Posted on 01/11/2003 9:43:17 PM PST by redrock
What Is An American?
A primer.
By Peter Ferrara, an associate professor of law at the George Mason University School of Law. September 25, 2001 9:20 a.m.
You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper there an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.
So I just thought I would write to let them know what an American is, so they would know when they found one.
An American is English or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani, or Afghan.
An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them choose.
An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.
An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God- given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness.
An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country. As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.
An American does not have to obey the mad ravings of ignorant, ungodly cruel, old men. American men will not be fooled into giving up their lives to kill innocent people, so that these foolish old men may hold on to power. American women are free to show their beautiful faces to the world, as each of them choose.
An American is free to criticize his government's officials when they are wrong, in his or her own opinion. Then he is free to replace them, by majority vote.
Americans welcome people from all lands, all cultures, all religions, because they are not afraid. They are not afraid that their history, their religion, their beliefs, will be overrun, or forgotten. That is because they know they are free to hold to their religion, their beliefs, their history, as each of them choose.
And just as Americans welcome all, they enjoy the best that everyone has to bring, from all over the world. The best science, the best technology, the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best athletes.
Americans welcome the best, but they also welcome the least. The nation symbol of America welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.
These in fact are the people who built America. Many of them were working in the twin towers on the morning of September 11, earning a better life for their families.
So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo and Stalin and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world.
But in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.
So look around you. You may find more Americans in your land than you thought were there. One day they will rise up and overthrow the old, ignorant, tired tyrants that trouble too many lands. Then those lands too will join the community of free and prosperous nations.
And America will welcome them.
redrock
redrock
Does this mean we get to ignore Norm Minetta?
The author obviously ignores recent court rulings.
Yes....
redrock
It is fairly well documented that Laws and Rulings that are UnConstitutional....can be ignored.
redrock
Me.
Next question.
Birth of Tha SYNDICATE, the philosophical heir to William Lloyd Garrison.
101 things that the Mozilla browser can do that Internet Explorer cannot.
The crap article above mentions none of that.
This type of thinking is why we have illegal immigrants tolerated in this country. They just want to be free, looking for a better life etc.
This writing is like Rodney King's "why can't we all just get along" feel good nonsense". - Tom
No...the REASON we have so many illegal immigrants in our Nation is due to the government NOT enforcing the laws.
..and those laws NEED to be enforced.
But..at the same time....as a Nation and a people....we need to welcome into this Nation everyone who wishes to LEGALLY immigrate.
It's how most of our ancestors got here....
redrock
redrock
Agreed about enforcing the laws. But the touchy feely "they come here for a better life and freedom" stuff justs gets in the way of enforcing the law against illegals.
But..at the same time....as a Nation and a people....we need to welcome into this Nation everyone who wishes to LEGALLY immigrate.
Are you going to welcome Muslims whose objectives are to take over and institute sharia law by legally immigrating to this country?
It's how most of our ancestors got here....
When most of our ancestors came as poor people there was no welfare state. If they suffered economic hardships it was no ones fault but their own. Today many people are coming here for guaranteed economic benifits provided by the saps that work and pay taxes.
The people in Lewiston Maine and elsewhere are finding out first hand about legal Muslim immigration.
There is nothing sacred today about poor immigrants., This country is already developed and we need people to keep it that way. Not the ones who end up on welfare and don't want to learn the language.
There are very few of us Americans whose ancestors ethnic language was English. But we learned English because it was the language of this country, and because we wanted to become Americans and not just some ethnic group living in America clinging to our failed culture which prompted our ancestors to pack up and leave their homes for opportunity in the good old USA.- Tom
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