Kelsey Glasco
ENG 241
Dear Future American Citizen,
It is my understanding that you are immigrating to America, but you are not sure what it really means to become an American Citizen. By definition an American is someone who is born in America. This may be what the dictionary says, but that is not what I believe. Anyone who has faith and love for their country is an American. We must always remember that we are a nation of immigrants and that we are all equal in many ways. However, I do know that the freedoms that you have in the United States are different than those in other countries. When the American Constitution was established, there were beliefs that all citizens should have basic freedoms and rights. These basic beliefs laid the foundation for our country. We would not have a democratic government if citizens were not given these basic rights. Some of these freedoms include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press. If we as Americans do not exercise these rights, then what is the point of having them? For example, if a person is given the right to vote and they do not vote, then they are not participating in the success of our country because they did not express their opinion of who they thought would best run this country. If no one voted, then the person/persons being elected would be chosen by the government and that is not a fair way of including all Americans in the voting process. As Americans, we have been introduced to many cultures in this country. We all converse with each other on a day to day basis and this communication is what makes us upstanding American citizens. Equality is a very important value to have as an American and it is something that is taken very seriously in many communities throughout the United States. Equality is not always about race, there is also gender and physical differences that need to be considered. As an American we need to remember that we are all Americans together. Just because someone looks different or acts different, doesn’t mean that they do not deserve the same respect that we would like to have in return. In American History we had slavery. This is a prime example of how we did not show equality at some point in our life as an American. Without Harriet Tubman or Frederick Douglass we would not be at the state of equality that we are at today. If you have great love, respect, and loyalty to this country then you are an American. Whether you were born here or whether you immigrated here, you are an American based upon those standards. I do not think that the Americans who were born in the United States really appreciate what they have been given. So many people fight to have the freedoms that we are given and they get taken for granted. I think that the freedom of speech is taken for granted the most by American citizens. A lot of people do not see the importance of this right, but a real American understands that not everyone is able to say what they think and how they feel every single day. Along with these freedoms, you are also expected to be responsible for your actions. If you make a mistake, you are expected to own up to it and fix the problem if possible. Another freedom that we do not appreciate is being able to listen to music. In some cultures, people are not even aloud to listen to music and if they are, it has to be a certain genre. That is one of the little freedoms that we do not think about. People who join the armed forces show their love and protection for this country. They truly are a prime example of what it means to be an American. They are constantly risking their lives every day for our freedoms and we need to appreciate them more for that. To be a real American you need to respect authority. This means that you need to respect your elders and law enforcement officials. These people care about you every day and it should be expected that we show them the most respect possible. The media tries their best to show you what the American lifestyle is like, but you really don’t know until you see it for yourself. I know that you will do great things when you move to the United States, and I am thankful for people like you who actually respect and love this country and appreciate the opportunity that they have been given.
I wish you the best of luck!
Sincerely,
Kelsey Glasco
