What is an American?

               As the most powerful country in the world, you would think there would be a uniform definition of an American. But I don’t believe there is. I don’t believe there ever will be. I don’t believe there ever should be. “American” is not a race. It is not a religion. It is not a uniform culture. But rather, I feel that it’s an ideal. Perhaps it’s even an ideology.

               America has always been a nation of immigrants—the Native Americans—the “original” Americans—make up only a tiny, but still vibrant, part of our country today. We are made up of hundreds of different ethnic groups from all inhabited continents and most every country on Earth. That is why it’s my firm belief that there is no one American race and no one American culture. Each new wave of immigrants adds its own ideas, its own traditions, and its own culture to the American culture. “American” is also not a religion. One of the greatest achievements of our country is the religious freedom we practice. While we are not perfect, as a whole we allow people of numerous religions to practice their beliefs without interruption. Clearly, there is no single image of an “American.”

               So, then, what is an American? While we do not have a single culture, there are things that tie us all together. We believe that all men are created equal and are endowed to certain unalienable rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The idea of individual freedoms is the source of what makes America a great country. All of our past mistakes have been from giving too few freedoms (or denying certain groups freedoms) rather than giving too many freedoms. One of the basic tenets of America is freedom, and so anyone who does not respect another group’s freedoms cannot call themselves American.

               One final thing that ties all Americans together is the hope of a better life. Most immigrants coming to America hoped for a better life—to be able to live in prosperity in their new home. While many worked hard and failed to find prosperity, the idea still stuck. I believe the hope that you can give your children a better life than you yourself had is a basic part of what it means to be an American.