An American is not delineated by a particular skin color or way of life. He is a person from many places, with many shades of skin; of different sizes and varied energies. He has a Master’s Degree, or he may never have finished high school. He may drive an expensive automobile, or perhaps he relies on two mules to carve his living out of the earth. But, regardless of what he is, lacing the different physical features together is a bond of strength in tradition which exemplifies the American way; a way which opens the doors of opportunity to all peoples who may knock upon them.
An American has a spirit which was born when the bells tolled of independence, and which has released the adrenalin of his nation time and time again when it’s existence was threatened by an aggressor. An American does not view armed conflict as a means of getting what he wants, but rather as a means of protecting what he has. He is one who loves the very concept of Peace for all nations, but will not hesitate to fight on the shores of others to protect his own.
An American sees the knowledge of experience in his past, feels pride in the accomplishments of the present, and has hope for the future of the world, even when others would view the days to come with dismay. But a realistic American finds no guarantee of freedom or security in the future solely because he has always had it in the past.
An American recognizes the faults of his system and seeks to correct them through a process unknown to many nations. A process which does not promise absolute perfection, but one which allows for peaceful change, if change is needed. That process is democracy, and an American holds that word so dear, that he stands ready at a moment’s notice to lay down his life for its perpetuation.
An American finds nothing at all unusual about getting cold chills when his flag passes in review, for his flag has always been a source of inspiration; when the smoke cleared over Fort McHenry, when its sheen was reflected on the sands of Iwo Jima, and when the colors glistened on the side of the craft which took the first man to the moon. An American sees nothing strange about getting a lump in his throat when the National Anthem is played, or weeping unashamed when taps is played for one who paid the ultimate price for his freedom. He realizes that the only thing that exceeds that price is the freedom itself. An American never forgets the indebtedness he has because of that sacrifice, for without it, his freedom would only be an unreachable concept in some philosopher’s mind.
A true American is the essence of pride in a way of life. What is an American, you say?
he is fortunate.
–Michael Brown