What Does It Mean To Be an American?
Yesterday I had written a short piece for my social media, regarding the current state of American society - primarily based on the ever-increasing plethora of social media posts. It was also inspired to create the photograph that you see here.
This question is not a unique question. It was actually one asked, and photographically documented by Dorothea Lange when she was commissioned by the Farm Bureau to document (for propaganda purposes) the internment of the Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
As I make preparations for embarking on the second phase of the In Search of America Project, this question has surfaced: What does it mean to be an American?
* Is it someone who was born in America? As we know, if the child of an undocumented person gives birth while in the United States, that child is a U.S. Citizen.
* Is it someone who ‘lives’ in America for a long period of time? Ever since the beginning of immigration, once people lived here they assimilated; but this “assimilation” created ‘hyphenated’ Americans: African-Americans, Italian-Americans, etc. So are these Americans truly Americans, or are they hybrid-Americans?
* Is it someone who simply pays taxes in America?
As I wrote out this list, as a starting point of dialog, I was struck by this question: Are the Unhoused, Americans? As you know, if you have been following my writings, I am currently working on a documentary about the Unhoused (Homeless).
This question also brings into its purview the population of the American Natives who, as we know, were here long before there became an America.
With these last two demographics of American society the answer is most obviously, “yes”, or “of course” they are Americans. The insight then, at least for me, is the aspect of these people existing on the periphery of society - and having been placed there by society itself. They are, in many ways, treated like the “bastard children”. My friend, Nate - who happens to by Unhoused, prefers the designation to be: “displaced”; and I find that to be the most appropriate term since two of the three dictionary descriptions define it as such.
It may seem as if I am rambling a bit, and that is because I am, in a sense. I am writing my thoughts as they emerge in my consciousness, to share with you. I will also share with you that my openness is not entirely selfless. In part I am sharing in the hopes of, at the very least, stirring an internal dialog within each of you who read this. The less altruistic reason behind this writing, is to seek your insights, and dialog.
What do you think? And more importantly, what do you feel? Agree or disagree - both are welcome.
Even if you are ‘not’ an American - even if you have never been to America, I still welcome your thoughts and insights based on life in whatever country you live in. Sometimes it is those furthest distanced from a question that have the most profound insights.
America has undergone numerous changes in the evolution of its society, and its politics over the two plus centuries that it has existed. Now, however, I believe that the United States is undergoing one of its most volatile in the entirety of its existence. I do not say this from a place of dread, or even the remotest of negativity; but rather from a place of simply questioning.
So I ask you once again: What does it mean to be an American?
I think about this a lot. I remember the reaction from my European friends after 9/11 and our invasion to Iraq - they used the phrase American in a disapproving manner. How could we take the world’s sorrow and sympathy and turn it into an American arrogance. Or when someone says an action is “unamerican” like rioting the capitol.
I of course identify as an American and it’s not because I was born here and have a passport and pay taxes - for me it the ideal of the great American experiment- a people self governed. Where all “men” are created equal ... the pursuit of happiness...and so forth I think being an American, to me, is living everyday with those ideas as a guiding force. Our history tells us we have a long way to go. That in executing these ideas is not perfect. It’s the effort of trying that makes us American. We are not perfect but I am optimistic we can continue to be American.