What is an "American"

“"What is an American"

"You probably missed it in the rush of news last week, but there was
actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper
an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American. So

I just thought I would write to let them know what an American is, so
they would know when they found one.

An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish,
Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Mexican, African,
Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or
Pakistani, or Afghan. An American may also be a Cherokee, Osage,
Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, or one of the many other tribes known as
native Americans.

An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or
Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan.

The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each
of
them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For
that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed
thugs
claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the
world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of
Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each man and
woman to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every
other nation in the world in their time of need. When Afghanistan was
overrun by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and
supplies to enable the people to win back their country. As of the
morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation
to the poor in Afghanistan. The best products, the best books, the best

music, the best food, the best athletes.

Americans welcome the best, but they also welcome the least. The
national symbol of America welcomes your tired and your poor, the
wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed.
These in fact are the people who built America. Some of them were
working in the Twin Towers on the morning of September 11, earning a
better life for their families.

The people in the Towers were from at least 30, and maybe many more,
other
countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and

abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did
General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty
tyrant
in the history of the world. But, in doing so you would just be killing

yourself because Americans are not a particular people from a
particular
place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom.
Everyone
who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

So look around you. You may find more Americans in your land than you
thought were there. One day they will rise up and overthrow the old,
ignorant, tired tyrants that trouble too many lands. Then those lands,
too, will join the community of free and prosperous nations. And,
America will welcome them!”

“Wow that is well put!

Holy #&%!$!!!!!

8|”

“Pretty nice stuff.”

“I'm a white guy. Does that count?”

“Interesting piece. Where did you steal it?”

“Stealing is an American tradition.”

“Geez, guys ease up. I don't think he's trying to pass it off as his own. Maybe he just didn't think to add the credits.

Walkindude, I'm a white chick and I'm pretty sure it counts.”

“But I'm not a White chick either.
I guess I don't count. :(
.”

“Er... ah.... did you see this part?

"I just thought I would write to let them know what an American is, so they would know when they found one."

That's pretty blatant (and I don't think he EVER gives credit --- or posts anything about BPing).


And Yes, Bacpac, stealing IS an American tradition, By G-d! LOL

Got anything worth stealing? I'll be by later.”

“P.S. I'm not a White Chick either, but some of my best friends are White Chicks!”

“I know some Mexican chicks.
Maybe.......I'm Mexican?”

“Okay, Tilt, I was just trying to fight for the little guy. But maybe your right.

Also, Walkindude, maybe your some kind of bizarro cross-breed, that people don't like to mention in inspiration, patriotic messages, 'cause it makes others uncomfortable! LOL!”

“Excuse me while I break my arm patting myself on the back, <GRIN>. Sorry about the fuss, but I've about hit my load limit.


But some of my best friends Really Are White Chinks, I swear!”

“Man, that is One Fuct Up Typo! LOLOL”

“Could be NG.”

“Everyone is probably more cross-bred than we think. Even whitebread Southern boys like myself can be an amazing melting pot. My heritage is mostly English, but there's also Irish, German, Swiss, Cherokee, and even, I believe, black. So if anyone's going to cause discomfort around here, it's me.

Damn, why does that seem to be what I'm usually doing?

lol.....”

“My family tree go back to the Adam & Ave days.......I think.”

“Someone that has the right to bear arms, and shoot those mofu terrorists.”

“As a proud American, please pay all appropriate taxes at the time they are due (or, alternately, serve the appropriate jail time), vote in 1/3 or all presidential elections (on average), and submit to mindless consumerism, such as buying a 40,000 dollar car. In addition, please recognize Scientology as a tax-exempt religious organization.

Thank you for being a good American.

This message brought to you by silly jingoism - "When it's got to be ingrained in the population at large: Jingo it!" ”

“Why does anyone care how much someone else's car costs?”

“So, Tilt old hoss (AER), you like white chinks, eh? Don't believe I've ever seen one of those. You'll have to introduce me somtime. Hell, bubba, I love 'em all (girls, that is)!















Let the thread degeneration begin...”

“Some of the sentiment appealed to me. But I have problems with it. It implies that first class Americans are European Christians. I know I'll catch flack for saying it, but the assumption is clear:

"An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish,
Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be...

"An American is Christian, or he could be"

It would be very easy to say... "Americans are" or "An American is Christian, Jewish, Buddhist Moslem or "may not be religious at all." Note that people without religion are left out all together.”

“Ped, you're just a rabble rousin' smart a$$!”

“Thanks Father Goose, you are too kind.”

“Don't mention it...
















please.”

“I didn't see any implication. Where did you get the notion "that first class Americans are European Christians.' from that? Did the article saying that?, or is that your assumption! Ped you're playing with words.”

“I'm from Lower Alabama,,,,does that count?”

“What I said...
















Oh yeah, and PONEE, PONEE, PONEE!”

“Ah, the Pony,,,,I might have to stop in Thursday evening and sample the wares.”

“Save some for me and and Ma Goose!”

“Peter Ferrara wrote it, last September.

But I doubt TG meant to claim it as his own. People are just way too sloppy with attribution on discussion boards.”

“Implied meaning is just as important as explicit meaning. Ped is right about the underlying tone.”

“Y'all can read anything y'ant to in any text...”

“FG, despite my best attempts to create a shortage at the Pink Pony, I have never been able to stem the continued flow.”

“Between bofus, we may just be able to perform a miracle!”

“Never hurts to try!!!






At least not until the next morning.”

“Oy!












Nuttin' a little of DaddyGooose's gumbo won't fix!”

“Father Goose -- Yes, I *could* use an edit feature here every once in a while!


Ped -- Isn't that usually the case? It seems like other folks just don't fit the profile, as it were. I'm sure it was a simple oversight... or was it?

One thing I often hear is that "freedom of religion doesn't necessarily mean freedom *from* religion". Well, for some people, Oh Yes It Does, if that's what they choose.

As a semi-tangent, I saw a replay last night of a hearing in the House of Reps concerning two pending bills (wish I had the ID #'s) that would eliminate prohibitions on religious leaders promoting specific candidates from the pulpit and funneling money from collection plates to campaigns and issue advertising without jeopardising their tax-exempt status. I was wondering who was pushing these bills and it was mentioned that Pat Robertson had a small army of lawyers and other lobbyists in attendance. It appears that they're looking for ways to restore the cashflow curtailed by recent campaign finance reforms (surprise).”

“Pat Robertson is a f^ckin' Nazi! My political leanings are a little right of center, but that cat's too much!














PO-NEE! PO-NEE! PO-NEE!”

“You sound a little horse!”

“PO-NEE! PO-NEE! PO-NEE!














Lawdy, I'm gettin' a hangover just thinkin' about it!”

“i like yer tie. i like yer wife, just kidding guy.....”

“Is it just the fact that those two paragraphs began with 'An American is English,..........An American is Christian'? What if the shoe was on a different foot.

I see no issue! Until one was created with the implication of first class. You might as well add white male to that since there seems to be some predispostion in the thinking. because the doctrine I believe in says nothing to the matter.”

“Tilt: You probably see it the same way I do. The implication was probably not intentional - it probably just reveals the authors idea of which Americans are more American.

Looking more closely, I notice that not only do Europeans come first, but they come roughly in order of their distance from England (English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek). The list is also a good fit the blue-blood's social hierarchy of European immigrants. The Irish get pushed down a bit, because the Brit's have always pushed them down a bit (the old signs read "No Irish need apply," not "No Germans need apply"). I'm not saying that there is horrible bigotry afoot. I just see the old ethnic hierarchy reproduced without much thought. The fact that everyone gets included represents some real progress.

BTW: Thanks Skully!”

“Could it be that you are reading too much implied meaning into the prose?”

“No prob Ped.”

“Take my wife...


















please! (adjusts necktie)”

“Briar: LOL! Now that you mention it, the author does only mention "he."

Of course using "he" is an age old convention and I can't see a National Review author using a more PC alternative.”

“Ped would b!tch if he was hanged with a new rope!”

“To make that clear Briar: I ain't accusing the author of sexism.”