What is an American?

I've been thinking about this, lately, what with the Imperial Decree from El Jefe that we WOULD admit all those He deemed worthy - not those icky non-Hispanic immigrants, who fail to show proper homage by voting solidly Democratic.  No, the Right Kind of immigrants, who deliver the Dem vote, year after year, and - this is a plus - also show up at rallies demanding their Right to take over this country, and join any union that will have them, cheerfully paying exorbitant fees for - nothing.

Like we're gonna let that happen.  The world already has enough failed dictatorships.

I've been thinking about what it means to be an American:

• You might, like me, have a family history that traces to BEFORE this was a United States - even before the American Revolution.


• Or, you might be the 1st generation to hit our shores.


• You might, like me, be of largely Euro background.


• Or, you might be from any other ethnic branch, or several.


• You might be Christian - if viewed by that sole criteria, we are perhaps the largest religious group.


• You might be Jewish, Muslim, Hindi, Buddhist, or another group - or none at all (both non-believers, who don't care what you believe, and atheists - who feel COMPELLED to tell the other groups that they are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG - do you hear them?  WRONG!).


• You might be rich - we do have a lot of them in the USA.


• You might be poor - again, we have a lot of people who consider themselves poor (although, it must be said, by the world's standards, even our poor people are quite rich).


• Probably, like most Americans, you would be considered middle-class.

Really, there are relatively few requirements for being an American:

• You might get it easily - through birth (talk about hitting the lottery!)


• You might have taken the slow road - getting permission to enter (Visa), applying for residency, learning our main language (English), about the rules and customs of our nation, and about the Constitution and our history.  I've seen videos of naturalization ceremonies, and they always bring tears to the surface.


• Or, you might have crossed the border without permission (or, overstayed a legal Visa), and taken advantage of various amnesty programs.

Once part of the family, however, you are IN all the way.  No "American, but not really" status in our country.

Not all Americans appreciate this country.  Many want to change it - some in a radical way.  A very few despise the United States of America.  Even so, they remain Americans.

Many radicals would like to pretend that when Conservatives say "I want my country back!" they mean they'd like to take possessions, rights, and power away from non-White people.

No.

What they mean is:  I want the Constitution's limitations on power to be respected.  I want laws and rules to apply to ALL consistently.  I want incentives for NOT working to be reduced (and, eventually, eliminated). I want those who earn money to KEEP their money.  I want opportunities in America to be for ALL, not just those who suck up to the people in power.