...What It Means To Be an American……. Lets just think about it there are over 1 million people in the world and if you were to ask every person what does it mean to be an american you're going to get over 100 different answers. There is no true answer to what being american really means but if you ask me what's my perspective on what it means to be an american it would have to be,being able to have dreams and turn those dreams into reality. Being an American can also mean much more like, freedom of speech, freedom of color and freedom of judgment. In the essay What is Freedom? It say in paragraph 7,” Freedom means I want to do, not what the government wants me to do.”Too me that means not giving up your dreams....
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...what it means to be American What defines an American? An American is someone who is free to go on their own path and strive for what they want, knowing that they can accomplish their goal. One of the great things about America is the freedom to choose your own path and live your life to your standards. To be free of the restriction and oppression of the former land. Many immigrants from this land were people with dreams and hopes of a future to be free of what they had left behind. in the poem “The New Colossus” when the author says “give me your tired your poor your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”she saw the statue of liberty she saw freedom and opportunity to start living the life she wants. An example of of this would Goerge from Of Mice and Men. The author quotes that george's dream is to “Have a little house and a couple of acres and a cow and some pigs.” He believes in his dream...
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...¨The America I Believe In¨ George H.W Bush said, ¨This is America… A brilliant diversity spread like stars, like A thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky.¨ The America I Believe In respects our freedom so people love our country. The country’s freedom is very powerful and you need to love and respect every bit. America’s freedom is better than it was 150 years ago. The United States is full of freedom. People all over the country are free and do better things each and everyday! In america there isn’t slavery. Abraham Lincoln is the person who stopped slavery and gave freedom. Is there still slavery somewhere? Yes, but there isn’t as much as there was 150 years ago. Freedom is a big part of the world today. If there was no freedom,...
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...like it was in the past. It is not publicized as before but it is still alive and well in society. With America being a melting pot of race and ethnicity one would think this issue should not exist. I chose the two poems What it’s like to be a black girl by Patricia Smith and Child of the Americas by Aurora Levins Morales. These two poems are written from a women’s perspective about how racial discrimination is perceived in America. Racism is no longer just a black and white my paper will show how these two pieces showed how cultures are subjected to discrimination. The title of these two poems catch my attention one being I am a black girl and two I am a child of America. I too have faced some challenges that are discussed in these poems. In a country that was founded and built on immigrants society makes a big deal about a person’s race and culture. Why does race matter? Does it make you a better person? Does it make you prettier? Sadly our society has placed into the heads of young women that pretty means lighter skin. That being pretty gives you an easier life. The authors of these two poems are African American and Puerto Rican and they have both faced forms of racial discrimination. In America girls were raised that Caucasian was the accepted race. “It’s dropping food coloring in your eyes to make them blue and suffering their burn in silence (Smith)”. A line for What it’s like to be a black girl is a clear example of how bad this little black girl wanted to be Caucasian...
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...What does it mean to be an American? It doesn't mean much to be honest. If you're talking to be living an American life than i will tell you about it. To be and American and to live as one. I'm like everyone else, my parents were immagrants from southeast asia. My parents than grew up here and got married here. I was born as an American citizen, it really don't mean much to be an American. living the American life i grew up poverty. Grew up living in apartments, My parents sacrificed a a lot for us as kids. They always wanted us to do good in school. To be American does have its good parts. Freedom and etc, free education. Being American you get a lot of advantages in life. You have more rights and freedom as a person and it can take you to a very success full life. America is where you follow your dreams, they can come true. If you work hard enough for it not every gets what they want....
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...What does freedom mean to me? I think that it is a huge privilege to be able able to live in such a great country like america. America has many differents types of freedoms. One of the many freedoms is the freedom of speech, to be able to speak what we believe. Freedom of speech includes the right to use certain offensive words and phrases. To gage in symbolic speech, and many more. Another one of our many freedoms is the right to praise whatever god we please. To have that freedom means a lot to me. Also, to have the right to believe whatever religion we want. Having the freedom to go to any church we would like, or just having the option to go to church. Some countries do not have that choice, which is why that freedom means a lot to...
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...When I hear the word privilege it could mean many different things. Most people think of America as a whole, but on the other hand others think of the rich class in general. “Privilege is the sociological concept that some groups of people have advantages relative to other groups. The term is commonly used in the context of social inequality, particularly with regards to social class, race, age, sexual orientation, gender, and disability.” When some think of privilege many refer to social class, like they kind of life you live. Many think that privilege means one is a rich kid who always get their way. If you really think about it the concept of privilege dates back to the early 1900’s when the American sociologist did not think much about the African Americans nor about the effects of racial discrimination....
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...others who are citizen of America. Immigration is a common issue in the United States Every person should have the right to have the chance to have a better life. It is one of the main reasons why people come to the United States, to have freedom of religion, to have better paying jobs, and to have a proper education. Where you are born does not have a lot of impact with who you become. When coming to America from another country like Africa, or like me coming from Haiti, it is a hard transition. There is a lot to take in, with learning English and being around another race. Other race put a lot of pride into representing they come from. Where I was born has little to do with it. My heritage and my ancestry go with me wherever I go. When asked to describe myself, Haitian is a word I most likely choose first. I say Haitian before I begin to use words like strong willed, independent or trustworthy. Being that I use Haitian before any other characteristic goes to show that being Haitian shapes me to whom I am. Living in American for ten years, I learned about American culture. American culture is a culture of all cultures, it is a diverse culture. As a person I believe that it is very important to stay true to yourself. Even though I am an American citizen, I have never considered myself to be an American. Whenever someone asks me for my nationality, I say that I am Haitian. I know about my culture, I know people. I know how hard my parents work to get me here; I...
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...Democracy in America Michelle Caddell POS/110 May 20, 2012 Cawas Mody Democracy in America On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed. This was a significant start to democracy in America. The fore fathers of our country had big plans for America. This essay will include my opinions of Democracy in America, as well as some of the strengths and weaknesses that exist in our government system in America. I will include a description of the roles of the President, and other members of our government structure in America. The role of the government has done some major changing since the beginning of democracy. Some of these changes that have occurred have weakened our government system. The definition of democracy is a government run by the people of the country. My personal definition of democracy is having officials that will do what is best for the citizens of the country. I also feel that this should be done with the utmost respect and morals. I feel that this is the way that our fore fathers would have wanted it. I truly believe that our country started on these values and beliefs. Is that where it has really ended up? Democracy has a different meaning to everyone. One fact that we can all agree on is that democracy is one of the most important things in our life in America. The fact that we all wake in the morning to living in a free country is something that we as Americans thrive on. Some things that we must pay close attention to is the control that...
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...group. Throughout the video David clearly expresses that he does not feel that being white makes him any special. He finds the topic of racism “extremely exciting” because he never really understood why “they” had to cause struggle and strife and why “they” couldn’t feel happy. ------------------------------------------------- And when the subject of racism was mentioned to me I found it extremely exciting because I grew up in this area with friends of all races and we would read in the news - see on the television of racial struggles in other areas and could not comprehend how that could be - why they had to cause struggle and strife for each other. Why couldn’t they be just like at home, happy and productive together? (Transcript) David’s comments clearly demonstrate how clueless he is about his own White privilege. In the beginning of his dialogue David explains that he has never felt that he was “in control” of anything. Yet, in the same statement he goes on to explain how he has owned vineyards and orchards that employed several minorities. David’s own words appear to be oblivious to him. It appears that he is speaking without even listening to himself. In one sentence he states he has never felt “in control” and immediately after that he states that he has employed “many of your people” (speaking to the Latino man). If employing “many” of anyone’s people is not power and control, I do not know what is. The book explains in Chapter Ten that White people would...
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...The american voice is something big to many people from different race and describe it in there own way to what it means to them. The research i have done on this topic was read and watched different videos on what the american voice means to people. To me what the american voice means to me is the right to say anything we have to say that is on our mind. What does it mean to being an american to me? Well i think in my opinion more freedom because in other countries there isn't really freedom and opportunities we have here. A text i choose was about colored men not being equal by “Langston Hughes The Weary Blues” in 1926. One quote i choose from the poem “I,Too,Sing America”. I chose this quote because every person in this world is equal and no one should feel left out. This poem gave so much detail and examples about how colored men were treated back then and still in some parts of the world like africa it's still going on today! Also i chose it because it's still a big thing in today's society. In the speech by Patrick Henry, Patrick argues about slavery should stop. So which made him have war with the troops. The setting of the speech is in the virginia convention March 23,1775 because he wanted to express himself. The speaker...
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...Crystal Hines Soc 11 Dr. Wright May 7, 2012 The Fire Next Time I am so happy that Dr.Wright assigned this book to read because it did (as she promised) changed my outlook on the society around me. Although it wasn’t the easiest read through all of Baldwin’s unconventional writing styles, I still managed to learn a great deal about myself and the world around me. I am sure there are many reasons for Baldwin to write an enlightening book such as this, but I believe that James Baldwin’s main purpose for writing The Fire Next Time was to make all people aware to true position and role of the black American in America. I believe his motives also included making his own racial community aware of how white America feels about them, and motivating blacks to spring into action to evoke change. James Baldwin also makes aware that blacks’ place and situation in America is by no means a mistake, and in fact crafted strategic mechanism to hold African Americans back productively as well as evolutionarily in the American world. Through Baldwin’s accounts with different races throughout his life Baldwin also gives a first hand account of the experiences blacks typically go through living in America. Reading Baldwin’s book The Fire Next Time was definitely a pleasure to read. Throughout the book as Baldwin discussed his life and time as a black man to have gone into the church as a minister, and later become a writer and activists, it was needless to say that I learned a number of things...
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...Crystal Loree Pols 230 Book Review 12/3/15 What does it mean to be an American citizen? Have you ever really thought about that question? Do you know the right answer? Is there even a correct answer to that question? I don’t think there is; I think being an American citizen has a different meaning to every one of the millions of people in the United States that call themselves American’s. To me being an American Citizen used to mean freedom; freedom to be a person, freedom to get an education, freedom to vote. Being an American citizen I am free to vote, to dress how I want, to get an education, to hold a job, even though I am a women. There are many countries around the world where those freedoms I have are illegal for women. There is more to being an American citizen than having freedom, although that is a huge perk. American citizen are supposed to be fighters, to stand up for what we believe in and to fight for our basic human rights. We are supposed to fight for the country, as well as ourselves. Can we still say how we feel when we disagree with how the government is being run? Are we allowed to protest in the street to get change? I will discuss the book (give me liberty), along with freedom and fighting, the foundation of America. Give me liberty: A handbook for American Revolutionaries by Naomi Wolf published by Simon & Schuster in New York. Naomi Wolf really delved deep into what it means to be an American citizen and how most American’s have become lazy and...
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...Nhung Le Ms. Rodriguez ETH/125 31 March 2012 Cultural Competence 1. Explore race relations in your community. What is the cultural/racial make-up of your community (For demographics of the city you live in search http://factfinder.census.gov/ , or other credible source)? Are you a member of the majority or minority racial or ethnic group in your community? What does it mean to be ________________ (your race) in your community? What does it mean to be ________________ (your ethnicity) in your community? How do community members treat you because of this? Do the leaders in your area represent community members like you? Do the local media (I.e. news, newspapers) represent community members like you equally and fairly? Are there racial/ethnic inequalities in your community? Explain. I explored the race relations in my community and the cultural/racial make-up of my community using 60135 is: Subject | 60135 5-Digit ZCTA, 601 3-Digit ZCTA | | Number | Percent | RACE | | | Total population | 6,007 | 100.0 | One race | 5,948 | 99.0 | White | 5,753 | 95.8 | Black or African American | 9 | 0.1 | American Indian and Alaska Native | 13 | 0.2 | American Indian | 7 | 0.1 | Alaska Native | 0 | 0.0 | Both American Indian and Alaska Native | 0 | 0.0 | American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified | 6 | 0.1 | Asian | 16 | 0.3 | Asian Indian | 0 | 0.0 | Chinese | 1 | 0.0 | Filipino | 5 | 0.1 | Japanese | 0 | 0.0 | Korean | 0 | 0.0 | Vietnamese...
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...My freedom cost many lives, and now it is my turn to pay back the debt to the men who fought for my beautiful country. My responsibility as a citizen to America consists of voting, respecting, submitting, and to serving my country. Responsibility is defined as the state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something within one’s power, control, or management. Personally, I agree with that statement, but responsibility means more to me than just being accountable it means to fulfill your jobs, own up to your actions, but most importantly follow the commands given to us in scripture by God. When I think of America, I think of it’s history, and all of the battles and wars that were fought to bring us to where we are today....
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