What it means to be an American There are many different opinions and views on what it means to be an American. Each person believes something different on the subject. I have a different opinion from then kid who sits next to me. Some of the songs were patriotic and others were the complete opposite. The seminar was very opinionated by all who talked.
Embedded Assessment – What It Means To Be an American To be an American means freedom. America provides endless opportunities to be granted an education that other people living elsewhere dream of every night. It means having the right to proudly chant the Pledge of Allegiance, work wherever my heart and mind desire, standing up for what I believe in, and being able to make a vote to support those beliefs. To me, to be an American is having pride in my country, and expressing my freedom. In What is an American?
Regardless of the content of each individual version of the American dream they all include the belief in the opportunity to achieve some form of quantitative or qualitative success. Therefore, in order to better understand the existence of so many different versions of the American dream it would first be helpful to define the different ways in which success can be measured. In her book Facing Up to the American Dream: Race, Class, and the Soul of the Nation, Jennifer Hochschild[5] states that definitions of success involves measurement as well as content. She classifies success into the following three categories which have important normative and behavioral consequences: Absolute success- "In this case achieving the American dream implies
A Question of Identity We, no doubt are aware that America is a melting pot of ethnic, persuasion and diversion. Americans often classify people by these measures. However, in certain circumstances these traditional measures do not apply. For example, how would one measure a Puerto Rican of Latino origin who possesses a “black as carbon skin”? (128) In America there exist a parody between skin color and ethnicity: race and ethnicity are often confused and creates questions of identity of the people subjected there under.
The American dream is sought after and imagined by everyone who comes to America. It is the main reason that people come to America; they come for freedom as well as to one day attain the idea of a perfect American dream. It theoretically symbolizes what you have accomplished in life and what you wish to one day have. In my personal opinion if any person wants come to America to live a life of happiness, be released of religious persecution and the freedom to say what you feel, then it can be accomplished. This is the first thing you get as soon as you become an American.
The American Flag and the erosion of it’s meaning by popular culture The American Flag represents many things in these United States. It represents our nation as a whole. It represents the freedoms that we as American citizens enjoy every day. It represents the liberties that we hold dear. It is a symbol of freedom and a beacon of truth to the entire world.
Living in America, I see individuals from different nationalities, backgrounds, sexual orientations, genders, and abilities. Many people believe diversity means only cultural and racial differences; however, diversity is far more in dept. To (truly) understand diversity, one must understand, different races, cultural norms, backgrounds, and beliefs. Therefore in being accepted to the university of Maryland, I will gain understanding about all kinds of diversity because the University of Maryland is a microcosm of the American community. America is called a Melting Pot.
America a Country, Not a Race In the essay “The American Character” by Morris Berman, being referred to as “Americans”, rather than their own cultures or race, is targeting the citizens of the United States. Although America is considered a multicultural country, just like other countries, thus causing the people to feel singled out. Now of days, it is more common to come across multicultural countries, rather than back in the day. America is made up of numerous cultures and races, such as: blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. The people of America “…are not an arbitrary conglomerate united by nothing more than geography or location; rather, they possess “distinctive traits and social adaptations which characterize them as a group” (Brundage, Dave,
Ones culture has a lot to do with how everyone perceives the world and others, but there are other factors that influence the way that one observes the world and the people around them. The Internet , magazines, and TV have more power than people give them credit for. But it’s also the same with ones culture. For example, take the general American culture. People don’t hug and kiss everyone; Americans like to have their personal space.
Almost every culture or race has a stereotype. America is a relatively young country, but nevertheless it managed to become a very powerful and respectful in the world. By the way people have made stereotypes about Americans and their way of life long ago. Americans themselves do not trust to the rest of the world and think that they are hated and neglected in every remote and not remote corner of it. Actually they feel comfortably and safe only within their own country.