What does it mean to be an American?

Originally posted by Illmatic67
A white man from Africa immigrated to America and became an American. He was now an African America. He was welcomed in America.

A black man from Africa immigrated to America and now he is an African American. But he was hated in America.

That is what it means to be an American.

Lord, you've got to be the most angry, blinded teen I've ever encountered. And your hate is mostly from theory and a self-created reality.

As for me, I'm American because that is the country in which God saw fit to place me.

As for being an American, for me it means to get up, go to work, come home, enjoy as much family time as I can, and then go to bed. I wake up and start it all over the next day. When time, money and family all come together at the right time, I go on vacation, go to Universal Studios or something like that, other wise numerous mini-vacations of boating and snorkling fill up my time.

What does it mean to be a German? A Frenchman? A Belgian? An Englishman? How could it be any different?

'67, you can waste your life wallowing in hate or you can make the most of your life, pursue a satisfying career and raise a good family. Its all yours to choose. We "Whiteys" don't sit around hating you or giving you a second thought as a black man. Drop the hyphonated label, become an "American" and more importantly, just a man, and drive on. You'll find that the rest of the world is not nearly as conscious of your color as you. When you are up to your eyeballs in work, dirty diapers, bills, and eternally long vacations with kids in the backseat asking every 10 minutes, "Are we there, yet?" you'll know what it is to be an average American!

"you can waste your life wallowing in hate or you can make the most of your life, pursue a satisfying career and raise a good family. Its all yours to choose. We "Whiteys" don't sit around hating you or giving you a second thought" - Thomas Crowne

Thomas Crowne, this is a great thing you have said here, and I agree whole-heartedly. The world would be so much better if everybody would forget the hate and live only the good.

Hate has no color..when you encounter hatred from another, it's always easiest to say it's because of your, race, gender, color..etc..because in your mind that's what stands out the most. But that's not always the case..

From what I've seen and experienced is this: most African Americans just automatically assume that the white man has a deep imbedded hatred for them, but in all truth..it's something that is in your mind, something you immediately think of if you get a dirty look or treated unfairly or spoken to in a certain manner(the list could go on) but you get what i'm saying. I think most 'white'(which I hate the term) but need to use it here-people have moved past all that...and they see you for 'who' you are not the color you are. Everyone who lives in America, represents America...we all make it what it is..good or bad, racial or not..most Americans have moved forward from the past and have a deep yearning to make up to the 'black' man, for something that most of us didn't even have a hand in. But I see time and time again that there is more of a deep blame coming from the 'black' people...and your words are the proof of that. We do not hate you, and we only wish you knew this to be truth...
Magestica

Originally posted by Attero Auctorita
The only law is the law of nature..

Then you better start digging your grave now.

TC it's kinda hard to drop the "hyphenated label" when you fill out the census. I'm not as extreme as illmatic. Not to get off topic but illmatic have you ever personally your self experienced blatant racism. Well I have.. Even though it doesn�t feel good there is one thing you got to remember and it took me a long time to figure this out. If you hate a group of people because of the actions of one person in that group then you have truly let them/racist win. You got to deal with people on an individual basis now.

I can�t forget my history because my history makes me who I am today. Being an American has it�s advantages. But until this country can stop labeling you by what language you speak and what culture you are descendent from then we are going to have problem like these. Americas greatest strength is it�s diversity. We get great minds from all over the world to make or weapons and electronics. How ever this strength is also are weakness. It makes it easy for the �enemy� to come in and attack us. What really kills me about the census is that �Arabs� are considered �White�. Some may say well it really doesn�t matter but why classify us if were all in the same country?

When I asked this question to my self I drew a blank (must of been the weed ). Now that I have sobered up I can say that being an American is knowing were you came from, embracing it. Most Americans claim what state there from for the most part and this really does shape ones personally, let alone speech America is the land of immigrants and I think that being an American to me is being able to be different with in your own country. Most Americans hold on to there cultural pride, from Italians to Africans from Irishmen to Arab this is what makes being an American great. You can be Proud of who you are and were you came from.

Great replies from some of ya�ll keep them comming

He didn't say law of the jungle, but the Law of Nature, upon which the constitution is based. Law of Nature, Divine Law - God's Law. That law is law based on something that does not change, it is anchored in other words, unlike man-made statutes that are one step from arbitrary rule.

Maj, you might hate the term "white" but you'd be better off referring to me as white, if the need to get descriptive comes. Do not referr to me with an hyphenated word, like "Irish-American". I am American, simple as that. I hold no dual citizenship with any other earthly nation. That attitude, hyphenation-nationalization, is part of the problem.

Just think it doesn't describe how we actually 'look'..paper is white and unless you are 'albino' you aren't white..I wasn't saying that because of your reason..How about just calling us humans/without describing the supposed color of our skin?
Magestica

Originally posted by Lysergic
Why does a jedi have an imperial icon as his avatar? Didnt the empire destroy the jedi? That would be like a jew having a swatzika on his page

Well...don't tell anyone *looks around*... but I'm a spy
Really, the "imperial insignia" was actually the insignia of the military of the Republic, BEFORE it went Imperial, and stayed as such AFTER it went Imperial -- I prefer living in the Old Republic to the New one

And technically, "Jediism" and "Jediist" aren't real words. However, a Jediist is one who follows Jediism. I'm not gonna start all this preaching and stuff. Jediism is a religion, just as Patriotism is a religion

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
He didn't say law of the jungle, but the Law of Nature, upon which the constitution is based.

My bad. I apologise. I've flicked through your constitution but haven't gone down to the technical. By complete coincidence I actually bookmarked a site about it a couple of days ago.
I guess I shoulda read it before posting!!!

Abstract, I filled out my census just as the constitution expected it to be. AS far as the rest, I explained that they'd get no more information from me and explained that any badgering will result in a Title 42.

Yes, I've been the subject of total and ignorant racism. I've known it since I was a kid, starting in elementary school.
Even in the Army it waws there from time to time. At a missile site, way away from otehr U.S. military, it was nothing more than a militant Panther meeting, and I was one of the few whites. That was a long 18 months. The site was shut down (If you've never been involved in a site closing, let me tell you it is one pain in the butt!) and moveed on to another site, where it was the exact opposite, it was a Klan meeting, and my squad was predominately black. I spent the last 18 months of my service protecting my soldiers and ruining my career. But I was there for a reason and that was to protect my soldiers. While my career was ruined in the process, God opened other doors for me and I've gotten a kick out of them, each and every one!


Yeah, abstract, I've been both the target and witness of racism, and both ways it is stupid and I'll not let that hate control me. It eats people alive, just like any hate, but since the hatred is directed at entire groups of people, the object of your hate is going to be more evident and more likely the hate to tear your life apart.

Its interesting that despite Atteros' frothing rant, that he is unable to answer my question and instead only points to a couple of timelines which say nothing.

Where the rubber hits the road anarchaic views such as his are seen as the empty teenage idealistic nonsence that they are.

Originally posted by Netchicken
Give me one example from the 1st world....

Originally posted by Attero Auctorita
That's too bad Netchicken, all government FAILS, it ends in anarchy through revolution, no government is perfect, so why even bother. Afraid of natural selection? Not to sound like a nazi or anything (though i'm afraid it will be seen as that), species evolve through the loss of the weak. I may have radical thought, but i'm no fool to act on it, as the majority of the world is brain washed just as yourself, they cling to government like they clang to their mothers breasts as an infant.

[Edited on 26-5-2003 by Attero Auctorita]

I didn't see nothing that will make Thomas say what he said. It's a true story and if you really take some time and think about it you'll see that it makes perfect sense.

I'm going to be honest, I'm not angry at what Thomas said. Everything he said was true. I want to grow up, get married, and raise a family. I want to know the what it feels like to be called "daddy". Maybe one day I would find out for myself. As for my hatred, there is none. I don't hate no one, only those who have done wrong to me, and those kind of people come in all colors.
I've said it hundred times and I'll say it again, I'm not racist.

I have a strong knowledge of my history and where I came from and if you don't know where you came from you will never make it where your going.

That is all I have to say about that.

[Edited on 5-26-2003 by Illmatic67]

Yanno. I had a conversation with a friend the other day about racism. I've always liked to consider myself a guy who doesn't hate anyone. I have many friends of different colours and nationalities and sometimes talk about race issues, and we all agree that deep down we aren't all the same but there are so many similarities between us that it negates any differences.

But one thing stands out in my mind. One major thing that my friend said in the conversation. One thing that made me ashamed of myself because I had no logical answer. One thing that set me a new goal. One thing that I have to work out for myself.

My friend is black. I am white.

He said "Would you be happy if your daughter married a black man?".

Your friend is a smart man, I'd like to meet him one day.

This is about being American, where race doesn't matter.

Yet this whole topic has gone into another ideal. I haven't even bothered reading much of it. I saw the never ending battle playing out once again. What battle???

I don't know, someone tell me.

Why is this another race war topic???

Can we get over black and red, red and yellow???

Can we do that???


Abraham

Oh don't come again with that rubbish of "Land of the Free" and "Freedom Loving Paladins".

Everybody on this rock wants freedom and will fight for it, americans aren't the only one. Being american is the same as being russian, canadian, norge, german or australian.

Land of the Free and Virtuous? Sure, now tell me about enron, Police Brutality, Deforestation, nuclear waste, extreme pollution, Patriot Act, Big brother,Area 51, Segregation...
*falls asleep*

I agree, but maybe to define what an american is IS to examine the race issue. Afterall from the level of emotion generated here over it, it is indeed a defining property in how Americans see themselves. (otherwise its just illmatic going off the deep end again)

Originally posted by necro99
Oh don't come again with that rubbish of "Land of the Free" and "Freedom Loving Paladins".

Everybody on this rock wants freedom and will fight for it, americans aren't the only one. Being american is the same as being russian, canadian, norge, german or australian.

Land of the Free and Virtuous? Sure, now tell me about enron, Police Brutality, Deforestation, nuclear waste, extreme pollution, Patriot Act, Big brother,Area 51, Segregation...
*falls asleep*

This is about what being American is. We can't help it if you don't think that Americans are the only ones with this ideal. Did anyone say that the ideal we claim to hold wasn't also held within the hearts of men and women of other nations???

I sure didn't. All I am trying to say is that anyone can be American, including you. For Americans are just foreign invaders.


You See?

Come on AV, you have to admit that "land of the free" is nothing more than jingoistic nonsence considering the latest Homeland security and the changes happening in your government.

Sure you are free compared to Iran, Russia, and North Korea but then who isn't? Hasn't this hackneyed phrase done its time yet. Isn't it time to look at reality without the rose tinted glasses?

Originally posted by Netchicken
Come on AV, you have to admit that "land of the free" is nothing more than jingoistic nonsence considering the latest Homeland security and the changes happening in your government.

Sure you are free compared to Iran, Russia, and North Korea but then who isn't? Hasn't this hackneyed phrase done its time yet. Isn't it time to look at reality without the rose tinted glasses?

I didn't say that we had any freedom at all. I said that we honor and look up to freedom, we live by freedom, doesn't mean we die by it. We may chase it, but eventually the oppression catches up with us and we fall. The key to the ideals of the American way, is to get back up. This is our lives, and we won't be tread on.


You See?