Lewis Lapham wrote the article, "Who and What is Amercian?", which discusses the controversy over what really makes an American. He talks about the American government and all the differences in culture, race, political and moral views, and religious beliefs that spread throughout the large majority of people who traveled from all across the world to live freely, together as one. Lepham greatly talked about the want to be alike to one another and how we all Americans have an ideal image of what I would like to call the "Perfect American" in our minds. He also later on in his article wrote more about the government controversies of America and stated, "...the institutions of American government were meant to support the liberties of the people not the ambitions of the state"(11).
When I think of America, I think of people of every shape, color, accent, and beliefs. I typically do not think of this one image of what makes an American, although I would be lying if I said I never have. But when you really think about it, an American is really just people from all over the world who come together with all their different skills and knowledge and work together to help make the best of what is around them. Working together, teaching each other, and sharing stories from their past, whether it be from families who traveled from all across the world on ships or someone who flew across the country to a different city. We as Americans are always striving to become just like the people on T.V., or just like our friends around us, when really we should just be ourselves and treat everyone equally. Lapham wrote, "What joins the Americans one to another is not a common nationality, language, race, or ancestry but rather their complicity in a shared work of the imagination."(11) In my own words, it should not be about how much money you have, what color you are, what you drive, or what kind of clothes you wear, but instead, what are you doing to contribute to your country as an American citizen?
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The United States of America is a unique country. Unlike other countrys it is a melting pot of different cultures becoming one united nation. The United States would not be like how it is today without immigrants bringing over their cultures and introducing america to their beliefs. Imagine if immigrants from different countries were never allowed to enter the united states and only the british settlers were allowed to live here. There would only be one type of church and everyone would be methodist or some form of christian. There wouldn't be any synagogues or temples. How boring would our country be if there was only one religion? I agree with you, there will never be a proper way to describe an american. Every american is different and has different beliefs and views.
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