Willow Oak
07-04-2012, 08:56 AM
In college I had, at one time or another, roommates from Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, China, and Russia. The Canadian roommate told me something about which I had never given much thought: "I'm an American too!" Subsequent conversations led me to realize that even though I had done so ignorantly, it had been presumptuous of me to presume that an American is necessarily a citizen of the United States.
So, a citizen of France can say: "I am French;" a citizen of Germany can say: "I am German;" a citizen of China can say: "I am Chinese."
I can say, "I am an American," or "I am American;" but how do I emphasize the fact that I am citizen of the United States, without having to say the long and full-of-verbiage "I am a citizen of the United States?"
Of course, there does enter the issue of ethnicity. A citizen of China need not be Oriental; would he then still be Chinese?
On this Fourth of July day, may I send a "shout out" to those around the world who are not citizens of the United States. May I say that I wish all of you the same freedoms that we (up until now, at least) have enjoyed.
So, a citizen of France can say: "I am French;" a citizen of Germany can say: "I am German;" a citizen of China can say: "I am Chinese."
I can say, "I am an American," or "I am American;" but how do I emphasize the fact that I am citizen of the United States, without having to say the long and full-of-verbiage "I am a citizen of the United States?"
Of course, there does enter the issue of ethnicity. A citizen of China need not be Oriental; would he then still be Chinese?
On this Fourth of July day, may I send a "shout out" to those around the world who are not citizens of the United States. May I say that I wish all of you the same freedoms that we (up until now, at least) have enjoyed.