"Typical American"!
The only thing I can really say about the USA is how I see it and how I feel about it. I was born here, I grew up here, had a baby here and here in the USA will probably be where I call home for the rest of my life. (of course I won't say never to any possiblity).
To all of you, who do not live here, I personally welcome you to come here and maybe even stay. I only ask that you respect others the same way you would wish to be respected.
I have been labeled a "typical American." for both good and bad reasons. I consider the term "typical American" a good term for people who are either ignorant or bigoted. The influences that shape an individual's personality have too many variations throughout this country.
A child growing up in a large city often does not grow up with the same issues (and sometimes cultural values) as one who grows up in a small town. The American experience in the urban setting cannot be identical to that in the rural or suburban environments.
And not every US citizen was born, or grew up, within these borders. My husband did not but, since the spring of 1999 he has been a US citizen.
It is true, that he has an accent.
It is also true, that the culture that influenced him and his personality
in his native Egypt will be carried with him for life.
But he is a United States citizen.
He is "American"
The USA, like Canada, Australia, New Zealand and much of Latin America is a nation of immigrants. Or should I say, a nation of rejects from other places? Most immigrants did not and still don't come here as a "first choice." Their motivation to come here started in their homeland with a few exceptions. � Africans Americans, who came to these shores, before 1820, came without a choice under the most tragic condition known to the history of humanity. � Mexicans families who were living in what is now part of South West became USers only after the land they lived on became a spoil of the Mexican-American war. Puerto Ricans had the same fate after the Spanish-American war.
Of course, human history on this land started long before 1492. The original Americans had just as many assorted languages and cultures thriving here as Europe, Africa and Asia did.
I would also like to add that the transformation from the immigration experience to being part of the generations that followed is a unique experience within ethnic group.
Sometimes, even within the same ethnic groups the transfomation between generations are different when the families come to these shore within different time frames.
� An Asia American, whose ancesters arrived in the 19th century, is going to have a different family history from another Asian who flies into our nations international airports today.
� The African slave descendant, who had ancesters spent generations in the Caribbean before coming onto US soil is going to have different family stories from another African American, whose ancestors came here directly even if their ancesters left the same fortresses in Ghana or Liberia.
� The same can be said for European Immigrant experiences and how their family background experience the transformation depending on when they arrive here, either through the INS or when Ellis Island was used for real.
Don't even get me started on the Spanish American experience. My Cuban friends frequently do not agree with my Chilean friends about US foreign policy. They both have family members who were directly effected by some of the events that took place within their homelands and as far as I'm concerned they both have valid points.
There has never been a "typical American" and probably never will be. US college students (or the drop outs) who go to Fort Lauderdale, Florida during spring break have one agenda, while other US citizens who go to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the battle's anniversary have another agenda and at the same time people go to Yellowstone for their own reasons. Their behavior is going to be as different as their values.
To those of you who wish to judge all of us, based on what (a) you see in the news, (b) who you met as an obnoxious tourist or (c) what you see in a few US tourist hot spots, .... by all means, go ahead and generalize. Be as ignorant as we USers are often accused of being.
All of the ethnics groups that I mentioned may have their differences. Occassionally (perhaps too often) we have to be reminded of how important it is to settle differences in a constructive mannor. (Most of the time US citizens have been successful even though success never gets into the world news.)
The most important detail I see is that we all live here. We have the same complaints about filing our income taxes, shop at the same supermarket chains, send our children to the similar school systems and watch the same lame TV shows.
I will also say, that I love my family and friends the same way you love yours. I have known many people who will never be famous but have my greatest admiration and respect. I have also encountered US born criminals and corrupt officials and witnessed the suffering they caused. Plus I have watched neighbors lose their homes and life savings because one family member became terminally ill and they had no health insurance.
Even though I could brag about how great this nation is, (there are some things I do love about the USA) I will never take away the fact that there are many great things to say about many nations, including nations that were, and in some cases still are, regarded as enemies.
(Political leaders are usually special words anyway)!
I will also be the first person to say that improvements need to be made on many levels, in many regions here and I am not alone here. Attempts at making many improvements is often a serious challenge. We in the USA, frequently do not agree with each other about how the Constitutional Amendment is to be interpreted. For decades, the Supreme Court has been a battle ground for many highly emotional issues including reproductive rights, gun control, freedom of speech, capital punishment, affirmative action and many other social concerns. So don't be shocked when there are USers who disagree with you on some emotional international issues.
Sometimes I wish we were not a world power because the problems and solutions on a domestic level alone are never simple. I seriously don't believe we need the aggravation concerning problems that exist on every corner of the world, especially if what we support or do in another nation becomes counter productive to the people living there.
On a final note, I wish to say that:
We the people, do the best we can
to do what we feel is right,
while at the same time, try not to step on the toes
of our neighbors whose family histories are so
different from each of our own family's histories.
You try that!