What is an American

            To most people living in America, being an American is thought to be a great thing. The American dream sought out by the founding fathers and immigrants that were striving to get to this country was the doctrine of: "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". Americans get to make their own choices. They get to express themselves through freedom of speech without being afraid they will be put in prison or killed. Americans can be free in what they choose to wear and what they choose to do with their time and money. To people who aren't American, life is about family, happiness, freedom, and white picket fences. To other people, American life is the life. The only thing is, that's most people.
             To me, being an American isn't the greatest thing. I think that out of all the places to live, America is the best, but to me that's not saying much. If America was really like all the adjectives that are associated with it, freedom, peace, diversity, acceptance, and equality, it would truly be a great place. Somewhere along the way to modernization, these founding ideas were lost and twisted to spit out the America we have today. .
             When people come to America from countries of oppression, tyranny, and subjugation, they are expecting to come into a country of freedom and self-expression. Instead they get only half the package. The American government doesn't oppress the citizens; it's the people who do it to each other. There is so much ignorance in the country it creates a huge amount of negativity towards people who don't resemble the painted picture of an American. People who come here expect to be welcomed with open arms since this is the country of opportunity and freedom, but instead they are called names and harassed because they have an accent or wear a veil. That is when they find out that the free country isn't really that free at all. .
             We as Americans are supposed to want peace and freedom throughout the world.