Blog #111 – America, to me…
As part of our Constitution Day celebrations, we’re asked to take a moment to think about what this great country means to us personally. For some of us, it might be hard to sort through all of the noise and craziness that seems to flood our news outlets and media. But that shouldn’t stop us from taking a moment to discuss why America is great.
America was the first constitutional democracy in the modern world. We were founded on principles (taken from the Declaration of Independence) of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution was founded in 1787 after our initial government didn’t work. It was founded on principles of the rule of law (everyone is equal before the law no matter how rich or poor you are), the separation of powers, a representative government (where we elect people to make our laws for us), the separation of powers, federalism (each level – national, state, or local – has a say in how we live our lives), and individual rights as outlined in the Bill of Rights.
Our country’s ideals are things like justice, the common good, equality, diversity is our strength, truth, and patriotism. I feel that sometimes we don’t live up to these values, but as it says in the preamble to the Constitution, “in order to form a more perfect union…”, we as Americans need to continually remind ourselves of our core values and beliefs and hold each other accountable when we fail to live up to those high ideals. No one is perfect, but we’re trying to get there.
Your job: Tell me what America means to you. Be specific.
300 words minimum. Due Tuesday, Sept. 18 by class.
When asked to think about what America means to me, I immediate refer to freedom. As Americans, we are all able to say whatever we want and act in any certain way. People indicate freedom as not be controlled by the government or any other outside force. However, freedom brings much more to America and its people. It allows every citizen to take matters into their own hands and control what decisions they make. America is a country where you can dress however you like, act however you like, and live however you like. I greatly admire the independence given to all people allowing the opportunity to live a successful, fulfilling life.
On the contrary, many people abuse this freedom. People say negative, prejudice, attacking comments and terrorize others based on opinions. Some harshly judge ideas or ways of life leaving most of America divided. America is supposed to be a beautiful land where everybody is kind and respecting of others views. While I understand that no country can be perfect, I believe all Americans should come together and do a much better job appreciating everybody and valuing others. We need to be more considerate and think before we speak.
Another captivating thing about America is the diversity. There are people from numerous other countries that have immigrated to our country. They chose America because it is known as the “land of opportunity”. I do believe this is true however, many others have struggled due to numerous obstacles such as race, religion, and sexual orientation. For example, African Americans still face segregation today as many people say rude comments towards them. They also have hard times competing for jobs with white males and women. People are not only discriminating with their words but as well as with their actions. People are physically and mentally harmed by the cruel responses from others. Everybody should have an equal chance to reach their goals and be successful.
I am grateful everyday for the country I live in as I know many other places don’t have the opportunities provided in America. Although America isn’t perfect and is still working towards getting better, it is a great country to live in and support.
To me, the most important thing in America is freedom. Growing up, I realized that the people in America are free to make their own decision and choose their own lifestyle. Those living in other countries did not have the same opportunities or privileges we do at this day and age. Many factors of these people’s lives were controlled such as what religions they were able to practice and who they married, whereas in America we have the right to any religion and the freedom to marry whomever we choose. We have the rights to life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Meaning, we are able to live with the intent of becoming our own person. We have the liberty to make our own choices and be our own person. We as Americans have the right to pursue anything that makes us happy, the opportunity to fill our life with things that will lead us to happiness. I grew up with the notion that America is the greatest country including people who risk their lives every day to protect this country and the people living throughout. America is filled with diversity, so many different people, lifestyles, cultures and races. America means diversity and learning to embrace different cultures. I walk through life every minute knowing I have the freedom to speech and the chance to express my feelings. America means the right to cause change. We are able to protest and speak out against something we feel should be done differently or changes completely. I truly believe change is so powerful. As Americans we have the opportunity to education which will lead to becoming anything life can offer. America is where I know I will be treated properly and all races and genders are equal. America means equality, where everyone is treated equal and given the same opportunities. The right to vote is also one of the most important freedoms in America because we are given the opportunity to have a say in who will lead us to greatness. America to me means everyone has equal opportunities and the right to become their own person.
America’s meaning to me has changed during my lifetime. When I was a kid in private school, I was always looking forward to standing for the pledge and singing the Star Spangled Banner. I didn’t know about any problems that America had because I was told it was the greatest country. When I came to the Birmingham district in the third grade I started to understand and learn more about the issues with America. I remember we did an experiment in the third grade and we were separated by eye color. After that, we started to learn more about America’s history and controversies today. That’s when my view of America started to change.
America means privilege and discrimination to me. I love the fact that we have all these opportunities in America. We have the jobs we want and everyone is supposedly given an equal opportunity. We are all privileged to be here and people come to our country all the time for a better life. They want to be able to have privileges like the first amendment. These people come for a better life for not just themselves but their families also. These people are different than most of America and that’s where the discrimination comes in. I feel like the discrimination in America is getting worse day by day. America has had a discrimination problem for years. The current political climate isn’t helping this long feeling that one race is better than the other. Discrimination is horrible because it directly tries to strip away other people’s sense of worth. If you are different for any reason, people will try to take away the privilege this country gives you in the constitution. Discrimination happens to everyone and it needs to stop for this country to be able to move forward. We need politicians in office to denounce discrimination and hate groups. You shouldn’t treat someone different because of their gender, color of their skin, or sexuality. America is a place where we have many privileges but America is also a place where discrimination is very common every day.
Tell me what America means to you? A question that is asked by so many, but answered correctly by so few. The truth is, there is no correct answer to this question. To some people it’s the place where all they eat is burgers and pizza, the place where they focus on sports 99% of the time, or the place where all of their high school experiences are like in the movies. America is so much more than that. America is the land of opportunity, freedom and independence. America is a complicated mess. America needs to do better.
One of the things America is represented for is “freedom of speech”. America is supposed to be this friendly and wholesome country where anyone can speak their mind, but in reality, that is not the case. If I believed in cruel racial and homosexual jokes, would I ever get the chance to share those thoughts? The answer is no, at least not without getting bashed by hundreds, even thousands. I think everyone should be able to speak their minds freely, but they have to be able to understand that not everyone will agree. I’d rather have a real country with people who aren’t hiding behind their masks, then a country where the majority agrees upon what sounds “politically correct”.
Another thing America is known for is that everyone deserves equal opportunities. If this is true, then why are wages between men and women different, why do whites still get preferred over blacks in some job scenarios, and why are we not all treated the same. America needs to do better. I do not believe that America is the greatest country in the world, but I do believe that if we actually try to make things better, soon and fast, then someday we can be.
We’ve all heard of the American Dream. The promise that any person, regardless of where you come from, or what you’re past looks like, can come to America and get a job, have a home, a family, a successful life. We know that isn’t true when we look at the socioeconomic differences in this country, from the wealthy business men living the high life, to the single parents working three jobs and still struggling. How is that the American Dream? America to me, is a lot of bright ideas that failed. I realize that sounds as though I don’t believe anything is good about the country, which is also not the case. I do believe however, that there are many things that need to be fixed about America. From the leadership alienating any group of people that are not falling over themselves with privilege, and the sheer fact that in order to be successful there is a requirement that you are a part of those groups. From the fear that all students have seen and heard about their safety in school when they watch the news and see another school shooting. From the idea that our country is still being ran by, frankly, an archaic document that does not align with the way in which our country works today. The good part? This generation is the one that is actually trying to save it. So, America to me is most definitely also an indication that things can, and will change. The “March for Our Lives,” was not just for show, the entire creation of it was to enact change, and when you look at the number of people that participated, and who it was that were major influencers, you see that change is possible, and the leaders of change are young people that want their country to be and do better. We also see this through “Me Too” and “Time’s Up” movements, while its horrifying that they even have to exist, since it is now in the forefront of the news, it is at the forefront of people’s minds, and we can work towards ending the assault that millions of people face daily. So, again, who are going to be the ones that fix these issues? The current generations. To me, America has so many problems that need to be faced, but the older generations that caused this, or allowed it to continue are not solving them, because of this, and the things that I see around me daily, America to me is especially, the place where if you want to solve the problems, as I see my peers do, then those issues can be saved, if you’re the one to do it.
When I think of what America means to me, I’m immediately drawn to a cynical view. I think of the prejudice that people face every day. How a mere 60 years ago, Black people couldn’t even go to the same schools as White people. How water fountains and bathrooms were labeled “White Only”, and little girls like Ruby Bridges had to be escorted to school by the military. How children raised during this period of racial inequality and prejudice are now the adults in control of our nation. When I think about what America is to me, I think about the failure to uphold the core values upon which our country is based. How the separation of church and state is an ideal that is clearly violated. How schools take a week or two off for Christmas, but won’t take a day off for Jewish students to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. The fact that the government makes decisions about critical topics like abortions with religious ideals and bias. When I think about what America is to me, I see the neglect to implement proper gun control causing the deaths of thousands of children. I see the cost of these failures, when 20 children between 6 and 7 years old are killed by someone who shouldn’t have been capable of getting a firearm. When I think of what America is to me, I see the millions facing poverty, unemployment, starvation, and homelessness with no aid. When I think about what America is to me, I’m cynical, but not entirely. I see a country where freedom is a natural right, people can vote and make decisions, and free speech is not only tolerated, but encouraged. When I think of what America is to me, I see a nation with many flaws, but with the hope that one day soon, those flaws will be gone.
Being a newcomer to the United States, I can say America means a great deal to me and for many reasons.
I find the United States a welcoming nation that accepts people of all kinds, regardless of their cultural, religious or national differences. This nation is devoted for the common good and equal opportunities to all.
A nation of wealth balancing between true Capitalism and socialism, when the initiative of individuals create a fortune to themselves, the country, creates working places for the mass and produces technology and inventions that promote humanity. At the same time, the advanced social system assures minimal income, health care, retirement benefits and more for each citizen.
A nation of power that serves as a mega-power in the world, keeping universal fundamental human rights like freedom, security, and democracy. A country that literally saved the world, as we know it, during two world wars, a cold war and a war between civilizations, regardless, huge sacrifices in American life and expenses.
The United States is a country where everyone as a fair chance of success. From the very beginning, the United States has been known as the land of unlimited opportunities, offering new hope for people from around the world. Its motto is you can do it, become successful and live the American dream regardless of one’s past or background.
Despite the challenging past when people were discriminated for the skin color and race, this nation has grown over it, to promote equal rights to all, to the level of the highest governmental, military and legislation positions.
Even though the United States has its problems, overall it’s one, if not the, best nations in the world. The challenges that America faces are minor compared to other places’ challenges. All security, freedoms, education have thrived in America. Overall, I believe the founders have made their dream become a reality.
To me, America is a home. It is not only a home in the literal sense because my place of residence is indeed in the United States, but it is also a home in the metaphorical sense as well. Much like a family in a loving household would provide their child with all of the things they need to live, America provides me with many of the necessary rights for my daily life. It gives me the right to speak my mind about many controversial topics such as questioning how our government is run and how we treat people that are “different” from us. It gives me the equal rights I need to be treated as a human being, and not as an accessory for my future significant other. It gives me the right to be open about who I am, no matter how strange that person may be. Although these things may not be as necessary as food and water, the rights America give me are so important to me that I don’t even know how I would survive if I were to suddenly lose them.
However, like many homes, the state of America can fall into total disaster, and become unorganized mess of chaos and negative emotions. Personally, I feel that we are currently in one of said disasters, because we are currently not living up to what we always praise about America. In one of the patriotic songs we love to sing, America the Beautiful, we discuss the gorgeous “amber waves of grain” and the “fruited plains” and the “purple mountain majesties” and other various natural beauties of the United States. However, at the moment don’t seem to be making that much of a difference in the amount of pollution we pour into nature, and we are not acting like we seem to care about how that will affect the overall condition of the natural resources, such as the trees, that we so heavily rely on. America is all about being “free country” as well. It’s always beat into your head that everyone can be who they want to be and everyone has their equal rights and everyone deserves to be respected for who they are. Unfortunately, I feel that we don’t all act like that’s true. Somewhere in the United States, there’s always hate for people of different religion, gender, sexuality, race, and the list goes on.
I’m just extremely disappointed that this is the kind of home I’m going to grow up in, and I fear that as a sophomore in high school that no one really cares about, I cannot do anything to inspire anyone to make a positive change.
The United States of America is a country that stands out from other nations. Its history, however, is a bit tainted by different actions taken by citizens, and government officials, in our history. Actions such as the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the Trail of Tears, and segregation until the late sixties have stood out as things that may violate ethical ideas that have been defined by the constitution. In the current day United states, people have continued to divide themselves by characteristics that are shared among groups. Political parties have adopted philosophies, such as liberalism, conservatism, or libertarian-ism, that have caused specific political groups to separate solely based on personal principles. Entire economic and racial groups that have previously split apart, possibly in events of ‘White Flight’, may begin to stereotype on another based on experiences from decades ago. The lack of contact with each other may be a crucial part of the actions that have taken place today. As we become increasingly connected however, tensions seem to ease among racial groups, with only fringe groups and certain individuals acting out on racial tendency.
However, our country, that has been shaped on the constitutional rights, does have a fair amount of freedoms when compared to other nations. We have the right to use the internet almost freely and without immediate repercussion for searching something that is questionable (in most cases). Comparing that to nations in the European Union, which has their methods of sharing content being filtered by multiple Articles (specifically articles 3, 4, 11, 13, and 15). Freedom of speech, expression, protest, and religion is a great thing that us as Americans can enjoy without infringement or persecution by the government. In a country like Cuba, which is only about 100 miles off the coast of Florida, freedom of expression is barred to the point where you can actually land in jail for expressing your opinions of the state. Cuba’s own citizens have only recently been able to buy computers legally, and social media from accounts in the country is strictly monitored.
As Americans, we do have more freedoms when in comparison to some countries, although, we also have a divide in ideas and groups that have been spawned from past actions of previous generations.
Freedom is the first thing that comes to mind when I think about America. We are able to live our lives, and not have someone live it for us. We have the freedom to make our own decisions and have our own beliefs. We are not obligated to adopt someone else’s personal thoughts. As a country we are able to decide what direction we want to go. We were given the right to vote for what we think would be best for us. Having this right sometimes causes people to be so focused on what is the best option for them that they don’t look at what could be beneficial for everyone. Though each person makes their own success, the success of our country is dependent on everybody coming together. Though we have the freedom to do something doesn’t always mean that others are going to respect that. The freedom to believe in what you want is one example. Just because I have the right to believe in my political or religious views doesn’t stop anyone from telling me that I am wrong or I am not thinking correctly. I believe that as a nation we need to get better at accepting one another, not just in beliefs, but as people in general. We are so quick to judge and shoot people down without even getting to know them or hearing what they have to say. We need to open the book before we through it away. In the Constitution it says “in order to form a more perfect union…” and though we can’t be perfect, we can be better then where we are now. Our nation is going to be in our hands next, we need to start doing what we think is right now, because it is hard to make a change in thin air. We still have a long way to come as a nation, but we also need to look at how far we have come.
America, to me, means a lot of different things. For one thing, it means freedom. From a young age, I didn’t really notice how grateful I should have been for the privileges I was given: the privilege to go to school, the privilege to wear what I wanted, the privilege to say what I wanted, the list goes on and on. But as I got older, and started to learn about people’s homes being destroyed in Syria, the Taliban taking over Pakistan, the poverty that many third-world countries face, etc., I became more appreciative of where I live. Not only does America mean freedom, but America means diversity too. Even just looking around my school, I see people from all different backgrounds. I value diversity because I think it’s important for advancing in society, learning about other cultures, and learning to coexist with people different from yourself. Therefore, I am thankful that my country values it too. Lastly, America means opportunity. You can do whatever you want with your life in America. In other words, you are not forced to be anything specific. Want to be a firefighter? Go for it! Want to design furniture for a living? No problem! Although many of people’s goals and aspirations are very hard to achieve, they still have the opportunity to do it if they are willing to put in lots of hard work and discipline. Many people all over the world fantasize over the thought of having their own “American Dream,” and that’s why I am thankful to live here.
At the same time, America also means a lot of negative things. It means racism. This country has seen racial discrimination since the day it was founded. Despite everything that has advanced people of color in society, they still face a lot of prejudices today. In addition, America means sexism, which is another issue we have seen since the very beginning. Women are still being paid less, women are still being sexually abused, and women are still being held to stereotypes that are no longer valid. Not to mention, America means selfishness too. We care more about making money than saving our planet from pollution. We don’t let immigrants into our country even though we have enough room and even if they are no harm to society. We even kick people out of our country who, unknowingly, illegally came here as babies. America is their home too, and we just choose to neglect that.
Depending on which way you look at it, America could be the greatest or the worst country in the world. Personally, I acknowledge both sides. I think that America has a long way to go, but I also think that we’ve built a country that we should be proud of. I hope that there is a lot more acceptance in America’s future, whether that be involving race, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, or beliefs. As long as we are able to work peacefully together and make the common good our top priority, I believe America can drastically better itself.
Ever since the Constitution was signed in 1789 there have been rules and procedures that American citizens need to follow. In the Constitution these are called amendments, now more familiarly called laws, if these are broken by a citizen there is a consequence they will face. These rules were put in place to make sure America was going to become a safe place people wanted to live in. There are billions of different views of what America is, but America to me means freedom, diversity, unity, patriotism, and the ability to speak and fight for the changes you want. America to me also has many negatives like, shootings, inequality, and racism.
American citizens have the most freedom out of every other country. Other countries have limits on laws that we have passed like: same-sex marriage and women’s rights. The biggest law that shows how the lucky US women are is a law that is in Yemen that states, women cannot leave their house without their husbands permission. This limits women from doing many things, just because her husband might not let her. This is connected to I Am Malala which is a book about a young girl that fought for her rights to go to school. Malala and women in her country cannot leave without a man or his permission. Even though this does not take place in the same country it shows that other countries also cannot go places without the presence of a man. In the United States women have the freedom to do anything, laws don’t stop women from working, driving, protesting or going to school. In the USA women can do anything.
The United States is full of different ethnic groups from Asian to Swedish. With Americas different groups that brings opportunities to get to know peoples traditions. For example, without different ethnic groups many Americans would not have known what certain foods were. For instance Mexican migrants brought over their traditions of tacos, without that us Americans wouldn’t have been able to try new things. Some disadvantages of having such a diverse country is that some different ethnicities do not like each other from the past, which leads to violence. Another issue is black individuals getting shot by white cops for no reason. America can do better by bringing more awareness to these issues. The people that shot the African Americans needed to be heavily punished.
American people come together in times of despair, and help other cope. An example as 9/11 when terrorists hijacked 4 planes and killed over 3,000 people, families had to find some way to cope. So, families came together in unity and helped each other get through the hardship. Being an American you should be proud of your country and have lots of love for it, which is exactly what people in America do. Everywhere you go there is an American Flag to show the love for our country.
Overall there are many amazing things about America that make us unique and positive. Conversely, there are multiple issues that need to be fixed immediately. When America fixes those smaller issues it can eventually lead to further advancement, development and equality in our country.
The United States of America is a world-renowned symbol of freedom and hard work. America to me means an opportunity to do anything you can dream off and turn that dream into reality. America to me means it’s for the people and blesses them with the ability to express their differences, while still being able to put our differences aside to come together as one cohesive unit. America to me is believing in what you are a part of and being able to do everything you can to better it.
To begin with, America offers opportunities to everyone who steps foot in it. America is known for being a melting pot of all different ethnicities ever since it was founded. Our capitalistic system of government allows people to start their own business and create their own opportunity. Bill Gates who does not even have a college degree is a prime example of someone who was able to take an idea and make it a thriving American business. America also has African American’s who have found wonderful success in America like the first African American billionaire Robert L. Woods. In addition, America is home to some of the most successful and powerful women in the world. Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres are influential women of today to show off that hard-working American mentality, along with using their American freedom to improve our country. Both are advocates for feminism, which is a growing cause in America.
In addition to that, America to me means being able to express yourself. Today in America, all different kinds of races and genders face their adversity but can express themselves freely. All different kinds of people freely support different causes in so many ways. The women’s march in our nation’s capital along with our high recognized pride month in June recognize two different groups of Americans’ who may get the short end of the stick. America is one of the few countries who don’t only allow such freedom to their citizens, but they even celebrate it.
America is nowhere near perfect, but to me, it one of the greatest countries in the world. America has supplied me with an opportunity to be what I want to and put an environment around me that will help me make the most of my opportunity. America to me is no only opportunistic and great, but it is home.
America to me means Freedom, and opportunities. I feel so lucky to live in a place where it isn’t hard to speak my mind. In America we are allowed to have opinions. In many countries people just have to do what they are told without putting in input. They don’t have a choice of how they live their life. The people that lead our country are very invested in making it better for everyone, not just their beliefs. They do better for the good of the entire country. We also get to choose who runs our country, which is a privilege a lot of places don’t have. Our country has gone through many trial and errors to be in the place we are in today. Everyone in this country works for it to be better. Americans are very patriotic, and proud of where they are from. This is an amazing atmosphere to be in. Every loves, and is passionate about their country. We have gone through many bad things as a nation, and always come out stronger and better on the other side. Many countries still to this day are chaotic, being overthrown and, don’t know what their country is about or what they stand for. I feel like in America their is a very clear idea of what we stand for and are trying to do. Americans always find ways to help each other instead of leaving people alone. There’s always someone doing something to help someone. That is a special thing here. How people go out of their way to make sure everyone is ok. I am very happy about how our country works, and the way we figured out how to make everything work. Of course America isn’t perfect but nowhere is. There’s so many opportunities, patriotism, and kindness inside this country that, is hard to find anywhere else.
What America means to me
To me, America means to have privileges, rights, and freedom. America isn’t perfect, but it is one of the only countries that has rights given to all people of different diversities and gender. Even though America has many problems they also have opportunities, freedom of speech, and which are just some of the main pluses to being American.
Americans have opportunities that many countries don’t have. People can go to Church or temple and believe in whatever religion they want unlike places such as the Middle East, or North Korea. The negative about America and religious freedom is people, judge people about what they believe. America is a very judgemental place. Everyone preaches about being yourself and doing what you believe is correct, but then, there are people who ruin it for everyone. They say negative things, whether it be on social media or even in person.
Although there are people who ruin it for everyone, in the Constitution it does say we have freedom of speech. Freedom of speech can be a very positive thing. People can say what they believe and not have the government arrest them or people assault them like many other countries. People can talk freely about religion, but is it really free when people still come for you and tell you your wrong?
We as Americans are told we have the right to free expression and free association, which means that the government does not have the right to forbid us from saying what we like and writing what we like; but that doesn’t always stop other people from attacking people for saying what they want. On the other hand, there are people who can take freedom of speech too far. They think they can say whatever they want and there won’t be consequences. There might not be direct consequences, but people still get mad, then the offender will say something like “I have freedom of speech”! When freedom of speech is put in this context, it has been taking too far. It doesn’t mean you can disrespect people and bring them down just because that’s what you believe.
America is one of the best countries in the world. It doesn’t mean that it’s perfect by any means. Americans have many problems like immigration, environmental problems, economic issues, and those are just a few. For all the negatives about America, there are just as many, if not more, positives. America might not be the perfect, But then again, no country is perfect and no person is perfect either.
America to me is my home, the place where I’ve grown up. The place where my parents did the same as me. America is a place where I can be myself. With the freedoms given to us to be able to accomplish what we dream. The belief in the American Dream, that all Americans can accomplish what they dream with hard work and determination. Now this may not be the case for all. As individuals, where we live and go to school are immense gifts that many of us may take for granted. But America wasn’t made to be a perfect country, any great thing wither it be a country or a new iPhone all have flaws, but that’s what makes our country so great. Without our flaws we could never become better. Our country is made up of people who all have imperfections in themselves, so when we begin to accept the flaws at an individual’s level it helps us to become happier with the country we live in.
America to me is a country built on hard work. Other humans who sacrifice their time and lives to fight for our freedoms and well-being. They fight for us and this helps to keep Americas standing as a world power. Based on our military, economics, and innovation America holds a privileged spot in the world. In addition to that, Americans enjoy one of the highest qualities of life.
Lastly, America to me is a diverse mix of people. All ethnicities and people of all races jumbled together in this land we all call home. With all this diversity bring in new ways of thinking. Once we come to a level of understanding with one another in order to cooperate and function well as a country. If this can happen we call all learn from each other because everyone has a different story of where they come from and how they were raised. This is what makes America so great.
To me, America means opportunity. Even if it’s not 100 percent true. America was founded by people who wanted to start anew, and find new opportunities. Even when I’m watching tv and a commercial pops up, I’ll frequently see someone talking about how their childhood was hard, how they were born into poverty, but now they’re successful doctors and lawyers. In America, if you set your mind to it, you can do almost everything (as long as it’s legal), and that is a very good thing for a country to have. Another thing that is great about America is the freedom. Freedom of speech is a big one, and it is very good compared to other countries, but also freedom to be yourself. America is one of the most geographically diverse countries, and with the mountains, forests, and desserts, come a wide range of people. Because America also started off with many immigrants, you will find almost every culture and race in America, as well as customs that are each unique to different regions. Compared to other countries and my personal experiences, America is by far the most diverse country. I lived in Germany for about five years, and have lived in three very different states. While I appreciate many of Europe’s values and laws, I find America to be more diverse, and have many more opportunities to a wider selection of people. Also, a big part of America is patriotism. No other nation in the world is more in touch with their flag and the love of their nation. Although there is a lot of room to improve, just like many other countries, America is still one of the worlds best.
America to me is a country that on paper, should be a wonderful place to live however what America is on paper and what it is in real life are just different. America is stolen land that was built on the backs of slaves and I don’t think we as a people recognize that enough. In America minorities don’t have the same privileges as white’s and women don’t have the same privileges as men but speaking as a black male in America we generalize and stereotype. If a minority commits a crime then it reflects badly on that entire minority and not the individual. If a black man were to rob a store then whenever I walk into a store for the next month I’d be seen as a threat, and that’s just not the case for white people. We need to teach people as children not to be ignorant and generalize if we wish to be a united country. Don’t get the wrong idea though, just because I disagree with a lot things in this country doesn’t mean I dislike this country, I’m glad I was born here. This is a place where no matter what background you come from you can further yourself with hard work, this is a place where I can feel safe from enemy countries, and this is a place I’m glad to have the privilege to call home.
I saw a sign that someone hung on their front door that read, “Welcome to Our Beautiful Mess,” which is the perfect way to describe a home and to describe America. America is home to me. A home is not perfect; there are always going to be mistakes made, and things that need to be fixed. However, it is also the place where things can be changed for the better. The change in America stems greatly from our freedom. This has given us the ability to improve America from what it once was, with issues like women’s rights, marriage rights, and civil rights. Although there are still improvements that need to be made, there have been many leaps and bounds since July 4, 1776. Home is also a place of comfort and safety. I feel safe in America because of the military we have to protect us and the guidelines that have been set by our Founding Fathers. I feel comfortable because I am fortunate enough to live with a wonderful family and have friends who care about me. I am also comfortable with speaking my mind because I know I have the freedom to do so. The people in a home may not always agree or get along, just like the citizens of America. However, it is important to respect differing opinions and settle arguments, in order for a home to function properly. America has beauty because of the numerous kinds of people and cultures that have come together to add life to a once lifeless stretch of land, each person unique and bringing a different positive aspect. It is a complete mess because of the problems that still need to be solved, and can be solved if we work collectively. America is home, and it is the Americans’ beautiful mess.
Growing up as a kid, I was obsessed with heroes that represented American values like Captain America and Iron Man. These two heroes represented a different type of American dream or standard. The icons of these comics would be ashamed of how modern day America has become and the way people across the country are treated.
Captain America represents truth, justice, and equal treatment of all, regardless of background. In his comics, he respects all and fights only when necessary. I find it inspiring that even before Steve Rogers became the ultimate hero Captain America,he treated all with respect and fought to defend his honor as well as the honor of women. Captain America represents a different way of treating people that is slowly disappearing from the United States.
Another American value that is slowly being taken away from the country is the idea that regardless of who you are or what you come from you can become a better person. The notorious Tony Stark, or Iron Man came from a rich family, and grew up with the idea that he never had to do anything for himself, but later on as his character grows, he understands the meaning of hard work and determination can do. Stark learns that not only can he do whatever himself, but that he can take his wealth and improve the world.
Today’s society could learn some lessons from these two characters, and If the current climate of the country doesn’t change soon, America could be in trouble. Captain America would never stand for the racist ways and acts toward people of color as they struggle for equality, he would be disgusted by the acts of thousands of young men carrying anti semitic signs and flags of the confederacy as they march in the country he fought for. Iron Man would also be ashamed in the treatment of all as immigrants struggle to make a living, as they are mistreated by the government and the people of the US. America today is disappointing in so many ways, and it needs to change.
Some people might say that America means freedom or hope. I used to have that view on America as well. Now, to me, America means change. Up until sometime last year, I haven’t been paying very much attention to American politics. It wasn’t something that interested me in the slightest, everyone involved seemed angry; at each other, at the government, at themselves. In the 2016 election, I started to pay attention to the candidates. When I learned what Trump had said about women, disabled people, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community, I was shocked. I couldn’t even begin to think that anyone who was sane would vote for such a hateful, vile man. November 8, 2016 was the day my view on America changed for the worse. My heart dropped when I first heard the news from my mom. I started to tear up, my breathing got heavier, and I thought that my life would be over. I would never feel safe again. If one racist and sexist man got this far, who knows what rights would be taken away from me, other women, and the countless other groups that had been the victims of Trump’s careless comments. I’ve heard the phrase “America the great” more times than I can count. If America is so “great” the why are we ranked so low for education, the very thing that is supposed to help the leaders of tomorrow, which this world needs more than ever. But don’t worry. The United States of America is still ranked number one in number of school shootings, serial killers, and amount of debt (14.6 Trillion dollars, to be exact). Our country needs a lot of work, and ignoring other people’s opinions and feelings aren’t going to change anything, it’s just going to bring us further apart, even more than we already are. If we really want to change the way our country runs, we all need to stand up for our beliefs.
Growing up in America, I was only exposed to the good aspects of the nation. Every year I would go see the fireworks with my family all dressed up not knowing the reasoning behind it. I was five when the first African American President was elected, Barack Obama, and I wasn’t aware of the significance. As I got older and the more exposed to electronics I became, I began to recognize more flaws in the country. One major flaw we are currently affected by is President Trump. I believe his comments and morals are inappropriate for the title he holds with the United States. Flaws and mistakes happen everyday but how you react to it makes a major change. America to me blows many cases out of proportion and through this it blocks other more important topics. This was shown through the blow up on social media about the football players who kneeled throughout the National Anthem. While white men gather around waving confederate flags and Nazi German flags around, and don’t get called out for it. I believe America has a long way to go in making the Nation equal, but some changes have made a positive impact. Changes such as same-sex marriage, opening the rights of marriage to everyone. Positive changes can make a difference in the way we are portrayed as a country. I believe the United States can be free of sexism, racism, and homophobic commentary and discrimination. I believe that this nation can one day hold itself to its freedom of speech, freedom of press, etc. I believe that one-day shootings and killings of innocent adults and children will come to an end. To me America is a work in progress, making changes in turning this Nation into a safe and equal place.
To be an American in today’s society means a ton of things. It means dealing with stereotypes, racism, homophobia, and sexism. It means not accepting people for who they are and bringing others down when they have a different belief than the masses. But, above all of this negativity, America means freedom; Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom in general. We as Americans can express ourselves in any way we see fit because of what this great country is built on. I have lived and grown up in America my whole life and it is very easy to overlook the term “American” and what it stands for. We take this word for granted and focus on the negatives that are associated with America without appreciating the positives. If America’s foundation wasn’t freedom, our lives today could have very much been controlled by the government. Can you imagine living in a nation that forced you into a religion, or a marriage, or a particular sexuality? Where you can’t vote for your next mayor, governor or president? These basic freedoms are often not realized as such, but they are what make up America. We have so many rights and freedoms that, if asked, we couldn’t name them all. Yes, America has its issues. We don’t accept everyone the way they are as we should. We constantly make mistakes and do the wrong thing. But all the wrong in America can and should be combated with the right of this nation. The best part about all of this is that we have the people, ideas and tools to change America for the better. Through many huge advancements and breakthroughs, we have done just that. But we need to continue. Strive for equal rights, no matter the race, sexuality, religion or difference among us. Strive for the safety of all U.S. citizens and everyone around the world. Strive to make that change in a wrong you see. These changes are what makes America America. What America truly means to me can be summarized in just one word- improvement.
To me, being an American is more than just being a citizen of a certain country. Being an American gives me a sense of pride, as well as a sense of belonging. Many people across the globe cannot say that about their home country. Today, America is run on this kind of thought, where people have the rights that any human being should have, as well as the ability to change things about it. Firstly, ever since the beginning, America took pride in being the “land of the free”. This means that people can do whatever they want, whenever they so desire. Being able to do things like live a happy lifestyle, as well as having choices of what we want to be, study, or even create is a huge benefit in the way our country runs today. This is probably one of the most important factors to me personally about what makes a country great. On top of this, America does not limit what its citizens can do. We are granted the ability to do near anything we want without limits or boundaries. People are also granted almost any right they could want, including the ability to vote for the leaders they want, the ability to say what they want through freedom of speech, as well as being able to protest against things that we think should be changed or reconsidered. Ideas like these and many more can be what hold and strengthen a nation, or what tears it apart. Lastly, acceptance plays a prodigious role in our nation. America is known across the globe for being such a diverse country. Many different people from different races, cultures,
and beliefs all live together, in peace. Our nation has developed through the backgrounds and beliefs of these different people. This is why America is such a special place to me, and millions of others.
What does America mean to me? America is the leader of the free world, yet it is still a confused and divided nation. When America was founded, there were laws and amendments put into place. Most of those laws and amendments were made for the 1700’s. Now people are interpreting them in many different ways. For example, the second amendment is the right to bear arms. It was originally created to fight against a tyrannical government, after just fighting off the British. In modern times it’s not necessary to have guns to fight against a government. Also in the 1700’s people owned muskets, not automatic weapons. These automatic weapons have caused innocent deaths and not used in the way our founding fathers intended. Due to this, some people think they should repeal the second amendment. Others think they should make stricter gun laws, and then there are those who want looser gun laws. Every American has a different opinion on this topic and thus making our country confused and divided.
America also means to me, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These words which were said by our ancestors and written in the Declaration of Independence are still valued today. Every person should have the right to life, they should have the right to liberty, and they should have the right to the pursuit of happiness. I say should because not everyone is receiving these rights. Their not receiving these rights when a black person is shot in his own apartment, or when government officials and our president are forcing people to stand during the national anthem. These situations make me feel that America is not living up to these ideals. Although the bad examples are easy to critique, we also need to appreciate and celebrate good parts of America like the fact that we can disagree on major issues and have the freedom to speak.
Even though not everyone receives the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, America offers as much as it can to make it happen and I’m lucky to live in a country that keeps striving for these rights.
To me, America is freedom. America is liberty. America is diversity. America is courage. America is opportunity. America is my home. So many people, including myself, take these eminent qualities for granted. There are still countries that are not free or diverse or thriving with opportunity. I think it’s important to reflect, not only on Constitution day, but every day, on how lucky we are to live in the land of the free, and the home of the brave.
Growing up, I did not realize how fortunate I am to have been born and raised in America. Here, I never feel like I need to hold myself back. I have never thought about my future in a negative light. I am constantly reminded of how bright my future can be, and how many opportunities I will have. To me, things like these seem normal. But, to so many other people, life is not this easy. In many underdeveloped countries there are kids who are not as fortunate as I. As I am easing into adulthood, I am beginning to view the world with a whole new perspective. Things like a quality education, a full plate at dinner, and a home to live in are not as typical as a younger me believed they were. Through new knowledge, I have come to realize that in countries like Pakistan and India, people experience misogyny, poverty, and racism on the daily.
Through this new knowledge, I have also come to realize that, truly, America shares some of these issues. To me, America is sexist. America is racist. America is greedy. America was built off of claiming what isn’t ours, slavery, and segregation. Even today, America fails to be as great as it can be. America often does not grant a better life and home to many people in search of it. America often does not pay equal wages to men and women. America often does not treat people of color the same way they treat white people. America has its downfalls, but these problems do not override the substantial qualities we possess; though, that’s not to say that the substantial qualities override the downfalls. America is striving to be better. In the end, to me, America is imperfect.
America to me is complicated. There are both positive and negative attributes of the nation; however, some overshadow others. For starters, this land that we claim is stolen, nonetheless, we continue to assert ourselves as the founders. We, as a country, try to keep others out by putting bans on entire regions from immigrating here, despite America being “founded” off exactly that. Everyone in America other than the Native Americans are immigrants, nothing more, nothing less. We’ve given the Natives very little compensation for the act of taking their land, enslaving them and performing a tribal genocide by giving them small reservations and college scholarships, (having to be 50% or higher to be eligible). In many peoples’ eyes, this may be deemed as generous, but almost having stripped an ethnic group off the face of civilization is appalling and they should be given more, regardless of how long ago the event was.
America to me is also full of opportunity. Unlike many other places in the world, the United States has much more freedom and possibility than the countries around it. For example, in Pakistan, (as well as other places in the Middle East), women are given little-to-no rights. They cannot leave the house without being fully covered or accompanied by a man. This goes against a new Taliban law as well as social normalities. Coming back to America, women have more liberty and independence as a whole.
America to me needs work. Our constitution itself says that the American system will establish justice and secure domestic tranquility. With the way things are now, wage inequality, gender inequality, as well as racial/social injustice need to be fixed. We claim to be “America the Great,” but in all seriousness, we are extremely sub-par to that label.
America is a country of freedom, hard work & opportunities. We have all heard of the “American Dream”, the idea that everyone in this country can achieve success by working hard. Although throughout history that hasn’t been the case for select Americans, the number of people living the American Dream show that we are a nation of change and progress as well. In this country people are allowed to live life freely and the way they desire. We can practice the religion of our choice, learn new languages, and voice our opinions. With this freedom, I feel as though we can strive to meet our personal goals in life. Here, the youth can create their own destiny, rather than have it given to them. So, with all of this, What is America to me? America, like for most other people, is my home and has been for most of my life. In an ideal home we all live together in perfect harmony and feel comfortable with each other 100% of the time. I know that at least for me, a home is not this perfect, and similarly neither is America. Throughout the years the American people have had to learn to accept each other, and we are still working on it. There have also been times where people didn’t feel comfortable or safe in America, this happens in a home as well. How do we fix this? We talk to each other and make changes that ultimately benefits everyone. But America also seems like a competition. With all these people with the mostly equal opportunity for success, who comes out on top? We really don’t see it but it’s happening, everyone is comparing themselves to someone else. “They got the promotion and I didn’t”, “She makes more money than me”, and so much more is what’s being thought of inside American people’s heads. The people in this country will whatever it takes to make it out on top. It’s like high school all over again. Our country really is a “dog-eat-dog world”.
In 1787, our founding fathers helped to create America into a formative democracy. They did this by writing the Constitution. To this day without our Constitution, America would be lost. Our Constitution gives us our identity. Although we Americans aren’t perfect, we still need our fundamental rights. As an American Citizen, I am so fortunate to have such basic things such as freedom when other people don’t. When I think of America, I think of freedom of press, religion and speech. All these liberties come from the First Amendment. This amendment helps us to call this place home. Without these rights, many people couldn’t speak their minds about their opinions of discrimination, gun violence, police brutality and many other things. For an example, people couldn’t peaceful protest about school shootings, or write a newspaper article about minorities who face racial profiling, without this amendment.
Not only does America mean freedom to me but I also think about the right to vote. Since America is a democracy, this allows us to vote for our laws, president, major, judges and many other public officials/rules. A big thing that I think of when it comes to voting is Democrats and Republicans. Yes, both of these parties have different views on things but it’s pretty cool that we can decide to choose a party official or vote independently.
Finally, when I think of America, I think of all the people who have accomplished their dreams here. Personally my Great Grandfather came from Sicily, in search of a better life for his family. Eventually, he came to Detroit to work for Ford Motor Company, and earned enough money to bring his family here too him. That was in the 1940s and to this day people still come to fulfill their dreams because of all the opportunities America has instore for them.
America to me is where I grew up. It is the place my parents and my grandparents grew up. I see now that I’m older that other people don’t have it as good as me. I have been fed and played with and put to bed at a very young age. America not only blinds kids into thinking they’re in the greatest country in the world. We as a country have many flaws including gun control laws and racism. Our founding fathers wrote the constitution with the idea that these were guidelines for how to be a good American citizen. They did not right it thinking everyone was going to follow them. There were and still are many occurrences where a bad person does something illegal. Whether it’s shooting up a school or stealing cigarettes from a gas station. America is always going to have these flaws. Many people talk about what’s happening in America when this has been going on forever when we should be more focused on helping the environment and the worlds people. People in The Middle East a having a war and many of them are dying. Another thing about gun control laws, I myself have the idea that it is not the gun that is dealing the crime, It is the person holding it. We need to help these people realize that shooting up schools is not the way to get revenge for something someone did. Most people would think America is a cold beer on a Friday night, a pair of jeans that fit just right or the radio woah-a-o-o, but not me. I think about not only our ups but also our downs as a society. It is true that we have many great things like updated technology like IPhones and working computers. We totally take for granted how much we have.
Though established in 1776, the United States took few decades to prove itself as one of the most powerful countries in the world. It is known by many to be a place of freedom, justice, and economic dominance. The United States has given me all of these things, but not all groups of people. To me, American means the ability to create change, and to better the lives of not only myself and my family, but all lives of American people. The nation means that it cares about the majority of its people, but leaves behind many minority groups. Living in America tells people that I am privileged, and cared for by the government and many others, including my family. However, many other people, living the same lifestyle, in nearly the same place of the nation, at the same time, cannot. Being such a diverse country, you would think that all groups, including racial, religious, or type of sex, would live together harmoniously. However, this is not the case. Ever since I started to learn about the history of our nation, it didn’t only teach me what had happened, but the conflictions it faced and what the country did to pass these obstacles. Even today, not all of them have been passed. Said that all people have equal rights, the government of the United States doesn’t always stay true to it. In my opinion, for our society to be better, everyone will have to listen to each other and accept one another for who they are, no matter the background that he or she possesses. In other words, change needs to be established to better the country. Each generation brought into control of the nation is a chance to fix the mistakes of the generations before them, and the generations before them. The nation that we live in is closer than ever before to being a perfect, and harmonious place for all people to be a part of. Our country was, and still is, built on freedom and hope, and living up to these standards could make this dream created by many possible.
To me america means a place where people can freely express and practice anything they like. it means a place where i can feel safe and work to get the things i want regardless off race religion or culture. i think that Americas government and election policies are fair and allow any american citizen to play role in selecting the man or women they choose to serve their country as leader. i feel as Americans we bond and support each other through protest, tragedy, and tough times, its our job to play part in how our country is formed and where it is going, by voting, protesting, and speaking about how we feel and why. our freedoms as Americans makes me proud to know that i live in an amazing country where i know my vote and opinion matter. In america we strive for gender equality for men and women, and racial equality for everyone in our country. Although some peoples belief may conflict your opinion or mine as Americans we have the ability to open up and hear new things that might change our opinion for the better. to me equality is a huge part of why i think america is great i feel men and women regardless of race should all have the same rights and duties like voting and being able to get drafted or chosen to work in factories during times of war. A beautiful thing about america is the opportunity everyone has to learn, share and work and do what inspires us to be our best selves as Americans and that is the beauty in america. I feel blessed everyday to live in america under a roof with my amazing family in a country where our opinions matter and we can participate as good citizens just like everyone to vote, work and protect for our amazing country.
America to me is freedom. America to me is power. America to me, and many others, is often times misunderstood. The United States of America to me, is home. The pure freedom in this country is unlike any other. It is being able to say what you think, however, this freedom also allows the other side to say what they think just as loud. Our country fought for the freedom of choice allowing people to kneel for the national anthem and not get beheaded unlike many other countries. America to me is the power that grows within you as you mature in this environment. The power you feel when you stand up for what you believe is right so intensely that the other side cannot do anything else other than stop and listen. The American power you have here is wearing whatever you want and styling your hair however you want to, just because you can. America, simply put, is revolutionary. America is misunderstood, by Americans and other countries. The “American Dream” is often perceived as having nothing but lavish goods, no matter what you do or how hard you work, because America is seen as the land of pure wealth and easy success. God forbid you come here and not have heels with the red bottoms. When in reality, the “American Dream” is everyone having the chance to be successful. The “American Dream” is my dad working 15 hours a day to achieve success, because contrary to popular belief hard work is in my blood and I am not just a spoiled brat. America, to me, is often seen as something it is not. Welcome to my home, where people focus on the bad rather than the thousands of good things this land of opportunity has brought them. Welcome to my home, the land where I grew up. Welcome to my view of America.
What does America mean to me? America is complicated to me. America means freedom according to the government, but America isn’t as free as it may seem. Just because the color of someone’s skin complexion means their freedom is taken away they have to follow more stern rules that an average white person may not have to deal with. People who have established a family here and raised a child will still be deported and families are ripped apart. Politicians don’t do much justice to what’s happening in the united states they may seem as if something is being done but do you see a change? No. People come to America for the pursuit of happiness, hope and a new life some succeed on a new life and find a home while others still dread for that hope and seek for happiness and a new life that is different from their last. America now doesn’t really have an outstanding trait now than it did in the past history proves that it’s excelled but yet what are the things that people are still missing when they look at America. There are things that you can’t control in a country which is each and every single person there is, they all have a mind of their own making good or bad decisions making others feel secured or unsecured. But there is a pattern that people will notice and if the pattern keeps happening there has to be a change in the system. America means a bunch of things to a bunch of people/ but to me, I’m still confused on what it does mean to me because it can’t be expressed as just one word because there are so many good sides but a bunch of bad sides that are hidden within the shadows of many.
America to me is a place where people should feel safe. That is not the case though. Through personal experiences, I feel like the kids and adults need to be exposed to a more diverse group of people because I believe racism stems from ignorance. When Clare was talking about the leader of the KKK meeting with a black man who ended up becoming his best friend, I was really thinking about America and how much better it would be. If we, as a collective, were exposed to other races, religions, and cultures maybe it will help juristically dial down some of the views on others. For example, some people have twisted views/ stereotypes such as every black person is a “thug” or every Muslim is a terrorist or every Indian should be a doctor or I.T. If we expose other groups of people to each other we can show that these are not true. I feel like America need to work on integration for all groups. America is cool. To me, it is a place where youth now have a platform to express themselves, social media. I think America is segregated by the privileged and the suppressed and I really started to realize this when I grew up and started to understand our history and environment we are in today. The suppressed are minorities such as Blacks and Latinos. Minorities are not the only suppressed people, women are suppressed, LGBTQ+ are also shunned and suppressed if they don’t fit “social norms”. And the privileged are usually the majority or white, straight, males. America to me need work as I stated earlier, we need to try to expose other groups to each other so it can eliminate the ignorance and hate that is present in our community. This is what I feel America is to me, I live in this country and so do millions of others so we need to all come together and try to create more change.
America is an experiment, created over two centuries ago to test whether or not a country with such little history, and with divided cultures, beliefs, and political parties, could withstand not only the rest of the world, but itself. Its greatest weakness is also its greatest strength: diversity. The immigrants from every other nation in the world make up our country, each bringing their own culture, and each seeking the same thing: a chance at something better. The world renowned American dream is the idea that every person has an equal chance at success. The irony of this dream is that for the longest time, this only applied to a portion of the population. Women didn’t have the ability to vote until the 1920’s, African Americans didn’t have the ability to vote until the 1960’s, and same-sex marriage wasn’t legal until 2013. Our proclaimed greatness, “the land of the free”, is hypocritical when looking at our history. The Declaration of Independence, created to free us from our oppressors, states “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”, even though it was still legal, and would continue to be legal, to own slaves. These former ideals are what, in short, make my opinion of our country conflicted. Because there are many great things about our country as well. The Constitution, Bill of Rights, and any following amendments give us many freedoms that we take for granted. Freedom of speech, press, and assembly are only half the rights in the first amendment. The fact that we can change our constitution, the document that runs our country, is liberating. The American people have so much power to enact change here, and everyone has the right to change it. The problem is that for the longest time, many people didn’t have the power to change it, and we are still dealing with the repercussions of that today.
America
I haven’t traveled the world much, but from what I know America is the land of most opportunity and if you work hard for something, you will achieve it. Knowing I have a solid future in this world is an amazing thing with all the unpredictabilities of life. As a 15 year old, my daily life is going to school, doing sports, working, and hanging out with friends. I never acknowledge it but the freedom I have in this country is amazing. When I go to school, I take it for granted that I get an impressive education and help I need to succeed later in life. I get to go to sports and get in shape and compete friendly against other teams. I get to work for money and am protected by laws so I can’t get overworked. I have the freedom to go wherever I decide and whenever because I have the right to. I feel safe 24/7, as I am protected by laws and police forces all the time. There are some bad things about America too, specifically racism. This country’s leaders have been mostly white men, so it is easy to see where this biased against other races came from. It’s sad to me that most news stories today feature acts of horrible violence towards other cultures like cops shooting unarmed african americans or the deportation of mexicans just trying to live a life here. Things are getting better with racism though as we’ve seen an improvement for their rights along with women’s rights. Every country has its pros and cons, and America has its fair share of both, but despite its drawbacks it is still a great country to live and thrive in.
What does a America Mean to Me
America stands for opportunity,and the freedom to practice any belief or religion. It is a place where immigrants can come and start a new life. A place where if you work hard you can be anything you want to be. A place where social classes don’t define the person you can be. A place where people come from all over just to get a taste of the success of this great nation. Immigrants come to this country for the opportunity of their kids and know if they want them to succeed in the future America is the place to be. Everyone gets the right to a free education and an opportunity to change the way they live through education. America is a place where everyone gets the right to practice any beliefs or religion. It was one of the first countries to accept people and what they want to believe. Still to this day there are countries where you are not allowed to follow a different religion or beliefs as the other people. America is a country where people are allowed to express their beliefs and not be hated upon by other people. You can be christian, jewish, muslim, buddhist and many more. You have the right to practice your religion freely. Your beliefs on any topic you have the right to believe. You have the right to protest and express these beliefs to the public. You are also not forced to believe in any beliefs that the government might force on you. You don’t have to change your beliefs because on what other people think you have the right to express yourself. You don’t have to convert to a different religion based on what other people think you practice whatever you want. America for me represents opportunity and the freedom to practice your religion and beliefs freely.
America to me is a place of freedom. It is a place where our military fights so we can be free. It is a place where everyone should feel safe when they go to a school, concert, and even a gaming convention. It means the right to bare arms and the result gut to protest the bare arms. Personally I believe that as long as my country allows me to carry a gun legally that I will. It means opportunity even to the poorest person. It means New York City, the city where I grew up full of opportunities. I was born in a wealthy part of The country where it was easy to not pay attention in school, and still exceed in life. Then I moved to Michigan where it takes hard work to succeed. Especially if living in a less wealthy part of Detroit. I support the right to protest. To me America is football. I believe in what the football players are protesting, but what I don’t believe in is where they are protesting. I would support it if they did it on a street just not Sunday night football. I do support the Nike ad and his right to protest, just do not do the national anthem. I believe that guns should be legal, but I also believe that there should be stricter gun laws. America to me means education and liberty. America to me means Americanized Chinese food that is tasty and good Italian food. America to me means Sunday nights with family’s. America to me means Buffalo wild wings and McDonald’s 10 piece chicken nuggets. America to me means 4th of July, the day we celebrate for when we separated from Great England. America to me means cookouts on Saturday nights, with hamburgers and hotdogs. Finally, America to me is equal rights to all.
America To Me
I believe America is a country where everyone has an equal opportunity to do anything or be anything they want. It is a place where you are free to have your own opinion or disagree with someone else’s opinion and not be thrown in jail for it. America is a place where you are free to protest the government or anything you disagree with and create change. I believe it doesn’t matter what race, ethnicity, religion, or gender you are you still have the same opportunity to do anything you want and create change in this country. I believe America is a place with a stable government and military that keeps us safe from all foreign and terrorist threats. The people in America are the government and I think people forget that. America is a place where we vote for decisions being made in the country and vote for people that we want to represent us when bigger decisions are being made. America is the place where veterans are respected and shown as role models as they should be. I believe lots of Americans take America for granted. I believe Americans take America for granted. I believe they take Capitalism and the free market for granted and people don’t always try to work harder and get a better paying job and instead want a different economic system of Socialism or Communism. I believe in America if you work hard enough you can get any job you want and in other countries that’s not always the case. In countries like North Korea and Venezuela they have a socialist and communist type government and there are very few jobs available for people and no matter how hard they work they won’t be able to get a better job and earn more money. I believe America is the greatest country in the world and if you work hard enough you can do anything here.
America to me is a pretty great place to be. You have the freedom to do almost whatever you want as long as it isn’t against the law. You can accomplish almost anything you put your mind to. Look at all the people who are able to start their there own businesses, look at McDonald’s it started as a family owned restaurant in the countryside side but can now be found around every corner on every continent. America gives you the right to protest. Anything you see a problem with you can protest to raise awareness about it or even run for a public office yourself to fix it. America is run by its citizens, voting, elected officials and protests all give its people the ability to fix any problem they see if they want to put in the time. The country has a long history of this, the civil rights movement, preventing child labor, people wanted alcohol banned so the government made prohibition but when people didn’t want prohibition we changed it back and now we’re looking at marijuana being made legal. The people people have the ability to change the country to better suit its citizens. the The country gives you almost complete freedom you can say whatever you want even on TV that broadcasts it to tons of people, look at the info wars stuff he was completely allowed to say all the stuff he wanted, only the people In charge of the private websites were able to take down his website. This country is one of the safest to live in we have a larger army than any other country, and we are looking to expand it to include a space force. Our country is safe we are looking to expand into space. On the topic of space most of the leading space agencies are located in America we were the first country to put a dude on another celestial body. We ended World War Two with the nuke we are the most powerful country on the planet and even off it. America to me is a mix of people In charge of their country that constantly improves itself and has made the most groundbreaking achievements of our world in a shorter time span than the other superpowers. America to me is the greatest country in the planet
America To Me…
Until recent news focus and social media quarrels, I have never considered what America actually means. My life consists of relative privilege with the ability to thrive because of the social station into which I was born. I take for granted how lucky I am to have been born under the safety of America and the many freedoms and guarantees that it provides. Although it doesn’t always work perfectly and there are still many inequalities that need to be addressed, America’s systems, institutions and laws provide a shield against the malevolence of prejudice, inequality and anything that threatens to interrupt the pursuit of happiness.
American laws provide its citizens with freedoms that many will never know. For instance, as stated in the First Amendment “congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” We as America people are gifted with the right to practice any religion we so choose. While some occupants of middle eastern sovereignties and other countries are restricted and unable to practice as they see fit, in America, I can practice my Judaic beliefs without fear of government interference. America means I am free to practice my religion.
In addition to the freedom to practice my religion, living in America also means that I will never be silenced for expressing my views even if they are contrary to the beliefs of others. Under Americas laws, everyone has the right to freedom of speech, opinion and expression. For example, I can converse about and even criticize The President of the United States. I can post insulting and horrible things about him all over my Instagram page never fearing backlash from anyone if I so choose. I safely enjoy the freedom to agree or disagree with my peers, teachers and even the leaders of the entire nation. America means I am free to speak my mind.
Most importantly, in America we have the right to due process. Due process means that that all legal proceedings will be fair and that one will be given an opportunity to be heard before the government acts to take away one’s life liberty or the pursuit of happiness. Americans are treaty fairly in an impartial judicial system. For example, If I get caught drinking alcohol before I turn 21 I will be read my rights, given a lawyer, and I will be given the choice to go to trial where an impartial judge and jury would hear my case. In many other countries I would have no right to due process and might even be immediately imprisoned or killed. America means I have the right to due process.
Although America’s “shield” works well, its’ durability is always in question and it doesn’t always work perfectly. I realize that because of the laws and regulations founded by my fore fathers almost 250 years ago, I enjoy many freedoms just because I live in America. As I mature and become more mindful of the importance of America’s values and institutions, I realize that my experience differs greatly from the experiences of the less privileged. I challenge anyone to attempt to make an argument that a system better than the American one exists. It simply does not. I am proud to be an American.
To me, America is a place of hate, discrimination, and oppression. These themes are not only relevant in today’s world, but this nation was built off of these atrocities. In the beginning, new Americans killed thousands of Native Americans and drove them away from their land. Colonizers oppressed natives by slowly killing off tribes, dissolving their culture. Also since the beginning, black people have been enslaved treated like animals. For centuries America prospered from slave trade and work, making money off those who had no human rights. Because just their skin color, they were brutalized, and pushed far down the social ladder, with equal rights only being given in the 1960’s. Around this time woman had to fight for their rights. All throughout history women have been oppressed by being forced to stay at home, not get work, and mainly just stand there and look pretty. Woman have been hated on and discriminated against because their gender, whether its that they are to dumb or not strong enough. Only in the past century have women been looked at as members of society, just gaining the right to vote. Even now only in the past ten years has gay marriage been legal, when for the longest time you were hated and oppressed in society simply because who you love. Though all these laws are now in place giving equal rights, changing a law and a deeply held mindset is another thing. These minorities still face everyday struggles in society. Hate crimes against these groups happen every single day and some even as big as the pulse nightclub shooting.Things like the wage gap and job discrimination make it harder for minorities to support themselves and their family. A gay couple can’t even walk down the street without people staring or giving dirty looks. With races, genders, and the LGBT community still being chastised, America is a safe place for no one.
America to Me Anders Povirk
America to me is a place build off the ideals of capitalism, democracy, and large assortment of personal freedoms. The agency given to citizens is indisputably the greatest thing about the United States and allows you to both forge your destiny and have an active role in the government through voting. This allows the government to adapt to the people rather than the people rather than the people needing to revolt if they want change. Although the system is not perfect with corruption and many people becoming outraged when the candidate they supported doesn’t win it’s still a great system that allows government to react to the demands of the people every other year. One of the major flaws with this freedom when combined with a diverse cast of different groups causes rampant tribalism and hatred of other groups. While this conflict is not useful for anybody most of this fighting is taken out through words, protests, and voting rather than violence. Many consider this conflict to be the biggest issue today but I disagree as it is nearly inevitable with this many rival groups in a system meant to pit the desires of groups against each other. While true violence and discrimination is reprehensible and should be punished accordingly most of these events are blown up in the media giving the illusion that these events are far more common actually are. Though to me the most important thing about living in America and not a similar country is the simple fact that my family lives here and the dominate language is English this is all the incentive I need to stay in the country. In conclusion, this country has many great systems of capitalism, democracy, and a great assortment of freedoms this along with things that are important to my life like my family and the fact that I speak the language is what America means to me.
America to me is complicated. We were founded over 200 years ago with the right ideas in mind, of freedom and justice and equality, but a lot of times, our actions don’t always support those ideas. People see us as a free, equal country and to some extent we are, we have come a long way, but we could go even further. It took almost 200 years for segregation to be outlawed. It took almost 150 years for women (½ the population) to be given the right to vote. Gay marriage was just legalized 3 years ago. We have made a lot of progress, but in my opinion it has taken us way too long, and not all of it has stuck with everybody. People are still racist and sexist and insensitive. According to CNN women still get paid 82 cents for every dollar a man is payed. We’re going in the right direction but we’re not even close to being all the way there. I can’t say I’m a huge fan of what the new president is trying to do for immigration either. America was founded BY immigrants. We are immigrants to the United States. We migrated to the U.S and invaded the Native Americans who were here first. We kicked them out of their home they had created and just gave them the “leftovers”. It’s very hypocritical if you ask me. I’m not trying to make it sound like everyone in America is sexist and racist and we are a terrible country because that’s not even close to being true. There are so many great people in America, that made us who we are today but there are those select few who’s negative voices can sometimes overpower our positive ones. But we just have to ignore them and continue trying to make change for the better.
What America means to me is the false idea of the right to voice your opinion and push for change, and equality and equal opportunities for all, no matter who you are. for everyone. The system put into place is however very flawed. The country is founded off of slavery even though the declaration of independence is was supposed to be life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for all even slaves were not granted any of those rights. Also most minorities were not even granted all rights of their white counterparts and only until 1970 where they then were allowed to vote. The system put into place that selects your leaders and the laws that govern you is broken, it can be hacked, and it has been undermined by the electoral college which ended up getting us a president who lost the popular vote but still ended up winning and is racist, and against lgbtq group. These groups have been oppressed by him and many other political leaders who have stopped gay marriage only until recently which doesn’t sound like pursuit of happiness to me if you can’t marry who you want and in certain states you are allowed to discriminate against these groups. The president and these other political leaders have oppressed other groups, specifically religious groups and minorities. Our president ran his campaign against the discrimination of mexicans and how they were stealing our jobs but in reality they are only doing the jobs that no one else wants to do. When he was telling this to people he was also saying that he would build a wall, which no matter whether it was good idea or not, has still not completed this task. Another thing racist political leaders have done is stop immigrants from the middle east from coming here even though these people are seeking asylum and shelter from a war that is endangering them and their families. America to me is a place people try to go who are seeking a false dream.
What America is to Me
What makes America great to me is the amount of freedom we get. Unlike other countries, in America, the people are given basic rights that can’t be taken away, such as the freedom of speech. Another thing is that the citizens in America are allowed to take part in who they want to be in power, unlike other countries whose people are oppressed, like North America. To add to that, even regular citizens can become president, which is also unlike other countries where only the rich have a chance. America also offers a safe haven to most immigrants who go through the proper immigration process. On top of that, America allows anyone from anywhere to forge their own career path and work their way higher in the political pyramid. Plus, America is great for allowing self-owned business as well as giving the owners permission to keep most of their profits. Whereas in other countries the government controls the businesses and takes the profits. America is also great because it allows its’ citizens to travel outside the country, which, even though it might not seem like it, it is a privilege. America also gives mandatory minimum wage and does not force its’ citizens to work in sweatshops. To go with that, America offers free education to all of its’ citizens, as well as opportunities to go to any university. However, America also has many flaws. Racial discrimination is a huge issue since america is supposed to be the country that envelops diversity. Another flaw america has is the deportation system where they separate families and send the kids into foster homes, and adoption agencies. But, even though America has many flaws, its’ benefits outnumber them, and I am very glad to live in this amazing country.
America, to me, is about freedom, whether it be freedom of speech, press, or religion. Part of the reason people came here in the first place was because they wanted to practice their religion freely. Also, it is the right to peacefully assemble and petition the government. This is an incredible part of the country, for the people to have the power to make change. It is great that we are able to choose who we put in government, so that we don’t have something like a dictatorship or a dynastic rule. Because of this, the people in government are generally the ones that the majority of the people like the most. Also, usually makes sure that one political party doesn’t have control for to long. Another good thing about America, is that the unemployment rate is currently around 3.9% which is quite low. Whereas it is not necessarily the lowest in American history, it is the lowest it has been in at least ten years. However, things still aren’t perfect as there are still many hate groups such as racists, sexists, and anti-semitics. These hate groups don’t really seem like they are going away, as well. There has also been plenty of violence recently, including many school shootings and shootings in general. Due to this, many Americans have been arguing over whether people should be able to buy and keep guns. America has an enormous military program with a budget of just under seven hundred billion dollars. America, to me, also seems to be about supersized food with lots of fat and sugar. Because of this, Fast food and other unhealthy food in general is very popular here. We also have lots of obese people in the country, with around 33.9% of the population being obese. There are also around 50,000 fast food joints in the US, for about 20,00 towns.
To me, America is portrayed as the land of the free. When in reality it is only free for some. Women are paid less than men, LGBTQ individuals are not allowed to marry in every state, families are deported from a country that promises freedom and opportunity. However, these freedoms and opportunities that our president boasts about is only available to the small percent of people like him. America’s nationalism should be based on a love for our country, not a hate for others. Families who have lived here for just as long as I have are disrespected and called terrorists for believing in a religion that promotes peace and love. They are judged for how others interpret their sacred text and for what real terrorist have done under the name of Islam. But when someone introduces themselves as Christian to you, we never think twice. We associate Muslims with terrorism but we don’t associate Christianity with neo-nazis. They aren’t called terrorists for believing in the same religion that neo-nazi terrorists follow. It’s because a small, small percent of Christians actually believe in the same values as these terrorist, leadalone act on it. The goes the same for Muslims. This skewed view on non-white american citizens is a result of centuries of discrimination. Black people who were forced to come to this country as slave are still not treated as equals by some, even 150 years after slavery was abolished. The media still portrays people of color in a bad light. Police brutality is still an issue we have yet to solve. Despite all this, american citizens are promised freedom of speech. We all have the power to make a change. We must acknowledge the issues in america if we ever want to fix them because above all, America is a place where we can make change, we can exercise our rights. America needs to embrace its diversity, not try to silence it. People who have a voice need to speak up for those who don’t. We need to stand up for one another even if we are not the same, skin color, gender, sexuality, religion. Because above all those labels we are all american citizens, and we must act as one.
Personally, my perspective on America has changed since my childhood. At a young age, I was only exposed to all of positive aspects of our nation. “The American Dream” that many Americans consider living the best life. “Freedom” something that many of us take for granted. As I started to grow up, I was revealed to a different America than from my childhood. I found myself being revealed to a harsh reality. Learning about many events that are concealed from a child’s eye. But honestly, America is still in progress. We are still dealing with problems from our past that have yet to be fixed but are said to be. Even though they are said to be fixed many Americans don’t see the change. The minorities in our country are especially affected. We don’t get the same privileges as whites. African Americans are still working on the “Black Lives Matter” movement. As well as the police brutality around America. Mexicans deal with immigration issues as well as deportation. Trump has had a major impact on the minorities in America. He has said many negative things about the country, as well as its people. Our nation is a country of freedom by document. Emphasize document, not everything that is written is always given to us. America to me is my home. I cherish many aspects of my life, but other parts I hope to see change in the future. I do appreciate all of the privileges and freedoms we have compared to other countries, we are very fortunate. I believe that the change will come, we have to learn to love more than to hate. Seeing the change will take time and work but it is definitely possible. If we the people assert changing it can and will happen. America is a great place but is still a work in progress.