What Does it Mean to be an American?

What does it mean to be an American? Are we contempt with everything that we have done in the past, or is the past simply behind us? What have we truly accomplished with our country? Should we be proud of what we have done? No, we shouldn’t be proud of the bad we’ve done, but we should be proud as of where we stand together united. Our country has come so far from the start.  I’m astonished by our history and proud of where we stand, but on the other hand I am rather ashamed of what our history has been in its past and how it had affected people before, as well as currently.

Hatred, abhorrence, loathing they’re all just repulsive words. Do people truly understand what the word means or how it affects everyone, one and all? The hatred “Whites” had against “Blacks” was just horrible, as well as disgusting.  How we could never get along set us back. People felt shunned, were killed, beaten, and/or were treated like some viral spreading disease. It was as if the outside was so much more important than whom they really were. The most unfortunate thing is the reality so many people have lost their lives in this tragic battle to have the same privileges as others. Whether they were beaten, hosed, shot, or maybe taken to jail. However, somehow most Americans overcame everything to make a safe environment in the USA.

Freedom, it’s a word no one I feel truly appreciates. Everyday there’re people dictated, or under rule of monarchy while we have a democracy with rights. Without our great leaders we could’ve fallen behind. Simple things like my religion, who I am, who I want to be, what I want to say, and what I believe are important to me to keep.

We’ve come so far in our country’s history and hope it continues to push forward and not parish. I’m thankful for our cultural diversity and everything else many doubted we’d ever being able to have. Everything I like, have, obtain ability to do and do are important for me to be allowed to express. I still can’t put how thankful I am into words with the fact of everything I can have and do now before everything was so intricate. Everything that’s happened in our country made us stronger, and overall I’m proud to be an American.