What Does it Mean to be American?

Watching American Creed infuriated me. It was said that to be an American Citizen, means to serve the country and community. Yet, there are immigrants that work and perform essential jobs that keep society moving, and they are often treated poorly. It is understandable that there is hesitation about foreigners entering the country in regards to the country’s safety, but it is wrong to assume that every foreigner is dangerous or has malicious intent. Automatically born with my citizenship as a result of being born here, I find it outrageous that those who come here as children for a better life have to go through a long, tiring process to receive their residency and citizenship. 

Immigrants are discriminated against because they were not born here and may not be accustomed to the American Culture and knowledgeable about our country’s history; but to be quite honest I do not know much about our country’s history. Sure, I am aware of the events that were discussed in history class, but I have not learned everything that there is to know. In fact, if I were to take the test required of immigrants to take before receiving their citizenship, I would most likely fail. A relative of mine came to the United States from Peru at the age of four. Now, twenty two years old, she knows no life other than the one she has lived in the U.S. Still she was faced with many obstacles because of her immigration status, and it was a long, tedious process that led towards her obtaining her residency. 

If America is a nation that believes that tearing families apart to solve an issue is productive, than it is not as great of a country as people believe it is. There are other solutions that do not involve building a wall or breaking apart families, and displacing those who have established themselves in this country. To be American should not be determined by where you were born or raised, rather, it should be determined by one’s contribution to the country.