What is an American?

Around the world, there is a common stereotype of Americans as fat, lazy, stupid and uncultured. Sometimes it may make us ashamed of our country, especially when people say and do things that reinforce the stereotype. But in a country where we have fought against stereotypes for so long, why let our nation be confined by just that? In the spirit of American liberty and opportunity, I prefer to discuss the positive aspects of our nation instead.

Take American culture, for one. Among all of the world's rich and beautiful cultures, American culture is arguably the most beautiful, because it takes all different kinds of people and cultures and combines them into one. Simply by driving through Chicago, you could see a Chinese dim sum restaurant, an Indian sari shop, a Greek orthodox church, and a mexican mural all in the same area. America has always been a thriving center of immigration, and though we may take it for granted, it is more than you can say for most other countries.

I think what it means to be American is largely interpretive because of the many different types of people that are considered to be part of our culture. Each person who lives in our country re-defines the term "American," and becomes another star in the swirling galaxy of our ever-changing culture.