I Am An American

During my cultural anthropology class this week, my professor posed the question "What does it mean to be American?" It got me thinking, well, what does it mean to be an American? I posted the question on my Facebook page to see how others would respond, and to no surprise, each response was different. One individual answered that to be an American, one would have to be recognized as an American under the Constitution as well as other US laws. Another individual drew from the idea of the American Dream: the idea that life should be better, richer, fuller, and with more opportunities available to the individual regardless of their social status. A third stated that to be an American is to "...live to eat...live to work...and live to worry about what others think of you..." These are all very different ideas, and each brings up a very good point. It is true that to be a citizen of the United States of America, one must be recognized as such under law. In addition, the American Dream is a large part of the American culture, even if it is a different dream for everyone. And third, it is also true that as a whole, Americans overeat and are overworked. But what about the idea of worrying about what others think of you?? How does this play into the life of an American?

I Am A Minority
It is no secret that the United States was built on the backs of African slaves; in addition, the “white man” committed genocide against many Native American tribes. When Africans were recognized as citizens after the civil war, many of their rights were still withheld. Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924; even with citizenship, they were restricted to reservations and children were placed into schools specifically meant to assimilate them into the “American culture”. Life was not easy for immigrants either. For those groups that were allowed to enter the country, many received difficult and low paying jobs; living conditions were unsafe and unsanitary. Some groups, like the Chinese, were completely banned from immigrating to the United States; those that made it to the United States faced heavy loads of racial discrimination. Japanese Americans were taken from their homes and placed into internment camps. The list goes on and on: segregation, hate crimes, unequal opportunities. Lupe Fiasco references racism in the song “This City”: “Come to my city, certain colors can’t step. And sadly I’m talking about the color of your skin. Sorry my brother, I can’t let you in ‘cause the property value might go down to a level that’s economically unacceptable and socially taboo for us to live around you.” The 20th century was full of civil rights movements, resulting in legal equality for women and the many racial and ethnic groups; the United States has gone a long way. However, discrimination still exists even today, though not as strongly as it did in the past centuries. Stereotypes are still held: a black man walks into a store and the manager tenses; people talk loudly and slowly to an ESL individual as if they are ignorant; women belong at home cleaning and taking care of the kids, not the father; and my personal favorite, not only are all tan individuals categorized as “Mexican”, but their legal status is also questioned. But then you see someone like Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, and Sonia Sotomayor. “What does it mean to be American?” This does not have a universal answer. Generally, life is more difficult if you are a minority; but the same can also be true if you are a “White Man”.

I Am Homosexual
The same is true for LGBT individuals. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals face discrimination from all sides, on the basis that they are “not natural”. Considering the fact that homosexual and bisexual behaviors have been found in many different species, including penguins and squid, there is nothing unnatural about it. The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network stated that 9 out of 10 LGBT students experience some form of harassment in middle and high school in the past year; Jamey Rodemeyer, a homosexual teen in Buffalo, New York, recently committed suicide as a result of the bullying he has faced throughout his lifetime. As if this is not enough, certain freedoms have been stripped from them, such as the right to a same sex marriage in specific states. Although the United States is making way towards equality for the LGBT community, including the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, there is still a long way to go. Just as minority stereotypes are still held, so are LGBT stereotypes. Acceptance is far greater than it was 20 years ago, but it is still not where it should be.

Before you watch this video: Yes, they curse a lot. And it's sarcastic, so don't let the title fool you.

What Does It Mean To Be An American?
To be an American is to be recognized as such under United States law, and to have the equal freedom and opportunity that comes along with it. But, to be an American is also to be placed under a label, whether it be White, Black, Latino, Woman, or Gay. With every label comes its own difficulties and ease. To be an American is to choose to accept the label you have been given, or to fight to be seen as who you truly are.

For more information on:

• Jamey Rodemeyer Click Here
• Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network Click Here
• Same Sex Marriage laws in the United States Click Here And here!