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What is an American?

Published 31 Mar 2017

What is an American? A native or inhabitant of the United States of America? There is more to being an American than just physically living in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Being a melting pot of various cultures, religion, and beliefs, the spirit of being an American extends beyond borders. Being an American is a way of life and can be described in three words: Power, Heart and Wisdom (Time, Inc., 2008).

The Power. We have welcomed the best the world has to offer: technology, products, food, athletes – you name it, we have the best of it. We always take the initiative, taking risks along the way, but never lose hope of a better tomorrow for everyone (Hudgins, 1998).

The Heart. We are a caring people. We hear. We respond. We have welcomed the tired and the poor, the wretched and the homeless; we have embraced and took them as our own. Our generosity enables us to help just about every other nation in the world in their time of need (Ferrara, 2001).

The Wisdom. Throughout our history we have faced numerous challenges, and the lessons learned have allowed us to take great strides to being good citizens of this world. As the vanguard of democracy it is our duty to spread the news that a free society living in an enduring democracy can be attained and enjoyed by all.
This is what being an American is all about.

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