Community > General Discussion

Topic: TO BE AN AMERICAN. . .
msharmony Joined Mon 08/31/09 Posts: 61041	Sat 01/04/14 04:41 PM
...lol wonder if we can take all statements and opinions here as a definition of what it to 'be an american' lol disclaimer: this American doesn't share the values or feelings of all the other American posting,,,

Leigh2154 Joined Sun 10/02/11 Posts: 16479	Sat 01/04/14 04:59 PM
...lol wonder if we can take all statements and opinions here as a definition of what it to 'be an american' lol disclaimer: this American doesn't share the values or feelings of all the other American posting,,, lol...

Journeyman236 Joined Thu 05/09/13 Posts: 2786	Sat 01/04/14 06:53 PM
I've been thinking about this post & my first thought was that I wondered why the OP from Nigeria put "��To be an American" but then posed the question, "What does it means to be a Nationality of yours?" It doesn'��t matter why, but it reminded me of a night at a bar with me, a black dude & a biker. Normal conversation turned racial & I knew it would turn into a fight. I said to both of them, "You two need to shut up and listen to me. There are people in this world that want us all dead because we are Americans! They don'��t see black, white, red, or yellow, only the country in which we live!"�� The guys said, "��Wow man, that'��s pretty deep, you'��re right"�� shook hands & bought each other a beer. Now, I want to take this one step further, the common denominator we all share of being human. We're all stuck here on this planet, (Some in much warmer climates unlike me) and we all need to realize that we all bleed red with the same abilities to carry on in our lives. I truly believe that what we learn & how we are raised from our parents & environment molds us into who we are individually. If you disagree, then I'��m sorry. This is just my humble & honest opinion of how I feel..

dcastelmissy Joined Thu 08/01/13 Posts: 39633	Sat 01/04/14 07:07 PM
I've been thinking about this post & my first thought was that I wondered why the OP from Nigeria put "��To be an American" but then posed the question, "What does it means to be a Nationality of yours?" It doesn'��t matter why, but it reminded me of a night at a bar with me, a black dude & a biker. Normal conversation turned racial & I knew it would turn into a fight. I said to both of them, "You two need to shut up and listen to me. There are people in this world that want us all dead because we are Americans! They don'��t see black, white, red, or yellow, only the country in which we live!"�� The guys said, "��Wow man, that'��s pretty deep, you'��re right"�� shook hands & bought each other a beer. Now, I want to take this one step further, the common denominator we all share of being human. We're all stuck here on this planet, (Some in much warmer climates unlike me) and we all need to realize that we all bleed red with the same abilities to carry on in our lives. I truly believe that what we learn & how we are raised from our parents & environment molds us into who we are individually. If you disagree, then I'��m sorry. This is just my humble & honest opinion of how I feel.. I totally agree Journey! If we could all see each other as just humanity, how could that change the world? Wish the day were here already!

Journeyman236 Joined Thu 05/09/13 Posts: 2786	Sat 01/04/14 07:17 PM
I totally agree Journey! If we could all see each other as just humanity, how could that change the world? Wish the day were here already! Yes it would Missy, Thank you

dcastelmissy Joined Thu 08/01/13 Posts: 39633	Sat 01/04/14 07:18 PM
I totally agree Journey! If we could all see each other as just humanity, how could that change the world? Wish the day were here already! Yes it would Missy, Thank you No thank you is necessary! It is the pure unadulterated truth!

ridewytepony Joined Sun 04/14/13 Posts: 3697	Sat 01/04/14 08:46 PM Edited by ridewytepony on Sat 01/04/14 08:50 PM
For me, being an American means so much more than birthright, that was just luck of the draw .. Its sounds like Daddy was a sailer man and Leigh was an off spring of a lucky hand off cards. She sure is a smart pretty little thing. I wonder If I'm reading to far into things again I wonder.

dcastelmissy Joined Thu 08/01/13 Posts: 39633	Sat 01/04/14 08:50 PM
For me, being an American means so much more than birthright, that was just luck of the draw .. Its sounds like Daddy was a sailer man and Leigh was an off spring of a lucky hand off cards. She sure is a smart pretty little thing. I wonder If I'm reading to far into things again I wonder. IMHO it has nothing to do with luck of the draw. My forefathers were from Spain and Mexico, and they came to America for whatever reason only they could admit to. I was born in America, as were my parents, and it was a conscious decision on the part of my ancestors. They chose, and they made it happen!

jacktrades Joined Tue 09/11/12 Posts: 4395	Sat 01/04/14 08:57 PM
I've been thinking about this post & my first thought was that I wondered why the OP from Nigeria put "��To be an American" but then posed the question, "What does it means to be a Nationality of yours?" It doesn'��t matter why, but it reminded me of a night at a bar with me, a black dude & a biker. Normal conversation turned racial & I knew it would turn into a fight. I said to both of them, "You two need to shut up and listen to me. There are people in this world that want us all dead because we are Americans! They don'��t see black, white, red, or yellow, only the country in which we live!"�� The guys said, "��Wow man, that'��s pretty deep, you'��re right"�� shook hands & bought each other a beer. Now, I want to take this one step further, the common denominator we all share of being human. We're all stuck here on this planet, (Some in much warmer climates unlike me) and we all need to realize that we all bleed red with the same abilities to carry on in our lives. I truly believe that what we learn & how we are raised from our parents & environment molds us into who we are individually. If you disagree, then I'��m sorry. This is just my humble & honest opinion of how I feel.. This sums it all up for me great post Journeyman for sure. I work with a guy who just got back from Afghanistan a few months ago and told me the same thing, the enemy wants you dead because your American they could careless about your race. God bless you all including our friends from other country's.

sweetestgirl11 Joined Fri 09/12/08 Posts: 30087	Sat 01/04/14 09:00 PM
For me, being an American means so much more than birthright, that was just luck of the draw ...Being an American is about my beliefs in myself and in my country...It's about loyalty and pride, responsibility and trust... As an American, I believe life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is my unalienable right...Under the governing laws of my country, I believe every citizen is equal...I believe in being loyal to my country, no exceptions...I believe anyone, regardless of nationality, religion, or ethnicity should be able to (and can) become an American citizen...I believe in freedom of speech...I believe, because I am an American, I will never be defined by race, ethnicity, religion, or my ancestry...I believe America's culture is unique because it is universal...I am proud to be an American...I love my country.... well said!

ridewytepony Joined Sun 04/14/13 Posts: 3697	Sat 01/04/14 09:36 PM Edited by ridewytepony on Sat 01/04/14 09:41 PM
For me, being an American means so much more than birthright, that was just luck of the draw .. Its sounds like Daddy was a sailer man and Leigh was an off spring of a lucky hand off cards. She sure is a smart pretty little thing. I wonder If I'm reading to far into things again I wonder. IMHO it has nothing to do with luck of the draw. My forefathers were from Spain and Mexico, and they came to America for whatever reason only they could admit to. I was born in America, as were my parents, and it was a conscious decision on the part of my ancestors. They chose, and they made it happen! Your ancestors are from spain and the horses they "rode in on". then they had got LUCKY with the Aztec Indians and there was a war of independence and then there was "a" Lucky land Deal. and three rubs of a lamp and POOF your an "American" not two mention the 250 million sperm cells that are released ever ejaculation, and all the practising at home and the odds that the two people met each other for you to be born. Nodody thinks about the odds because people find each other and people have babys.I could have easily got tossed aside. or wores. sounds lucky IMHO

msharmony Joined Mon 08/31/09 Posts: 61041	Sat 01/04/14 09:41 PM
my take on 'pride' is the same pony I was taught I have no right to take 'pride' in or be ashamed of those things I had no part in happening like my nationality, or my race, or my gender,,, ,but everyone wasn't raised to think of pride in the same way,, and that's fine too

cuddlebunny00 Joined Sat 04/07/12 Posts: 550	Sun 01/05/14 11:08 AM
To be real. To be realistic. To see things the way they really are. To not believe the propaganda fed to me by my Government. To think for myself and not become a follower. I am Canadian..an dang proud to be

cuddlebunny00 Joined Sat 04/07/12 Posts: 550	Sun 01/05/14 11:15 AM
For me, being an American means so much more than birthright, that was just luck of the draw .. Its sounds like Daddy was a sailer man and Leigh was an off spring of a lucky hand off cards. She sure is a smart pretty little thing. I wonder If I'm reading to far into things again I wonder. Ohhhh La La Looks like Pomy's in Lucky you Leigh

Leigh2154 Joined Sun 10/02/11 Posts: 16479	Sun 01/05/14 11:21 AM Edited by Leigh2154 on Sun 01/05/14 11:30 AM
For me, being an American means so much more than birthright, that was just luck of the draw .. Its sounds like Daddy was a sailer man and Leigh was an off spring of a lucky hand off cards. She sure is a smart pretty little thing. I wonder If I'm reading to far into things again I wonder. Ohhhh La La Looks like Pomy's in Lucky you Leigh Who are you and what do you want!!! Oooooooolala!!...I don't scare easy sister.... PS: My dad was a sailor...7 years, WWII....Still the greatest man I ever knew! PSS: (((CuddleBun))))....

Conrad_73 Joined Sat 09/29/07 Posts: 22488	Sun 01/05/14 11:56 AM
it means I was born in AMerica,, being 'american' there are thousands of types of 'americans' none more or less American than the next,, however,,, being a decent human means caring about others and reaching out to others and doing our best to do no harm to others being an ADULT means to be responsible and accountable to ourselves and our loved ones,,, I must choose to try to be the latter two, I was born the former without any personal effort or personal choice on my part Saying "thousands of types of 'americans'none more or less American than the next,,", is like saying all painters are Rembrandts. To be an American is to be a patriot. This is the only country on the planet, where the citizenry not only has a right to question their government, but has a duty to do so. Unlike every other country on the planet, we don't pledge allegiance to a King or a Queen, or a Royal Family, but to an ideal, the Constitution Of the United States. To be an American, is to swear an oath to defend the Constitution against ALL enemies, foreign AND domestic. That means if even you find a own father to be a traitor, you turn him over. It's a tough standard, and not everyone can live up to it. But then, not everyone can be an American. Think you should do your homework on your way off the mark views my friend? I'm Scottish 1st and British 2nd. We don't have to swear allegiance to a Queen, or Royal Family. You'd be surprised how many people can't stand them, myself included, or our government either and we can speak out against them over here also. Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Holland, etc, are the same also. We have freedom over here, just like in the States! Scot First,hmmmmm? A Scotsman walking through a field, sees a man drinking water from a pool with his hand. The Scotsman man shouts ' Awa ye feel hoor that�s full O� coos Sharn' (Don't drink the water, it's full of cow s ** t.) The man shouts back 'I'm English, Speak English, I don't understand you'. The Scotsman man shouts back 'Use both hands, you'll get more in.'

Conrad_73 Joined Sat 09/29/07 Posts: 22488	Sun 01/05/14 11:57 AM
Theodore Roosevelt put it best when he said: (Addressing the Knights of Columbus in New York City - October 12, 1915) "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. This is just as true of the man who puts "native" before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or English or French before the hyphen. Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance. But if he is heartily and singly loyal to this Republic, then no matter where he was born, he is just as good an American as any one else. The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities, an intricate knot of German-Americans, Irish-Americans, English- Americans, French-Americans, Scandinavian- Americans, or Italian-Americans, each preserving its separate nationality, each at heart feeling more sympathy with Europeans of that nationality than with the other citizens of the American Republic. The men who do not become Americans and nothing else are hyphenated Americans; and there ought to be no room for them in this country. The man who calls himself an American citizen and who yet shows by his actions that he is primarily the citizen of a foreign land, plays a thoroughly mischievous part in the life of our body politic. He has no place here; and the sooner he returns to the land to which he feels his real heart-allegiance, the better it will be for every good American."

msharmony Joined Mon 08/31/09 Posts: 61041	Sun 01/05/14 12:03 PM
curious what signifies 'loyalty' to a country? is it not seeing any other countries? not caring about any other countries? not being attracted to any other countries? how does a 'loyalty' manifest, in terms of action?

Leigh2154 Joined Sun 10/02/11 Posts: 16479	Sun 01/05/14 12:04 PM
it means I was born in AMerica,, being 'american' there are thousands of types of 'americans' none more or less American than the next,, however,,, being a decent human means caring about others and reaching out to others and doing our best to do no harm to others being an ADULT means to be responsible and accountable to ourselves and our loved ones,,, I must choose to try to be the latter two, I was born the former without any personal effort or personal choice on my part Saying "thousands of types of 'americans'none more or less American than the next,,", is like saying all painters are Rembrandts. To be an American is to be a patriot. This is the only country on the planet, where the citizenry not only has a right to question their government, but has a duty to do so. Unlike every other country on the planet, we don't pledge allegiance to a King or a Queen, or a Royal Family, but to an ideal, the Constitution Of the United States. To be an American, is to swear an oath to defend the Constitution against ALL enemies, foreign AND domestic. That means if even you find a own father to be a traitor, you turn him over. It's a tough standard, and not everyone can live up to it. But then, not everyone can be an American. Think you should do your homework on your way off the mark views my friend? I'm Scottish 1st and British 2nd. We don't have to swear allegiance to a Queen, or Royal Family. You'd be surprised how many people can't stand them, myself included, or our government either and we can speak out against them over here also. Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Holland, etc, are the same also. We have freedom over here, just like in the States! Scot First,hmmmmm? A Scotsman walking through a field, sees a man drinking water from a pool with his hand. The Scotsman man shouts ' Awa ye feel hoor that�s full O� coos Sharn' (Don't drink the water, it's full of cow s ** t.) The man shouts back 'I'm English, Speak English, I don't understand you'. The Scotsman man shouts back 'Use both hands, you'll get more in.' ^^ What's the difference between a Scotsman and a Rolling Stone?..... A Rolling Stone says .."Hey you, get off of my cloud!"...A Scotsman says ...."Hey McLeod, get off of my ewe!"

msharmony Joined Mon 08/31/09 Posts: 61041	Sun 01/05/14 12:06 PM
that's clever and funny