No one definition of what an American is

Personal declarations

I am proud to be a teacher of students who have recently arrived from various countries. Some are refugees, others are immigrants. All share a dream to thrive in the land of freedom and opportunity, to give and receive respect for being both diverse and independent.

Yet these kids and their families are not always warmly welcomed by all. Sometimes I am amazed that we seem to forget we all originate from somewhere. When I overhear conversations in the post office or the supermarket about "those foreigners" or even "those Californians" I often wonder when people started forgetting their own roots, their past, their connections in history.

I am proud to be American, but I am also aware that my identity has been shaped by a variety of ancestral ties, originating from places other than the United States. Just because I have several generations of family born and raised on this soil, am I a truer American than the new family who does not yet speak English and lives in the tiny apartment building down the street? Absolutely not!

The Fourth of July is the perfect time to point out that the framers of our Constitution never stipulated that to be an American one has to have family ties in the United States for a certain number of years. Nor did these framers dictate certain clothing, food or religious customs that all must follow.

Being an American means that freedom is both one's right and responsibility. I have a right to my own identity and belief system. I also have a responsibility to allow others to be themselves. Why is that part of freedom so difficult for so many of us?

My skin crawls when I see images of flag burning on television. I feel confused and ashamed to watch the symbol of our country being used as a gate.

But age, color, creed, life style and culture are part of what makes our country both beautiful and strong.

We all come from somewhere. How can we truly let freedom ring on Independence Day when we only ring the bell for those that fit our definition of American?

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