What it means to be an American...

It seems many of us who live in the United States have forgotten what it means to be an American. The United States of America has always brought people from around the globe into the world's most diverse, accepting, and unified country. As people become citizens of this great country, one privilege they are entitled to is the right to be called Americans. Some, however, choose not to be identified as Americans or choose only to be part-American in order to retain ties to former cultures and countries. In order to understand whether or not one should embrace the American name and the rights and privileges that are associated with living in this country, one must understand and appreciate the inclusive and encompassing nature of the designation.

Though this issue seems to be more prevalent in the United States today, this issue was also at the forefront of our leaders' minds 100 years ago. In 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt spoke on the issues of immigration, acceptance, and patriotism. Though his words ring out from dusty books and historical records, they are just as pertinent today as they were a century ago. Here is what he had to say:

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.

But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American. There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

As the country faces unprecedented division and in-fighting among political, religious, cultural, and racial groups, it seems that President Roosevelt's message could be declared anew to all those who are privileged to bear the title of American. After all, if you think you need to amend your title to recognize your individuality and your unique differences from your neighbors, then you may not truly know what it means to be an American in the first place.