How do you feel being an American especially now in turbulent times?

[Mari Cella]

...just curious to know more about what others think. I've become more appreciative of the freedoms I have rather than those I don't have. Though my upbringing is bi-cultural, I identify more with the American influence on me.

I saved this post from an email discussion on AOL which defines eloquently freedom in America.

America is an 'anything goes' culture. We are the land of the free and the home
of the brave--those brave enough to embrace freedom. That means freedom for everyone.
Freedom to retain one's culture. Freedom to adopt another. Freedom to speak
out against prejudice. Freedom to BE prejudiced.

In a free society, the good comes with the bad and that in itself is subject to
interpretation. It should be anarchy here--and often feels that it is--but it is
the absolute devotion to freedom that we Americans hold as our basic
and inalienable truth that keeps it from being so. We are held in line by our
opposites. Without those opposite views and values, freedom would cease to
exist.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction--it holds true in every aspect of life.
For every person who says "be like the rest of us or go home!" there is another who says,
"I'm not like you and I AM home!" We don't have to ascribe to another's beliefs or values
or biases to respect that person's right to have them. I can despise everything the KKK
stands for but the fact that they have a right and a liberty to ascribe to it themselves
is sacred. We, as Americans, MUST remember that. To forget it allows might to make right.
It allows genocide, witch burnings, gaybashing and censorship.
[e-mail] 9/1/2006

[Harley Hans Hoglin]

You know, the line about the KKK, is sad but true. So many times countries in Europe bad talk us here in the U.S.A., and go on about all there freedoms, yet groups like the KKK couldn't go out in public in most of those countries.

They made racist talk a crime, where as here in America we only make speech a crime, when it can be shown that it could or did lead to hurting some one. Or if what you call free speech would be looked upon as unhealthy to the community and the children there in. There are laws against public nudity, and cursing in public, and porno is controlled,yet in the right place all are allowed.

When it comes to being an American, I have no problem with people who come here that want to retain their old culture, but I do expect them to learn to speak English, and except our way of life, and not expect me to change to make them feel like they were still back in their old country.

We all have to have some common ground or we destroy ourselves.

"A house divided against it's self can not stand." A. Lincoln