Being American is often associated with a sense of pride and gratification. Many US citizens say this phrase as a way to elevate themselves above others. For example, people from the US often find it somewhat strange that South Americans also refer to themselves as Americans (Martinez-Carter). History highlights that this notion can be quite damaging and harmful. This concept caused Native Americans to be forced into attending schools to be more “civilized”, Japanese Americans to be incarcerated for no reason during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and immigrants to disregard their native languages to assimilate and learn English. However, being American is a spectrum rather than a one-dimensional idea since someone’s national identity does not necessarily highlight one’s personal experiences, thoughts, and actions.
While politically, historically, and socially being American does not always correlate with something positive, certain aspects of this notion add a sense of empowerment to this statement. Each individual has a personal way of interpreting what America means. For some, this suggests having freedom of speech. For others, being American means having opportunities to follow dreams and achieve goals. However, it would be negligent to avoid such things as disregard for other cultures and nations. Most of the time, the phrase “I am American” disrespects or minimizes other nations. It does not describe the person’s intentions, thoughts, or overview. Using nationality as a descriptive notion is not helpful when it comes to referring to one’s intrinsic values, personality traits, or world views. Being American is, first and foremost, being human. As each human is different and unique, each American is an individual with different desires, life goals, and intentions.
Works Cited
Martinez-Carter, Karina. “What Does ‘American’ Actually Mean?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 2013.