Every 4th of July week there are TNT fireworks stands scattered across neighborhoods of Sacramento. Other than blowing things up, these stands make me think of the history of the United States and how it has become the most powerful nation in the world. I can say that I am proud to be an American. But when I think about what it means to be American, the term seems a little construed (misconstrued). The word, “American” has been altered to only consider the United States and fails to consider all Americans.
We call any citizen of the United States of America, an American. The United States is a country within a continent. When we refer to people from Europe, we call them Europeans and if they’re from France (a country within the continent) they are French. So, if we are referring to our country, shouldn’t we be more specific and say we are US Americans (to say the least)? When I was in Europe, I was always asked one of two questions:
1: “Are you Oriental (Japanese)?”
2: “Are you American?”
I would answer, “yes,” to the latter only because I did not want the person to believe I was from Japan. Of course once I answered “no” to the first, the person would automatically know I was from the US. But, even when I told them I was “American” I couldn’t help but feel I was giving them a vague generalized answer even though they understood fully what I meant. There are in fact two (or three if you count the central) Americas. North America and South America. Both are considered continents. Someone from the United States should be considered North American and someone from Brazil should be considered South American, but to just say that I am American, to me, would actually be referring to both North and South America. If someone from South America were to go to Europe and he/she were asked if they were American, they would be totally correct to say “yes.” To say that I am American would be correct, but to be more correct and specific I should say I am US American. To simply say I am American to mean I am from the United States is ignoring the fact that South Americans are American too.
Let's try this again
13 years ago
3 comments:
And we must also consider Canadians and Mexicans as “Americans,” too, right? It is really strange how that national label has been 'hijacked' by the United States. When you say "the history of the United States and how it has become the most powerful nation in the world."—do you think that other nations share this idea of 'power', or is it in fact an idea we (as citizens of the United States) have been taught to value, but in fact it may not have the same comprehensibility in other countries or cultures? I mean, sure, in a military sense it may very well be true that the United States has more sheer firepower, as it were, than any other country in the world—but isn't it a little odd that this is the gauge for 'power' in a broader sense in which we include things like freedom and democracy? I wonder what sorts of things might be more important that 'power' to be proud of...and if these things could be achieved, well, *without* power.
A couple more thoughts: I think you mean misconstrued, not construed. That youtube video is really unbelievable evidence for what you are talking about! I have not seen such a blatant fetishization of the twin towers as reasons for the war...wow. It is amazing how that site is linked up with people's patriotism; they were such bland buildings, which many New Yorkers did not even like. And I have always found it fascinating that we identify with the bald eagle, which is a scavenger bird!
I guess the eagle is technically a 'bird of prey'; but when you watch them 'in the wild', they act much more like 'scavengers'. (Those terms are hardly absolute, anyway!)
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