Where do you stand?
It is logical to think that one voice will make no difference. Therefore, it is important for me to honest to myself that what I have done will do little in changing a bigger picture. Unfortunately this is not the case, I can't tell myself that and I hope you think the same as I do. A single voice alone could never make an impact that invokes change or thought, but a single voice can invoke others. One bleep, one disturbance is all it takes for one voice to become several and then a movement.
All that I ask is that you will think about where you stand in this world, how society has influenced you, and how one should identify these concerns. Please allow this to be a place for those thoughts to take seed and bloom. Share your thoughts with me and if you are lucky I will show them to the world just like I am sharing my thoughts with you.
All that I ask is that you will think about where you stand in this world, how society has influenced you, and how one should identify these concerns. Please allow this to be a place for those thoughts to take seed and bloom. Share your thoughts with me and if you are lucky I will show them to the world just like I am sharing my thoughts with you.
The American Identity
Before reading this one should note that this is my identity, and my views and opinions about the American identity. What you do with this is up to you, but I ask you to take the information that I have provided you and spend some time to ask yourself some of these same questions. As you read you will see that the passages have been colored coated. This was not done for fun, but instead as a means for me to better categorize these thoughts. Each segment of red describes how I see my own identity, the blue are narratives of my life that have helped my to come to some of the conclusions that I have reached, the white is what I believe to be the American identity. Again, before you move on I ask that you make an analysis of these identities just as I have done.
Where do I begin? I am sitting here writing this to you, my reader. In the process of reading this you are attempting to understand me, my concept on the American identity, and maybe even a little bit more about your own thoughts of individuality and the American identity. These concepts or ideas are hard for anyone to come to a sound conclusion on because, to be quite honest, there is so much to look at and to consider. Even now, after examining this topic for months, it is still hard to narrow this theme down and define it. Regardless, this is my attempt to define the American Identity, but also my identity as an American.
As humans, there is something in us that makes need to know why for everything. The American identity is exactly that. Again and again we argue over what it means to be an American. We analyze this topic all the time, and as Americans we have some sort of obsession over it. Other countries don't discuss their nationality or their loyalties like America does. Why we care so much is unsure to me, but we do. There is a pride that goes into being an American that makes us feel the need to be different from the world and makes us want to clarify that message to the world.
Categorizing the nation’s people into one slogan in an attempt to name this identity can be difficult, both in terms of conveying it in a logical and coherent way to the world, but also in a way that describes the majority as well. Americans have been named the nation of consumers, the beacon of hope and freedom, a land of tolerance and acceptance and for many reasons these are true. There are also those that tell the world how fat, ignorant, arrogant, self absorbed, and nosy we are. Can we deny those in all honesty? Personally, I don’t think we can, but we can’t use any of these one slogans, good or bad, to define all of America’s values, people, and views.
In search of a way to identify this nation I had to start with its individuals. I would, of course, be this first sample, the first individual. It is easy for anyone to see how these larger ideas of the nation’s identity could fit into their own. I will easily admit that I see the qualities of Americans as;
“...the nation of consumers, the beacon of hope and freedom, a land of tolerance and acceptance and for many reasons these are true. There are also those that tell the world how fat, ignorant, arrogant, self absorbed, and nosy we are.”
both in me and the people around me. Although I see how they fit, it should be understood that they are vague and too general to use when defining a person. So, for myself, I tried to break it down.
Americans like to spend, there is no question about it. We are a nation based on credit, from every person to businesses to our government. We run on debt, live on our credit, and feed by spending. Bad or not, it doesn’t matter because that is a part of who we are. Not only is our economy dependent upon it, but our nation encourages it. This government asks its people to spend to promote industries and we, at least in the past, have been quick to help those in need find a way to spend wether it be through government welfare, bank loans, or even stimulus packages. I think it is important to realize that wether you are one of the many consumers that contribute to this or not, our nation goes far out of its way to give this opportunity to nearly everyone.
There is no way for me to explain my actions or why I do it, but I have to admit, I enjoy spending my money. I work hard for it, just like many of others do, but I also have no problem with using it in ways that I feel fit. This may just be a part of my imagination, but I find this to be the case with many of the people that I know, even if they don’t realize it. Not only that, but I feel inclined to do this. This is what I was taught, so that is how I roll. It is a little humorous because this nation teaches us how to do or see many things. If I am not spending the cash that I don’t need for an emergency it is because I am saving it to spend on something that I can’t afford yet.
It was resent that my brother decided he was going to buy a car. Within the last month he come across a 1998 BMW that seemed to run fine and he had a little extra cash. With a little help he purchased the car, but for what reason? This is a quick anecdote to prove my point because ironically he doesn’t even have a licensee. In reality, he spent his money because he wanted to and I am sure that you have done the same at one point or another.
While on the topic of my brother, a discussion about the nation as a beacon of hope should be covered. America is seen as a safe house from many qualms, and as a relief to many that face adversity. From across seas America is often where dreams of a brighter future are possible, and a place where a new and better life can be lived. This is often categorized as being the American dream.
In the Early 1900’s the US was the place to make something of yourself if you were a working class citizen. European’s flooded in for a chance to make more than ends meet in the quickly developing country that offered many opportunities to its new immigrants. Now this seems to be the same case for a different group of people, the Hispanics. Unlike in the developing portion in America’s history, now immigrants face much more difficulties when trying to enter the US. Regardless of this fact, immigrants still go far out of there way to come to America in hopes of a brighter future. This land is seen as a “beacon of hope” to them, and they believe that upon arriving that they may be able to take advantage of the many opportunities that are available in the States.
And just like that the sky had seemed to fall on us. It didn’t seem that bad because he was only showing signs of some common ailments. Things like fatigue, aches, tiredness, and some small cold issues was it and we all thought it was just the flu. My brother had been diagnosed with Leukemia. He was so close to graduating, was still going through the rigorous process of getting into some of the best art schools in the northeast and then this. For him the world stopped and everything had been taken from him.
Over the course of the next two months he, and I with him, would realize that he still had all of the same opportunities that were available to him before his diagnoses. Through the immediate help offered much by government and charity organizations Victor was able to finish his applications and graduate. He now waits to attend college, which granted him deferment until he finishes his chemotherapy treatments. This nation and its people gave my brother hope and acts as a “beacon of hope” across the world. His experience with cancer has shown me how far people will go to help those in need and to try to make available the best opportunities possible.
Earlier I said that our nation teaches us how to do or see many things. Well the way we view certain topics is extremely important, especially when discussing identities. It was also earlier mentioned that America was a land of tolerance and acceptance. Well, when discussing religion, this holds too true in many ways. Granted there are those opinions that say this isn’t exactly true. Those that argue against this say that there is still prejudice and that, for the most part, America is a Christian nation which is not open to other religious views. Statistics from the US Census Bureau tells us that the majority of Americans (60% to 76%) identify themselves as Christians, mostly within Protestant and Catholic denominations. In terms of Non-Christian religions (including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism etc.), they collectively make up about 3.9% to 5.5% of the adult population. The rest either openly have no affiliation or refuse to say.
So what does this tell us? Well, that maybe we aren’t as open to religious tolerance as we claim. Let me show you why with this quick dialogue:
Margret: Oh my God, how could anyone elect him. Did you know that he is Muslim?
Jacob: Why does that matter, it should have no effect on his ability to lead a nation.
Margret: What are you talking about, of course it does. Our lord God will surely turn his head towards this nation when our leader has no faith in him. His views will have us forgetting about our ties to Israel or getting us into some sort of war because of it.
Jacob: To be honest I don’t see why or how that would happen. His political views should be what matters, not which God he chooses to worship.
For the sake of time and space I did paraphrase this conversation. This was an actual discussion, but to keep the people who participate confidential I have replaced their names. This conversation about Obama before he was a elected was an actual concern. There were also many other nation wide concerns in regards to Obama’s religious views once publicity took a hit on his once was minister.
Stereotyping about every religion is quite common in the US as well starting with slander against Mormons to Jahova Witnesses to Muslims. Since the 9-11 tolerance for Muslims in the US has become almost non-existent. In 2009 New York City made a public cry to remove one of the new Mosque’s being built only a few blocks from where the towers had fell. In this country Mormons have been essentially isolated to Utah and even more specifically, almost completely to Salt Lake City. The next time you hear about someone slamming the door on a Jahova Witness think about the level of tolerance that is.
Regardless of all of these issues against the so called religious tolerance in America because it is still there. Barack Obama was still elected as president, no matter what his faith may be. The mosque was still built and is actually said to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the area. No matter what beliefs you have they are stilled welcomed in America and is backed with the legality of the Bill of Rights. The quality that America has when discussing religion is it gives anyone the opportunity to believe what they want and that in the end it will not be taken from them.
I have had my fair shot at experimenting with religion as well. Just like the majority of Americans, I also, at least at one point, was Christian. For years I had faced various and definitely extreme adversity and turned to God on many occasions. It was always when I was in my most desperate times, but as I have become older, expanded my fields of experiences, been exposed to different churches of the same denominations, and studied more and more of the life science I have shifted away from the house of God. I would say that God is still apart of my identity, but not as strongly as it once was. I now understand that regardless of my faith that the majority of people don’t honestly care and would in fact rather not know, but also that I have the opportunity as an American to believe in what I want to and to preach it how I feel it.
Almost identical to the discussion of religious tolerance is that of ethnic tolerance. Race is a concern and factor in all regions of the world. Although this is true, race in America is unique when comparing it to world views. It always has been and always will be too. This is because the US is a nation that prides itself on housing people from every flag and of every color. This is a nation that, for over a century, calls itself the “mixing pot” and the “salad bowl.”
Granted, it hasn’t always been that way. At one point the nation’s economy was heavily based on slave labor. In fact, it took decades upon decades before the US changed its slave labor policies. Racism still floated on the surface of American water for much time after the abolishment of slavery as well. Since the Civil Rights Movement though, the nation has become exceedingly known for its role as an leading the way to equal opportunities for all.
Mud sprayed everywhere and the rain was only rolling down harder and harder. There were a few points during the game that it was even hard to keep track of the soccer ball through the wall of down pour. It didn’t matter though, each team was still determined to win. I didn’t understand why they all took the game so seriously, but they always played like their lives depended on it. It didn’t really matter to me either way though, so I kept playing too. The game was coming to an end soon and it was still tied. The last thing I remember is that everyone was leaving mad because the game had ended as a tie and that I was dropped with a hard kick to ball that went straight into my face. The kid looked down at me and while glaring at him I heard a washed out voice say, “Puta puta.” That in english meant, “fucking bitch” and came from a mexican kid that lived down the street.
Growing up in an area that was heavily populated with Mexicans taught me many things. One of them was that, just like white people, Mexicans had no problem with throwing around profanity. It also taught me that they were no different from anyone else no matter where they came from or what color they were, regardless of how juvenile that one on the soccer field ended up being. I have lived in many areas of the US and on both sides of the nation. Due to that I have seen and met many different types of people and have been able to see how the nation’s people handle ethnicity and color differences. For the most part, from what I have experienced, the majority of the people in the nation share my view on this issue. There are very few racist and in general the US truly does welcome all flags into its nation. I believe that this nation is closer than any to giving equal opportunities to all ethnicities and colors.
Living in Lake Tahoe, California for a good portion of my life also made me aware of a few other cultural phenomenons. One being the need to conform and individualize amongst the youth of America. Of course I believe that these are universal issues, but I also believe that it is unique to America for many reasons. Something that I have found is that individuality in America is more predominate than else where in the world. Conformity is much more dramatic in America and in ways that make other nations see conformity in the US as cult like. This is because America is a nation of drama. Our free time is spent in our social lives and we are drenched in concern of what others are doing, and because of this it is important to us, on so many levels, how people view us. The value that individuality and conformity in Americans has, especially its youth, is much greater than that throughout most of the world. This is observable on both sides of the nation, trust me on that because I have lived and dealt with these issues myself on both sides of the nation and in various parts of each.
“Jesus”
“You ready Anthony?”
“...”
Then the two of hit the slope. It was my first black diamond and I was only seven, but that wasn’t why I was scared. There was a blizzard of fresh powder snow out. This very instance was that start to my skiing live style and would be how I would describe myself to the world. For years, I was different from the rest of the people around me because of my skiing life. That is what I thought at least and that is how I wanted to be viewed. In fact, at the time it was important to me that I was viewed that way because I wanted to go pro. Granted, I was young and it was a bit of a reach to getting to that point, but still plausible. Either way, I was a skier.
I could feel the metal spikes on the bottom of my shoes grip to the red-orange rubber as I dig to fight the burn that was consuming my body. I had to win, I had to reach that finish line first if I wanted to give my team any advantage to winning the meet. Sweat rolled down my face as I rounded the turn to the home stretch, and the memories of all the miles that were put into training flooded into my mind and then into my muscles. I kicked hard to the finish line.
Once I was a skier, now I am a runner. Since I left Tahoe my dreams of becoming a professional skier faded with my fading memories of Tahoe. That is okay though, I have found something new - running. Although I am not nearly as talented of a runner as I was a skier, the transition from one to the other was extraordinarily easy. Easy because America’s values of individuality and conformity. People wanted to know who I was, how I would describe myself to the world, and how I would fit in. America is unique when discussing individuality and conformity because here you have the opportunity to tell everyone who you are and how you want them to view you, but also because you have the opportunity to change that image whenever. Here you have the opportunity to be, to change and no matter the case always conform by being an “individual.”
It is, of course, impossible to talk about the American identity without discussing freedom. Freedom is the foundation to the great life that Americans live. Just like how much of the world views the US as a beacon of hope, the US is also the ultimate freedom fighter. This freedom is the basis and the backbone to this nations power. As the leader in world affairs, America acts as the defender for the defenseless.
The role that freedom plays in the US is unbelievable. Americans define themselves and the nation that they live in as the symbol of freedom. It from England is where it began and now it has spread like a passion fire in the States. The value that Americans place on the freedom to live where they want, do what they want, and say what they want is priceless. For these reason people argue that the American identity is its freedom, but I would like to tell you that it is the opportunities that are created and made available for it nation’s people by freedom.
Over and over again we see the overwhelming opportunity that Americans have. The quality of life in the US is based on the opportunities that the nation provides. The nation acts as a beacon of hope giving those that could live better lives a chance to do so upon taking advantage of the opportunities provided. America acts a temple for all religions and as a safe house for all colors. It welcomes its people to identify themselves uniquely and differently from anyone or anything. America is a land of freedom, but the American identity is the American Opportunity.
Third grade: Playing soccer along side Mexican-americans during recess
Fifth grade: Scrappin’ with Mexican’s in the school yard and stealing snacks form the corner store.
Sixth grade: Street fights between rival neighborhoods.
Eighth grade (Part one): Joins cross country upon Dad’s request to stay in shape for ski season.
Eighth grade (Part two): Initiation to town gang begins
Eighth grade (Part three): Move to Nevada. No running water, bath, toilet, electricity. Broken wood stove heats cracker jack house in 20 degree weather.
Eighth grade (Part four): Move to New York. Joins the track team.
Tenth grade: Enrollment in Advanced Placement course. Teams best runner; Track MVP.
Twelfth grade: High school track star. Acceptance to nearly all applied colleges.
Sophomore: First of any generation to attend full time to any university.
I believe that the American identities is best described as the American opportunity because I have lived that opportunity that most people take for granted. The American identity is the opportunity to live or not to live in the way that one will, or want, or need to.