have Freedom of Religion. This means that they didn't want a leader to come along a few hundred years later and say,"The religion of America is X. If you don't practice X religion, you're breaking the law and thus are an outlaw and will be persecuted." Today, as Americans, we seem to have misunderstood the constitution as to say, we have freedom FROM religion. In reality, we have freedom of religion. I could make signs all day that say "I like pie." and post them all over Somerset and not get in any trouble whatsoever. Am I forcing you to like pie? I think every sane person in the world would say I'm not. Now tell me what's different between "I like pie." and the Ten Commandments? I would not be forcing my opinion on you if I posted a sign in either instance.
Someone once said, "Despots can hide behind the word democracy, they can hide behind rigged elections, but they can't hide behind the actions they take that limit liberty. It's all about the liberty thing...not the democracy thing. If liberty is being devalued, limited, decreased or otherwise compromised then we have to scrutinize the leadership for what they are doing. Bottom line, those who limit liberty are no friends to freedom."
Now you tell me, if we are American, and we were founded on Christian principles, wouldn't it be limiting liberty to say we couldn't post our beliefs in public? You draw your own conclusion.
Here is what I think; being American is about preserving our Freedom. To do this we must remember our roots. Every time some famous statue with God's word is taken down, or the Ten Commandments is removed, or some Christian is rebuked for being against abortion or homosexuality, a little bit of America dies.
Save your country. Save your Freedom.
I think that being an American expresses the freedom that we have. Seeing as there are very small amount of countries that have the freedom that we do. the meaning of being an american to me is the ability to go out and protest something or say hey i don't like that idea.
ReplyDeleteIt makes us be different from other countries most countries the people in charge say hey we'll tax you until you starve unless you stop that, but our priviliges are so much more. I think sometimes we think too much about ourselves and not others. By thinking I didn't get what i want, but other kids are dying everyday just cause they don't have fresh water. We forgot how lucky we are sometimes. So i think freedom is a huge part in the name American.
Being an American...my heart is filled with pride just being able to say those three words.
ReplyDeleteAs many have said above, we often take for granted the fact that we live in the greatest country on earth, the United States of America. Three summers ago, I had the opportunity to attend a Naturalization Ceremony for legal immigrants to be sworn in as United States citizens. It was a group from all corners of the globe: Canada, France, Saudi Arabia, Russia, you get the picture. My Dad had explained to me the process of becoming a legal U.S. citizen earlier, and I was dumbfounded at all of the requirements that you had to pass: learning English, pass a test about the History of the U.S., learn how to handle American currency, and countless backround checks. Not to mention this takes about 3-5 years(depending on your immigration status)!! Wow! And all we had to do to become legal citizens was to be born in the USA!
So then I started to think...why do thousands of these ceremonies take place every year? Why do people who live THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of miles away leave their families and existing citizenship to become U.S. citizens? Why? I'll get to that in a minute.
I know most of you know about the Statue of Liberty. She's a symbol of freedom and hope, standing tall on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. But I'm guessing you all don't know about the poem, written by Emma Lazarus, engraved in bronze on the bottom of the statue. It's called: "The New Colossus". Now I'm not going to type out the whole thing, but I just want to share a few key lines. These are the most well-known lines: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the Golden Door!"
Gosh, those are such powerful words! That, to me, sums up what being an American is: freedom! The freedom to worship how you want to worship, the freedom to run for an office, the freedom to write what you want to express your views (within reason, of course).
Also, as Americans we have a right to vote and elect leadership that we feel will properly represent our great nation. Leadership that will preserve the ideals set in stone by our Founding Fathers. These ideals, with the main focus being the Bible and God the Father Almighty, are what keeps America...well...America.
Being an American is simply this: freedom and oppurtunity. People come to America with hearts full of a burning desire to succeed, to have the oppurtunity to gain wealth. They come because they want to worship their way, not the way their government tells them.
Ryan, I really like what you said about how we shouldn't focus on issues that segregate us and focus on building up our nation. If we spend all our time fighting one another, we're not going to accomplish anything in the end.
ReplyDeleteMichael, you hit the nail on the head when you said that America is a "breeding ground" for ideas. If we didn't have a bunch of random people thinking up an idea like this one,: "I'm tired of Great Britain, lets break away from them and start our own country!", we would all still be speaking with British accents.
ReplyDeleteSo to me this is a pretty deep question, and hard to answer in something so short. To me, being an American is pride in our country and all that she is but also respect for our leaders (even if we don't always agree with them) and being responsible enough to do our duties as a citizen.
ReplyDeleteThe reason America is great and unique in this world I believe is because of our freedoms. Other people don't have our freedoms, and our wealth. Even the poorest in our country don't compare with the desperate poverty of third-world countries.
I love this country very much, and despite our economy right now, and us straying away from God, I'd still rather live here than anywhere in the world.
I agree with what Janderson said about preserving our freedom- when a Christian gets rebuked for standing against homosexuality or abortion it contradicts what the Constitution states about us
ReplyDeletehaving the right of free speech.
I also agree with what nlr302 said about respecting our political leaders even if we don't always agree with them. We all need to learn to always be respectful anyway. This is hard for some people to do, myself included but if we aren't praying for our leaders or having any confidence in them whatsoever, who will? As Christians, we are commanded to obey our authorities, having respect for them included.
ReplyDeleteAnna I totally agree with you about education. it's something that didn't come to mind right away, but it's something that's really important to me. As Americans we have the freedom to choose our own education and career. Seriously guys, how cool is that? We can be whatever we want and learn whatever we want. That's a major privlige others don't nessacarily get.
ReplyDeleteVanessa got another reason America is so great that I forgot...(very stupidly I might add) which is what we were founded. Christianity is our foundation, which is a strong one, and that's what has helpe build us up to the level of greatness we're at today.
ReplyDeleteokay, this took me forever to figure out, but i think i got it.
ReplyDeleteTo be an American is a privilege, one that we should hold in the highest regards. It means that you have the freedom to be your own person, to choose what you'll believe and not be oppressed by the Government to change that view. (at least not right now, however things could change in the near future.)
It means you live in a nation that was founded on Christian principles and teachings.(I honestly do not care about your opinion on this topic, our Founding Fathers DID build this country on the Bible and I will argue that to my death.) We have a Constitution,again based on Christian truths, which gives us our rights as humans under God. It means you have a responsibility to insure that these truths are upheld by the government.
America is a place where men and women have equal rights. They can both work and earn a living for themselves. It is a place where race does not matter. Everyone has an equal opportunity.
In our country, we can live without fear of Government officials ransacking our homes and property for their own reasons. We even have the privilege to vote and elect leaders that we feel will do the best job in leading our country.
Being an American is a variety of privileges, rights, and responsibilities. While we are "comfortable" here, we also need to keep in mind that the rest of the world does not have these liberties, and we need to constantly be praying for them.
We should be proud to live in a country as great as this one, and everyday we must continue to make sure our country is staying grounded in it's foundation. When we lose that, we lose everything that myself and others have talked about on this website.
What does being an American mean? To me, it means having a wide history. Not just the history of our country, but the history of our families. Some of our ancestors came to this country for the freedom to worship God in their own way, for others it was to start a new life, and for some it was just starting over completely.
ReplyDeleteIf your family is anything like mine, you have a lot of branches on your tree. My family came from Scotland, Germany, and the Cherokee tribe of indians in North Carolina. It is lots of fun to learn about all places you came from.
Being an American also means, being able to say what you want to say when you want to say it. Except in Akers' class when he says....QUIIIIIIIIIIEET!!!!;)
Anna, I agree! America wouldn't be where it is without our founding fathers. And it pusets me too that people in office forget about God and that He is the reason that we are so blessed.
ReplyDeleteto me being an american is all about freedom. the freedom to try to make your own way in all aspects of life. the freedom of religion, and the freedom of speech are our most basic rights. america is called a melting pot, but i believe it is more like a salad in that we are not all the same, we are all very different frome one another. we are a nation united by our differences and diversity
ReplyDeleteThis is a very deep question that is somewhat hard to answer, but what I think being an American is about is the fact that we have so many freedoms that other countries don't have. All of these freedoms are the reason why we have so many illegal aliens and other foreigners trying so hard to get into this country even if it matters life or death. The foreigners come to this country to try to have a chance in having a job and living a good life which they couldn't have got in their home country.
ReplyDeleteThe problem about Americans today is that we abuse the fact that we have so many freedoms. That if we where in another country we wouldn't have the right to express ourselves for example Iraq when it was governed by Saddam Hussein. The people there were starved and executed for things they didn't even commit.
Even through the hard times that we are going through today with the economy we should still be thankful that we are AMERICANS and that we are so blessed to live in such an amazing country that gives us so many freedoms.
Madyson I agree with what you said about this country being based on religion. Its the whole reason why this country was started was because the Separatists were seeking a place so they could have freedom of religion and not be persecuted.
ReplyDeleteI agree Sam Wier with what you said about it being amazing to say that your an American. Its just overwhelming how awesome it is to me to live in America and have the freedoms to express ourselves.
ReplyDeletewow....ya emily i totally agree with all three things you adressed. i think free enterprise is one thing that makes america awesome and unique among super powers today and in the past 100 yrs
ReplyDeletemadyson i totally agree with u and think u hit the nail on the head, we where founded on Christ and the Bible and our freedom is not viewed as a right by many ppl in the world, its a privilege that is fought for everyday and defended everyday by our brave and patriotic troops
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!!!!!!! it's extremely hard to choose just one persons post because they are all extremely well thought out. I agree with everything that everyone has said so far and Im so blown away by some of....well most of the answers given. isn't being an american absolutely amazing? i live in the U.S. of A. and it is great!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! Madyson, I totally agree with you. I just hope our generation can learn from the mistakes of others
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ReplyDeleteI'll try to be original here...
ReplyDeleteBeing an American is quite a privilege. Though there are many countries to choose from all across this large globe of ours, and quite a few I would love to live in, it's a very easy choice about which I would most enjoy living...America. (and obviously I'm not the only one who thinks this because a ton of immigrants come, or try to come anyways, to America.)
However , with all of this hype about how amazing America is, there is a requirement for me to list both its pro's and con's.
First, cons. Americans are lazy. A majority of Americans are very lazy people who eat a lot, exercise little, and expect all their needs to be met precisely when and how they want them to be.
Also, America is not without its fair share of corruption. (I will be focussing on environmental and political.) Our country, though very beautiful and majestic in some parts like Yosemite, Hawaii, and the Everglades also has plenty of polution-- Take a look at New York: The obvious example would be the slums and ghetto, but the parts that many people consider to be fascinating and attractive (the big city) is only thousand foot high blocks of concrete and cement that obstruct our view of nature. Call me an environmentalist if you like, but I am in tune with the land on which we live.
Now, because I really want this writing to be over, I will move on to pros.
America is only place where a lowlife immigrant with not a penny in their pocket could become a rich, famous hollywood star. (P.S., I personally don't believe in Hollywood because it's just a 2dimensional figment of humankind's imagination, but for essaic puposes the story works nicely.) It is a land of opportunity. Anyone who is willing to work for money can better themselves in society.
What does it mean to be an American? To me it means having the right to choose how you are going to live your life and ultimately what your future will be. We govern our own lives within the laws and boundaries of America. We have the freedom to say what we want and we also have the freedom of religion. These things we tend to take for granted because we have been brought up with them. We do not always realize what a gift they are. I mean imagine what it is like in some countries, you can be imprisoned or killed for your religion and how you believe. Us as Americans do not have to fear this. Honestly, have you ever sat down to eat somewhere and thought oh no if someones sees us pray we might go to prison or be killed. To us this would seem crazy but to many people in other countries this is their lives. They live in fear and insecurity for not only themselves but for their friends and family. So we should all be thankful that we do not have to fear these things. We have freedom! And this is why I am so proud to be an American.
ReplyDeleteIbelieve what it means to be a american is to have the freedoms that most other countrys dont have. for instance here everyone who is apart of the United States has the right to vote for the leader they want. in other countries alot of people dont have a say who leads them. or their leader is simply the next person born in line.
ReplyDeletealso another freedom that we have that most others dont is the freedom to whatever relijion we choose. no matter what color you are or where you are from you can belive in whaetever you want. In other countries your religion for you. You have to believe whatever they tell you to believe. in a few other countries it is worse. they don't even allow religion.
another privilage we have inthis great country is that everyone has a right to earn a dollar. thanks to out free enterprise system we can take chances with our money. and for some people it works out and they get alot of money. but for others they end up broke. other countries try to split all the money between everyone. it may sound good at first tryin to make everyone the same amount. but all this ends up doing is makin everyone poor and miserable.
these are just a few of the many freedoms we as americans enjoy everyday. but i personaly believe that many of our freedoms today r being takin away from us and we are just sittin by and lettin it all happen. we need to stand up for our rights and let the government know that they cant take those away from us before we end up just like all those other countries. we are a very God blessed nation and it seems that we are forgetting that
colby i just want to say that that one is one of the bet ones on here and one of the longest lol. i really agree with what u have to say on this matter.
ReplyDeletemady the one you wrote was really good. i completly agree with you on this. mostly about this being founded on christian beliefs. i really did enjoy hearing what u had to say. even thought it took me forever to read it lol
ReplyDeleteHow do we define what it means to be American? I think being an American involves more than one thing. It involves having pride in our country and actively using our rights as American Citizens. These things seem to encompass most things mentioned previously and things no one has mentioned yet.
ReplyDeleteHaving pride in our country, to me, means more than just proudly proclaiming to be American, it means respecting America and standing up for it. When I say respect America i mean simple things like following laws and praying for people in power in our nation instead of bashing them for doing things you don't agree with. And when you stand up for our nation it can be anything from bravely serving in the military for our country to speak highly of and rebuke others for talking down our nation. Being prideful in our nation gives us a greater since of unity and raises morale.
I think most people in America don't realize the great blessing we are born into with our freedom. In 2008 we had record breaking voter numbers and only 61% of eligible voters voted. Sure it sounds like a lot but that 39% that didn't vote is about 85,088,010 people, enough to drastically change election results. Imagine if everyone adored their rights like many immigrants do once they get here, in fact they are willing to go through American History classes (we all know how bad those are...jk) just to get these freedoms. And being active with our rights is so much more than voting. We need to be educated on our political and judicial system so we can call senators and give input. We need to take advantage of our wonderful education systems because, uneducated people are the people who are underpayed and typically not active in their country.
I think the things that makes America unique are the very things I'm saying we need to be active with. Our market, our education systems, and our government all set us apart from other countries. We are still such a young country, yet we have gone through so much and made it out stronger and that is what makes America unique and makes me proud to be American.
Hmmm... what it means to be an American.
ReplyDeleteIn America, we are blessed because our Constitution was written by men who had the right idea. Even though some people think otherwise, the men that founded this country feared God and desired fair and just laws(for the most part). I am proud to be an American when I think about our rights and our unique success. I think we often take for granted the fact that we have the freedoms of religion, speech, and press. We can assemble in a church and worship the true GOD while people in many countries are still persecuted.
Also, people across the world are stricken with poverty. We choose what we eat for lunch out of a large selection while they worry if they'll even eat all day in the first place. However, let's not forget the many people struggling in our own country. I think part of standing up for our country is to pray for the desperate people in our own "sheltered" turf.
We should just stop and think about how our country has sustained over the years. We have had our ups and downs, but we have almost always come out on top after conflict. That is obviously something to be proud about.
One great trademark of our country is free enterprise. You can have a private business and make your living any way you want to(any way u want it, that's the way u need it, any way u want it, guitar riff). That's freedom for you.
Mady and Ashley, I loved what you guys brought out. We really need to focus on our religious freedom. With certain Christian rights that have been taken away, we need to cherish the tremndous religious freedom we have. I also liked that everyone is mentioning voting. I think as Americans we have the right to change anything we feel is wrong. As it says in the Declaration of Independence, we have the duty to stand up for what we know is right.
ReplyDeleteTo me being an American means basically three things. We are protected, we have a great chance to “make a name for ourselves,” and most importantly free to worship our Christian religion. These are three of the many things we have that most countries around the world don’t have.
ReplyDeleteFirst thing I think of when I think of America is our protection. We have one of the strongest, if not the strongest military in the world. We have many men and women willing to put their lives on the line to give us our freedom. And America has been that way from its beginning. We have always had a strong military which is one of the main reasons we have as many freedoms as we do.
We also have the amazing option of having a successful life here. Our free enterprise economic system is the best way to make a profit for anyone. We have the freedom to sell what we want, as much as we want, whenever we want, and whatever price we want.
Lastly the fact that this country was established on Christian principles. Without God’s hel p we wouldn’t be the great country that we are today. And our freedom of religion allowing us to still worship him unlike many countries is the best thing about America. We are the best nation because we are a Christian nation.
Madyson, i have to say i really enjoyed reading your post. Every single point you made was exactly right. The one that i liked best, was the fact that here mean and women both have equal rights. I think that right is the one that gets over looked the most. In most countries women don't do anything and only certain men can be an influence on whre they live.
ReplyDeleteTylerM, i think you bring out a point ive never heard before. I have always heard of America being a melting pot, but ive never heard salad. When you think about it your right, were just all different people tossed together making a great country.
ReplyDeleteUh lets see
ReplyDeleteTo be american to me is lovin your country and bein a firm supporter of your leaders and there decesions. Also support your millitary and if you have the ability to help out in a field doing so.
Also havin true loyalty to the USA and bein thankful for all that is put into to support our freedoms and libirties.
Plus all of what was put in to our amazing country by our founding fathers and how the Declaration of Independance came into play and how it still stands today
To be an American is to be free, independent, and great. With great privilege comes great responsibility. This means you have to be a good law-abiding citizen and live up to the cost of being free.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is a one-of-a-kind in the world. America sits on half a continent and is a superpower if not the only superpower. That is if it does not collapse itself from the inside like Rome. Americans do have a lot of things. Compared to some third world countries, are poor seems rich. America has one of the most advanced military of the world. We have so many freedoms that we sometimes abuse them. In Other countries like China some people can only raise one dog; the other dogs have to be removed by some means. I am sure glad we do not have communism as a government.
I am glad I am a citizen of this country, even with all this nonsense going on right now; and I intended it to stay that way.
Caleb D.
In the past i wasn't one to view and focus on politics, presidents and what was going on in our nation. History was just a faint memory about battle grounds and people with weird sounding names. I was just tought the survice of what really happened, and as i look deeper into our nations past i learned how people took pride in what little land they had and how they got that land. What it meens to me is that i am an american and i have the power to become anyone i want to be. Kids in other country's don't even have the choice to eat, they barely have close to wear. Our nation is a blessed one. The ones who established it had the right mind sets and the right heart sets. I live in a military family and i know how it hurts, men going off to war and never coming back the same. I had an uncle that i had never met, he was killed in Vietnam. I was named after a war hero. And that to me means so much even though i never met him. To look at that and know he gave his life for not only the people back at home but the rest of the nations tells me a lot. He respected and loved the U.S, he did what he thought was right. I'm starting to feel pride in my nation like he did, and i should, I should have a lot of pride in my country.
ReplyDeleteTo me being an American is freedom.
And what is different about my country then the rest of the worlds is just that factor.
To be an American means a lot to me. It means more than just standing for the national anthem and placing your hand over your heart or pledging alligience to the American flag. We have responsibilities too and we all to often neglect them. We have things that noo other country has. We have Freedom of speech, the right to vote and take part in political activities, freedom to practice religion. We are so priveledged to live here in America.
ReplyDeleteI dont care what anyone else believes or thinks about this. but i believe that this country was founded on Christianity an our constitution was based on the standards of the Bible. Even the most non-religious of our founding fathers believed that it was important to base it on the standards of the Bible. Christianity was a real key factor to the establishment and success of America. We as Christians amd even as Aericans have the resposibility of helping get our country back to where we originally began.
I think its just amazing that we can wake up every morning and go to a Christian school and get a great education. And its soo cool that we can go to church and worship God without being persecuted like so many others in other countries. I'm soooo thankful that we have that.
Soo many people take being an American for granted every day and I hate it. But yet as I think about it I'm just as guilty of taking for granted everything I have and all of the freedoms that come with being an American just as much as anyone else. Just thinking about the billions of people that have nothing really convicts me . The American attitude is We want more, thats not good enough. We dont need to have that attitude we need to just learn to be content with what we have. We have brave men and women out there every day fighting and giving their lives for us and this country and I think the least we could do is appreciate what we have and not take being an American for granted.
Ok well I kinda got off traTo be an American means a lot to me. It means more than just standing for the national anthem and placing your hand over your heart or pledging alligience to the American flag. We have things that noo other country has. We have Freedom of speech, the right to vote and take part in political activities, freedom to practice religion.
ck there but thats what believe and I thought it was kinda important. But anyway being an American is wonderful and a great priviledge and also a responsibility that we should take pride in.
what i think being an american is about having the right to have freedom of speech and religion ect.. and our founding fathers based everything off the christian view. And we should support leaders that will keep this country and continue our christian background. in other countrys around the world they cant have a opinion about there religion, we are lucky to be in such a blessed country.
ReplyDeleteBeing an american is having the freedom of speech, choice, and religion. America is the land of opportunity. When people complain about not having that 700 in tv you have to think about how good we have it here in America when thinking about another impoverished continent like Africa.
ReplyDeleteI love the point that Morgan made when she said "... even the non-relgious founding fathers believed it was important to base standerds on the Bible." I think that is very accurate, and needs to be remembered by many political figures today.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with bgruk when he brought out the point that we are setup with a magnificent system of Checks and Balances as a democracy. Imagine the thought that the founding fathers must have applied when they established the basis for this? To me, its mind blowing. They were truly inspired men...
ReplyDeleteI love the comment Josh made about one of our duties to America, is to be praying for the poor and homeless that are living here. While we are a powerful and free country there are so many who suffer right in our own cities.
ReplyDeleteSam,your post was very interresting to read. I agree, I mean people want to come into America for a reason. Citizens of other countries look at us like we are an idol. When I had the opportunity to travel to China, there were people who wanted to take their picture with us, just because we were American. We need to be thankful that we were born in this country, and not ever take it forgranted.
ReplyDeleteJarred, i completley agree with what you said. Like it or not, Americans can be very lazy. Fifty years ago we were one of the most intelligent countries in the world, but now we're being left behind.
ReplyDeleteAnd hopefully as a country we'll all step to help the environment before we have cities clouded with smog.
Morgan, I would agree with what you said; the Bible was an important part of the forming of our constitution, whither politicians like it or not. People do take their freedoms for granted; we could very easily end up like Rome.
ReplyDeleteI liked your answer pope. you covered several important parts of what it means to be an American. I agree with what you said and think that freedom of religion is a very important part of our nation and why it was founded. It is very great to live in a country where i can worship however i want.
ReplyDeleteJanderson, you mentioned alot of the things that make America unique as a nation, and how great our country is. I am happy to live in a country with a democracy. You also made a good point when you talked about not being able to do things like post the ten commandments in public places, and our freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.
ReplyDeleteI have a question, I quote:
ReplyDelete"Your responses are due by midnight, August 16 (Sunday night)."
Does this mean that the assignment is due the night after church or the before church?
Also I do not like how the copy and paste function works. It makes it hard to edit. If I paste a link it looks like this:
"http://www.blogger.com/profile/10696472578414803648"
You probubly want to know that none of your ads appear on my computer.
Oh wait, I see the ads now; there at the top and bottom of the screen.
ReplyDeleteAlso there is no spell check.
I liked David's comment about how we take for granted our rights. We sometimes abuse them. The point that 39% of Americans didn't vote was a great one.
ReplyDeleteAs Jake said, I also love the comment Morgan made that even the founders who didn't want anything to do with Christ still believed the Bible was a good basis for moral standards. The government has moved away from religion and morals being strongly involved.
ReplyDeleteI liked JAnderson's point about us as Americans needing to preserve our freedoms. We need to stand up for our rights because if we dont we may lose more and more freedom which is what America is.
ReplyDeletemaxwell, I really like what you said about us having so many freedoms that we often abuse. Living in Kentucky, it's often hard to envision the larger picture of urbanized and macropopulated society, but in the big city you can really see some major issues like organized crime.
ReplyDeleteAnd Morgan, I love what you said about our taking our wonderful life in America for granted because we are ALL guilty of it. Being an American is amazing and I often have to remind myself to thank God for how blessed I, and every other citizen here, are.
I agree with Chojioki Umannakawa ( Jerred) about Americans being lazy. We want everbody else to do the dirty work while we sit back and enjoy ourselves. We just expect everything to be handed to us whenever we want it. We need to realize that isnt how it works and just start taking some responsibility for ourselves and not standing back and waiting for someone else to do it.
ReplyDeleteJakob i totally agree it is about having pride instead of just settiling
ReplyDeleteColby i also agree i like the fact on how you mentioned we over look our freedoms becasue most americans do
ReplyDeletei strongly agree with jaykub that just because you live an america doesnt rly mean you are a true american. its more like a die hard respect for wher you live (or where your from)
ReplyDeleteMorgan,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading yours. You brought up some great ideas like what jake pointed out.
"... even the non-relgious founding fathers believed it was important to base standerds on the Bible."
I think this is one of the main things as an american that we have. Our for fathers came here for there freedom of religion, but now even our congress men havn't been tought this in skool so they don't know. We as Americans do take things for granite and I am as guilty as you are and mabe more.
i like what charity had to say about the ppl in americas history having pride in what little land they had and they fought to keep it and grow.... we rly do take forgranted what our great nation was based on
ReplyDeletei agreed with what david commented about how we take our rights for granted and that we sometimes abuse them.
ReplyDeleteI really like what Charity said there are things that can be hard to understand like why a war veteran would die for his country but the reason anyone would do this is to preserve our rights and freedoms so that we can fully enjoy everything we have here in the United States of America.So we can have food to eat and clothes to wear and enjoy ourselves.
ReplyDeleteMichael Pope,
ReplyDeleteI love how you started out with this Line,
"being an american to me is being part of something that is greater than ourselves but at the same is based on the individual views and opinions of the ppl,"
I think it ties in Very well with what you said a few lines down,
"in america we are the "melting pot" and a breeding ground for new ideas, in america u can agree to disagree. unlike most nations across the world were if u disagree with the gov't u can be killed or simply "disappear". "
We are soo lucky to be part of America, Each and everyone of us have a duty thats entitled to our Lord and if we were in another country, lets sayy China then we wouldn't have this freedom, and many of us wouldn't even know God. Also Michael i like it how you nailed the part about how being a part of our nation is making us part of something bigger then what we are, and then you started to talk about how America lets us be who we are and have our individual rights and thats what makes us the United States.
i like what Chojioki Umannakawa had to say there are very many things in America that we just kind of ignore like the huge problem with cutting down trees killing rainforests for a few bucks it seems stupid once you really take a look at it when we can see the beautiful thriving of nature that God created for us. When I heard from Mr. Evans that there was a flower in a specific part of a rainforest that scientists had found that they tested and it could cure AIDS and when they went back the rainforest was cut down and there was nothing left of the flowers. It's sad but sometimes we can do some pretty bad things for money.
ReplyDeleteyea Jakob I also like what Tyler said about us bein like salad. America really is full of a variety of people yet we all come together to form one nation. Although we all may look and seem different their is a common thread that knits our country together and that thread is freedom and the right to pursue your own dreams.
ReplyDeleteanna katherine I humbly agree with you. In political office most of them don't remember God is the ONLY reason we are so blessed or they just don't believe in God at all and that is sad. I hate it when they give the credit to a person. It should go to God and God alone. I feel that if a person doesn't believe in God or just isn't a good Christian they shouldn't have the authority to help make decisions for America. If they just go by what they think is good for America than I don't think thats good enough. They need to go by what they think God's will is and pray about it and ask for God's guidance and wisdom.
ReplyDeleteAnna I love what you said about how so many people forget about God and how he has blessed our nation. Its not because of man or any other thing. It is because of God and how we were founded on christianity. In the Bible it says blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Psalm 33:12).
ReplyDeletejeremy44 Getting to choose who we want to vote for is pretty darn awesome. In other countries they cheat at the polls and sometimes give inaccurate results. They might even kill you if they find out who you are voting for. We have a great privilege to be able to vote for who we want as a leader. God has blessed Americaa so much and we take it for granted. We go everyday without even thinking about it. I'm talkin about myself here too not just other people. I just hope that one day we all will see how God has blessed us and be thankful for it.
ReplyDeleteI like what you said morgan, we are privledged to be here, and it is awesome going to a christian school
ReplyDeletePope, i really liked the part where you talked about us Americans having the right to agree to disagree, unlike some nations where if you disagree with the govt, you could get killed or "disappear".
ReplyDeleteJaykub;
ReplyDeleteI loved what you said about how they had to defy the King of their homeland and start a revolution and found what would become the greatest nation on the planet. That was not an easy thing to do but they knew in the long run it was what was best and I'm very glad that they dealt with the difficulties of it and perservered and did what was best for the good of the future generations.
Ryan;
I liked what you said about how we should know about what's going on so that we can protect our rights. How can we stand up for our rights if we don't even realize they're being violated. We shouldn't get so wrapped up in the news and such things that we get depressed about it but we should be aware of what's going on in our nation and when we see that our personal rights being violated, we should stand up for them.
To be an American is to be free and blessed compared to other countries. You have the freedom of religion. You don't have to worry about the government breaking down your church door telling you that what your doing is illegal. I'm not saying that that were the best country or and everybody sucks. One thing we are known for is were the land of opportunity. To me I love that because in a lot of country's I couldn't start a mowing business at age 15. But that's not everything, but that is one reason why we are blessed
ReplyDeleteMorgan I like how you commented that Americans take being a American for granted. Because so many Americans don't really realize how much freedom they really have and how many opportunities they really have
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone that we are a blessed and have great blessings. but yet we are always complaining about everything. Yes there are lots of problems with are country but at the same time we are better of than most country's. So instead of complaining Americans should not be lazy like Jarred said. But should stand up and fight for what they believe in it only takes a spark to catch a Forrest on fire who wants to be the spark?
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