What is an American

[Rudi S.]

Hello you all,
I thought that the following would be worth posting:

You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan published an ad in a newspaper, offering a reward to anyone who killed an American---any American. So, an Australian dentist wrote the following to let everyone know just what an American is, so they would know when they found one.
An "American" is English or French or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or maybe Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab or Pakistani or Afghan.
An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, or one of the many other tribes known as Native Americans. So, the color of the skin and the shape of the eyes and cheekbones won't be the defining clue.
An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America, they are free to worship as each of
them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that, we will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs, claiming to speak for the government and for God.
An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God-given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness.
An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was Overrun by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country. As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.
Americans welcome the best; the best products, the best books, the bst music, the best food, the best athletes. But they also welcome the least. The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty, welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless,
tempest tossed. These in fact, are the people who built America. Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, earning a better life for their families and sending their money back to family members in their foreign homelands. I've been told that the World Trade Center victims were from cultures and first-languages [including those that aided and abetted the terrorists] from at least 30 countries.
So, you can try to kill an "American" if you must. Hitler did and so did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every other blood-thirsty tyrant in the history of the world, all over the world. But, in doing
so, you would just be killing yourself because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, anywhere and everywhere, is an American, no matter what language you speak, no matter what blood
Rudi S.

[Commissar D, the Evil]

Excellent Post Rudi!
Best Regards, David

[charlie don't surf]

I would like to add that an American may live in Brazil, Canada, Peru, Argentine, Cuba or Nicaragua.

regards

[adrian]

So an American is no different to an Australian, a New Zealander or a Britain? Or a Frenchman for that matter?

Its all a matter of who you are isn't it?

adrian

[Sam H.]

amen

[joscha]

Rudi:

Please accept my most humble gratitude for publishing this article. Being an immigrant myself, I can vouch for the truth of every word, more than any native born American ever could.

Danke, Rudi. Joscha

[Nate]

Rudi,

Ditto, thanks for the post. I think that it emobodies everything that this country represents and the members of this forum also. Some pretty strong opinions and words often appear within, but deep down I believe that everyone respects each person; regardless of political leaning or emotions expressed. God Bless Democracy!!

Best,

Nate

[Guillermo]

certainly bush and condoleeza rice do not represent america, but their interests.

guillermo

[sid guttridge]

Wow, what a tide of self congratulation!

All that may or may not be true, but if the USA wants to be liked abroad it would do well to display a few additional virtues such as modesty, humility and self-awareness.

I like the USA, but I find my appreciation eroded by the perpetual in-your-face flag waving and self righteousness. This seems like evidence of a deeper insecurity about the national identity.

(Like the French labelling every public building "Republique Francaise". Why? Are they worried that they have so little distinctive national culture that tourists won't know where they are? Or perhaps they are worried the Germans are going to steal them again?)

Why does the US president always appear in front of the national flag? Is there some doubt as to his identity or that of his country?

What does it matter if someone burns the flag? They are burning the symbol of the country, not its substance.

Wouldn't identifying proud Americans be easier if they just pinned their passports to the outside of their clothing? That would be much simpler than carrying around a copy of the Australian dentist's definition.

Only teasing.

Love y'all really,

Sid.

[Nate]

Sid,

Nationalism seems to not be popular around the world if it is the citizens of the US who are promoting it. I do not know if this is because European countries think it smacks of 1930's Germany or what. Europeans get pretty outgoing about their countries during the World Cup. You would think that something other than football would inspire citizens to show their pride. Just an observation, not a labeling by any means.

I am quite surprised that so many people are offended by someone being proud of being an American. Is this jealousy? If not, why even worry about what or how we present ourselves.

It also amazes me that when involvement by the United States is not a UN request or mandate the world takes a dim view. The U.S. tried very hard to stay out of European affairs during the crisis in the former Yugoslavia. Then we were labeled as not caring. Now we are running the show in that area. Personnaly I think we should completely pull pitch and let France, Germany, Netherlands, etc... run and FUND the entire shebang. I have a feeling that Europe would not want this to happen.

Best regards,

Nate

[Peter H.]

For what it's worth...no Canadian would ever refer to himself (or herself) as an American. That's just the way it is; no offence intended. For Canadians, rightly or wrongly, Americans are the people who live in the USA. So the phrase (which you often hear in Europe) "US-American" strikes Canadians as bizarre and redundant.

[Commissar D, the Evil]

Obviously Peter you are unaware of the "Secret Protocols of the Founding Fathers of America". Canada was incorporated as a State of the United States of America in 1799. It was agreed by the Founding Fathers that Canadians would not be informed of this event until 2099. This secret plan, of course, excluded Quebec.
Cheers, D

[Henrik Krog]

The U.S. tried very hard to stay out of European affairs during the crisis in the former Yugoslavia. Then we were labeled as not caring. Now we are running the show in that area. Personnaly I think we should completely pull pitch and let France, Germany, Netherlands, etc... run and FUND the entire shebang. I have a feeling that Europe would not want this to happen.

About the funding: during the last war in the Gulf, total expenses were some 80 billion $. Of that amount, the US paid a staggering 7 billion. Germany alone paid 3 billion $ more than the US did.

Henrik

[Henrik Krog]

Hello you all,
I thought that the following would be worth posting:

You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan published an ad in a newspaper, offering a reward to anyone who killed an American---any American. So, an Australian dentist wrote the following to let everyone know just what an American is, so they would know when they found one.

I find it funny how glad Americans get when they are lauded by foreigners, even to the point where some make creative changes to the prehistory of those laudations.

The above blurb is the work by an American, Peter Ferrara, an associate professor of law at the George Mason University School of Law, and a member of the Board of Scholars of the Virginia Institute for Public Policy, an education and research organization headquartered in Potomac Falls, Virginia.

So, no Australian dentist.

Other than that, there are some factual errors in it. My favorite is the "fact", that "there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan". There are some 26-27 million moslems in Afghanistan as opposed to between 4 and 8 million in the US.

So, no luck there, either.

Henrik

[D.W.]

Wow, what a tide of self congratulation!

All that may or may not be true, but if the USA wants to be liked abroad it would do well to display a few additional virtues such as modesty, humility and self-awareness.

I like the USA, but I find my appreciation eroded by the perpetual in-your-face flag waving and self righteousness. This seems like evidence of a deeper insecurity about the national identity.

Only teasing.

Love y'all really,

Sid.

Well said Sid! I totally agree with you about some certain all-American aspects such as humility, modesty and self-awareness. Unfortunately we are influenced (children especially) by sport stars who preach an arrogance and in-your-face style of sportsmanship, not to mention the ridiculous sport of "professional wrestling" which further erodes childrens ability to act in a desirable fashion when they see these clowns push the envelope of basic decency and their vulgar actions are then pounced on by advertisers, who further perpetuate this smash-mouth style of behavior with their advertising.

I'm also sick of so many in this country trying to make a buck by playing on my patriotism, and I find myself on the offensive against these types, often sending them e-mails (or better yet calling them) and telling them how pathetic their attempts are.

But I agree with most of what you wrote. And I can definitely understand how those from somewhere other than here could get sick of the incessant flag-waving.

I do myself.