What it means to me, to be an american.

Being an American, is to be a part of the greatest country in the world. We live in a great country. A country that allows the opportunity for us to have rich, comfortable lifestyles. We have the ability to say, think, and express ourselves however we wish. We can criticize our leaders or voice our different ideals. 

I have a friend from Iraq who was imprisoned for spitting on a poster of Sudam Hussien. The act was witnessed by two police officers who arrested him and he was sentenced to fifteen years. This was during the gulf war, and six months into his sentence the prison was bombed by U.S. forces. He was released from custody and after a lengthy process he gained American citizenship. He has lived here since, and always expresses gratitude for the freedom he's gained. 

In our country we have a voice, and the opportunity to influence our nation to be a country we can be proud of. It is our responsibility to take part in our country and protect our rights for ourselves and for those incapable of protecting themselves, whether from other dictators, or our own Government and lawmakers. Our country may not be perfect, but we can help it to become so and I feel that makes us a great nation.