What exactly is an AMERICAN?
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What exactly is an AMERICAN?
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I mean I keep hearing people referring to themselves as Americans, to "others" who are in their country, legal or not, as "outsiders". It's such a consistent mentality that I just have to wonder if there are others who cringe when they hear people talk like that?
EVERY person in America is an immigrant, unless you are of aboriginal descent. So when did this "right" to segregate yourselves from others and plant a stakeholders claim come to be exactly? If you have a certificate in hand that says I'm entitled and you're not can you just pull that out please?
Maybe when that attitude changes, other things will start to change too...because right now it seems to me that most Americans and just digging themselves deeper into a hole with this "holier than thou" attitude.
Comments? Additional Details And if you plan to dispute this, I'd like for you to state how you can claim to be a multi-cultural nation at the same time.
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glitterbabeprincess
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YOU KNOW YOU ARE RIGHT!!!!!!!!!
PROUD TO BE MEXICAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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katjha2005
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I have yet to hear anyone refer to any immigrant here legal or not as "outsiders".. but whatever... an American is a US Citizen- I am not an immigrant because I was born a US citizen.. my family fought and died for this country so that their future generations (such as me and my family) would not be considered an immigrant but a US citizen and have every right, privilege, and freedom given to me under the US Constitution
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That is because US citizens are considered Americans.. we used the term.. Mexico used The United Mexican States.. Canada used Canada- We used The United States of America and called ourselves American... nobody else on the continent used that term.... but hey if it makes you feel better to call yourself an American.. more power to you.. keep in mind though.. when you tell someone from another country "You are American" they are going to think you are from the US ... but go with that |
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tx_mstry_lady
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An American is one who Is a Legal citizen or Becomes a legal citizen and who does the best to his/her ability to abide by the laws of the nation. Not someone who comes here just make money and live on welfare and get free food, free rent and free medical care. |
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Lynne
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An American is someone who beleives in the freedoms we have. Fights for them, argues about them, and defends them.
It doesn't matter where you were born at, it's an attitude....
Normally it also means that you were born here, in this country. Those that are Naturalized, or come here legally are alwayswelcome....those that sneak in, give everyone who follows the rules to get here, a bad name.
The Immigrant label doesn't last past the first generation born here.....those are native citizens. The parents were immigrants, but that's what we are...a country of immigrants, and people who chose to fight for a better life than the one we left behind.....
PS: There were no aborigines here......they are Native Americans, aka Indians. |
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lissie
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1. of or pertaining to the United States of America or its inhabitants: an American citizen.
2. of or pertaining to North or South America; of the Western Hemisphere: the American continents.
3. of or pertaining to the aboriginal Indians of North and South America, usually excluding the Eskimos, regarded as being of Asian ancestry and marked generally by reddish to brownish skin, black hair, dark eyes, and prominent cheekbones.
–noun 4. a citizen of the United States of America.
5. a native or inhabitant of the Western Hemisphere.
6. an Indian of North or South America.
7. American English.
8. a steam locomotive having a four-wheeled front truck, four driving wheels, and no rear truck. |
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Rabid Frog
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Those rights you seem to want to challenge are part of our constitution and I think the holier than thou you have down perfectly, Canada is not affected in great numbers (as yet) by this situation but if the economy of the US starts to fail you can bet your Canadian snow you will be, we are just the first stop on the road across the border. It is a little easy for you to sit up there and judge the US when you have little if any experience with this situation, and as I actually like Canada and Canadians I hope you never do have to deal with it.
As for what is an American from the US, it is those who were born here and those who have enough respect to follow the law in order to become one. Our tax dollars are as important to us as yours are to you and when you are basically taking care of 12 to 18 million people from other countries and have seen the problems and the injury then we can have a real conversation about it. |
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whoa mamma!!!
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Anyone who is a legal citizen! There is so much more but thats the bottom line. |
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angela R
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I completely agree with you...YES I cringe when some say, its MY America, not yours.....It is a sense of entitlement, and it really stinks....We are NOT better than others....We are all human and equal....This country is great because we are immigrants....Immigrants from all over the world....Made this country what it is today....Great question a star foryou! You really capture what is wrong with this country! Bigots are destroying our country! |
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mnwomen
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I am not an immigrant as I was born in the United States. That makes me a citizen. Now my fathers great grandfather was an immigrant but all after that were citizen. The certificate I hold that says I'm entitled to all rights of a legal citizen is called my birth certifcate. I dont want all immigration stopped just the illegals. Obey the laws and US welcomes you. The attitude that needs to change is the illegals attitude that they have a right to ignore our laws. |
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Big Dave
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An American is a naturalized citizen either born here or who immigrated here. I cant see any other description besides that, although patriotism is a description all its own. |
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Anne
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First all counties are make up of immigrates. Lets say you are a citizen of Mexico, would you not say that Spanish is the language of your country, English is the language of the USA and we hold it dear, as Mexicans or other counties that have their languages dear to them. That is only one that makes us Americans. As for being holier than thou, we have the right to be any way we choose, and if others do not like it , stay home |
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kscottmccormick
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I'll bet you are not an immigrant. I'll bet you were born here. My first white ancestors arrived here in 1620. It would seem pretty stupid for me to go around referring to myself as an "immigrant," wouldn't it, even if I weren't part "aboriginal," as you so quaintly put it?
This is not a "holier than thou" attitude. It is plain common sense that we can't accommodate everyone in the world who figures they could make more money if they moved here. The population is now 300 million. How large a population do you think would be enough? |
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loyal 2 tha bone
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you write to damn much |
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chris j
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Somebody who works hard all day, drinks beer all night, and watches sports on the weekend!! lol |
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greenie
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I am a legal immigrant, going through the legal process, had blood drawn and I consider myself an american, because I choose to come to a country called america. If I was to go to Australia, that would make me an australian and if I migrated to Italy that would make me an italian. Get it?
I pay taxes and love the oppertunities this country gives and I am proud to be a part of something good (eventhough it has alot of bad - just like lots of other countries)
Oh yeah and I support the troups!
Reading your comments, you sound like a bitter yealous old hag without a clue. |
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Fuzzy Gnome
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An American is anyone who lives in the continents of North America or South America. You are probably referring to "Estado Unidenses" as we are known in South America. I would not consider most members of our country immigrants as that should be a term reserved for people who have themselves transfered from one culture to another. I think our tendency to segregate is deeply embedded in our culture. We have experienced the same immigrant segregation when waves of Irish and Scottish immigrated. Eventually, these people were accepted and became a fiber of our cultural blanket. I believe the same is happening with these new waves of immigrants. |
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Didi
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An American is someone who is from America. United States of America is not the only country in America so anyone in South or Central America is an American. Also, people from the Caribbean are Americans.
You are so very right when you said that every person in U.S. is an inmigrant unless they are Native Americans. What people dont understand is thay maybe their grandparents were born in the US, but they have to search their genealogy. |
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ohyeah y
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anyone that lives in south or north America. they could be spanish , white, black, asian , native, or any other race I've missed. |
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pinkaqualove
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THis is a comment to my question that i posted about my mother in law. I am a mother of a 7 year old and a 4 month old both girls. I would never though cause the problems she has for me and my children read my other questions just to see what i went threw lots just to keep my husband happy. Its time for me though to take care of my marriage because with her in it, it wasnt going to be kept. |
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Soccer_chick :)
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An American is known by that if they were born in the U.S. or when they immigrated they got there citizenship. Just because you live in America doesn't mean your American. You have to be born in America or become an American citizen. |
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The_Detailer
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In todays world, you are only American if you are hear ilegaly, a minority, handicapped, gay, or on welfare. They are the only ones getting the free handouts. Every other hardworking American pays full taxes. We work for everything we have. Political correctness has gone to far! We are having our rights nickle and dimed away from us everyday! I am a no-smoker, but I do not agree with all the smoking bans going on all over the country. Boroughs and townships telling home and land owners what they can and cannot do to thier property is another loss of freedom.
If you were born in America, or came to this country legaly and work plus pay taxes, you should be an American.
I say it is time to close our borders with a sighn that reads, " NO ROOM AT THE INN " |
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Dowahdiddy
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How's this, I'm an American. I was born in this country, I HAVE BEEN IN THE US MILITARY AND FOUGHT FOR MY COUNTRY, I am proud of my country and when I go to other countries I still return home, the country I am proud of.
Sorry but I read someone was proud of being a Mexican and I don't see how that's true when they don't go back to Mexico. My family is German and I am proud of my family but I have no desire to go to Germany or even call myself German.
My grandfather and grandmother came from Germany and he joined the Union Army for America. My father was in the US Military. All my brothers were in one branch of the US Military or another and I was in the US Marines.
Now, DAMMIT, I can say that I'm an AMERICAN! |
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vincefoster
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You are an idiot. Not everyone is an immigrant. Get a dictionary. Use it. |
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Ted Kennedy
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A person born in the United States of legal immigrants or citizens, or people who came to the USA legally and became naturalized citizens, and unfortunately, those given amnesty under the law. |
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If the illegals put as much effort into changing their government? |
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Really who cares if they Learn English or not? |
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Why do ppl got 2 hate on mexicans? |
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I am Pro-Comprehensive Immigration Reforms, Civil Rights, & Amnesty for Immigrants who deserve it! I'm Mexican |
To whom it May concern:
Does Yahoo Answers allow users to share their knowledge, experience and opinions ?
So, why some of my answers were deleted???
I am Mexican! ... |
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Our national language is still English right? |
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