An "American" in the true sense and SPIRIT of the word is defined as: " One who both UNDERSTANDS and tries their best to UPHOLD the ideas that formed the basis for the original American government as created by the founding fathers of this country." An American is NOT somebody who happens to be born here. That is to say that we are distinguishing between legal status and ideological disposition. legaly speaking if you are born in the fifty states or territories legal citizen status is automatically conferred upon you. Ideologically speaking however,if you do not agree with the basic precepts of INDIVIDUAL liberties and rights given to us by our "creator" and not government, you are not "American" by definition. ( side bar: let me tell you of the great importance , however simple it may sound, to having your basic rights granted to you by a higher power than man. If rights come from man or government, then those who have bestowed them unto you may take them away for any reason that they see fit. No questions, no arguments, no leg to stand on and with that all your power to reason or sway the governing body goes the way of so many of the worlds opressed peoples, gone until great bloodshed once again waters the tree of liberty.) It does not mean that you are necessarily a bad person, though you may or may not be, but it does infer that you have the potential to be an enemy of freedom. Now don't get your shorts all in a knot. "Facts are stubborn things" to quote from John Adams. The fact is that words have meanings and words are the primary means of communication humans have. We do not have the luxury to be able to change at random the meanings of words to suit our particular needs at a given time. To do so invites chaos and confusion as well as facilitating deciet. So,considering the facts before this court, I submit that if you do find yourself in disagreement with American values and principles as set fourth in our founding documents, you only need to ask yourself "what form of government do I support and where do my principles converge or diverge from these documents and what they state". O.K.,so where do we go from here? All of us who care and pay attention to such matters must pick a side. Feel free to embrace wholehartedly your principles and ideals and state what they are and who you are as there is a definition for every political stripe out there. Do not seek to deceive your political targets by going by a false name tag and description of what you are selling. If you believe your goods to be worthy of consideration and think your ideas can win the day, be fourth right and open and really give it your best shot! If you are selling non American ideals though, please do not put the "made in America" label on it, sell it for what it is. If you disagree with originalist Americanism, then tell those who seek your counsel why but tell them about what real American principles are (if you really think they will embrace your ideas) or where to find out about them and let them choose one from another in a side by side taste test. We all know what will win out. Americanism is the belief that all people are equal (under the law.) That all people are born with " certain unalienable rights....' given to us by our divine creator, not government(or man).It is the belief that all people should be able to choose the future that is right for them. The right to own property and the right to defend ones self in a court of law or from physical harm brought about at the hands of another and to be judged by a jury of their peers if need be. It means you succeed or fail according to your efforts and that you take responsibility for your actions. It means that you as a parent have ultimate say in how your kids are raised. It also means you have the freedom to openly worship whatever god you see fit or if you so choose to, that you may not believe in any divine being or church. It means not being forced to surrender your property (i.e. taxes)to support unconstittional programs that you may be in disagreement with.Being an American means you choose how,where and how well you live. Everyone has equal OPPORTUNITY but can not be guaranteed equall success. The later is mostly determined by the individual, the former,protected by law. Being an American gives the individual power over their destiny and protection from unjust governmental control.It means being secure in your personal effects and possesions from unreasonable searches and siezures. There is still more to all of this to say the least but this is the basic precept of what it means to live as an American. My nation was born out of the struggle to escape tyranny. From the original Massachusetts bay colony settlers to the heroes and heroines currently fighting both here and abroad to free from oppression all who seek to be free and self governing and keep free those who want to remain that way. America stands for freedom ,truth and justice. Those who say differently are either ignorant or simply trying to deceive those who will listen to promulgate their own evil plans to dominate and oppress in whatever way they see fit. The truth is obvious for all to see when history is the lens and context is as important as snapshots. America with out question has made mistakes in her past. She is not without sin to say the least but we as a people learn, and rectify as we refine our focus on the constiution and the declaration of independence. The fact that wrongs have been commited in the past does not mean the constitution is the problem, the act of straying from it's principles is what has cuased us to do wrong. But this presupposes that one knows what these principles are in the first place, so to guard against straying we find it incumbent upon each of us to educate ourselves about the underpinnings of liberty and how it is achieved and maintianed. However, if all of her citizens and all those who govern would follow the principles of freedom and liberty and virtue for which she stands,peace and justice would be the normal default position that would naturally prevail. Show me one government or principality that has done as much to improve the human condition as America. Show me one place one earth that is her equal. Show me one set of ideals that has produced so much for so many improving the standard of living for more people in more places than Americas ideals. Show me a people who has freed from oppression more people and conquered less land for thier own gain when doing so was easily within thier grasp and refrained from doing so. America does not conquer and rule,she liberates and lifts out of poverty to the best of her ability. Show me your "proof" of Americas' deserving of the damnation she receives. You can't becuase the proof is to the contrary. Feel free to leave us with your thoughts on this lens topic and tell your friends to check this lens out. Please check out these links for further insight and information on this subject: http://www.glennbeck.com/
http://www.liberty1.org/seven.
http://www.squidoo.com/how_to_voteLegally
http://www.jayseverin.blogspot.com/
jayblog@969wtkk.com http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/today.guest.html

also Soren has a nice lens called "legalize freedom" just type it into the squidoo search bar and away you go!

" Contemplate the mangled bodies of your countrymen and ask, " what should be the reward for such sacrifice?" If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen."
Samuel Adams

Fortidude...
" our freedom at times may be tested, but it will never be destryoed...Whenever our countries' liberties are assulted, let the shield of freedom land it's mighty blow."
From a poster of Marvel Comics, " Captain America"

"All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"
Edmund Burke

My Creed, by Dean Alfange:

I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon. I seek opportunity to develop whatever talents God gave me -- not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me. I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed. I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia. I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any earthly master nor bend to any threat. It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say -- "This, with God's help, I have done." All this is what it means to be an American.

"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in my opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it."
- Benjamin Franklin, On the Price of Corn and Management of the Poor, November 1776

http://www.themonographpolitical.com/2008/03/discourse-no-1.html

http://www.glennbeck.com/ if you go to this link and sign up as an insider you can hear audio archives from past shows. I strongly recommend the March 12, 2008 show during the ten o'clock hour. California court ruling on parental rights and the founding fathers words on the right to keep and bear arms. All REAL Americans need to hear this segment!!!