What is an American? (Letters to the Editor).This is an excerpt ex·cerpt n. A passage or segment taken from a longer work, such as a literary or musical composition, a document, or a film. tr.v. ex·cerpt·ed, ex·cerpt·ing, ex·cerpts 1. from a Veterans Day speech delivered by Major General (Retired) Leo Leo, in astronomy Leo [Lat.,=the lion], northern constellation lying S of Ursa Major and on the ecliptic (apparent path of the sun through the heavens) between Cancer and Virgo; it is one of the constellations of the zodiac. J. Baxter, Lawton, Oklahoma Lawton is a city in Comanche County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the principal city of the Lawton, Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the county seat of Comanche CountyGR6. , a former Chief of Field Artillery. He reports that his definition of an American was inspired by an anonymous definition that appeared on the internet in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11th. "You probably missed it in the rush of news in [early November], but there was a report that someone in Pakistan had published an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American. So I just thought I would 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 be African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Asian, Arabic, Pakistani, or Afghani af·ghan·i n. pl. af·ghan·is See Table at currency. [Pashto afgh  n . "An American also may be a Cherokee, Osage, Comanche, Kiowa, 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 chooses. "An American also is 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 that recognizes the God-given right of each man and woman to the pursuit of happiness. "An American is generous. Americans have helped just about every nation in the world in its time of need. When Afghanistan was overrun 1. overrun - A frequent consequence of data arriving faster than it can be consumed, especially in serial line communications. For example, at 9600 baud there is almost exactly one character per millisecond, so if a silo can hold only two characters and the machine takes 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 in the world to the poor in Afghanistan. "An American does not have to obey the mad ravings of ignorant, ungodly, cruel, old men! American men will not be fooled into giving up their lives to kill innocent people, so that these foolish old men may hold on to power. American women are free to show their beautiful faces to the world as each chooses. "An American is free to criticize his government's officials when they are wrong, in his or her own opinion. Then he is free to replace them, by majority vote. "Americans welcome people from all lands, all cultures, all religions, because they are not afraid. They are not afraid that their history, their religion, their beliefs, will be overrun or forgotten. That is because they know they are free to hold to their religion, their beliefs, their history, as each chooses. "And just as Americans welcome all, they enjoy the best that everyone has to bring from all over the world. The best science, the best technology, 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, Lady Liberty, welcomes 'your tired, your poor....The wretched refuse of your teeming teem 1 v. teemed, teem·ing, teems v.intr. 1. To be full of things; abound or swarm: A drop of water teems with microorganisms. 2. shore ....the homeless, tempest Refers to external electromagnetic radiation from data processing equipment and the security measures used to prevent them. Almost all electronic equipment emanates signals into free space or surrounding conductive objects such as metal cabinets, wires and pipes. tossed...' These, in fact, are the people who built America. Many of them were working in the twin towers on the morning of September 11, earning a better life for their families. "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 blood·thirst·y adj. 1. Eager to shed blood. 2. Characterized by great carnage. blood tyrant tyrant, in ancient history, ruler who gained power by usurping the legal authority. The word is perhaps of Lydian origin and carried with it no connotation of moral censure. 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 em·bod·i·ment n. 1. The act of embodying or the state of being embodied. 2. One that embodies: "The flag is the embodiment, not of sentiment, but of history" of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is 'an American.' God Bless America." |
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