What does it mean to be American?

Throughout our turbulent history, shifts in the American archetype have swung in every direction imaginable. From the unlikely victory over the British and King George III in the American Revolution to the long winded and ass-backwards War on Terror, there has been no shortage of controversy in our country’s 238 years of existence. What about the citizens has changed from then to now? How does the rest of the world actually see us? Why do we care?

It used to be that America was a feared super power. The thought of outright war with the United States was almost unanimously considered a death wish. While the US does boast the most effective military in the world (led by the blood-thirsty ground pounders known as the United States Infantry), the United States has been hamstringed in it’s current efforts by the ROE (rules of engagement) set forth by the Geneva Convention.  The Geneva Convention laid out the ROE to prevent unnecessary brutality by countries in conventional warfare. The War on Terror has not been a conventional war by any means. We fight enemies who either haven’t heard of or blatantly disregard the ROE set forth by the international treaties while our soldiers are bound by not only that, but NATO and US ROE. These restrictions have led to the deaths of American soldiers while our enemies carry on fighting without reserve. All this in the name of what? Political correctness?

Political correctness is a poison to American society. We teach passivism to our children in order to preserve the feelings of those with thin skin. The recent trend of “cyber-bullying” is the culmination of the lack of fortitude engrained in our future generations. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is now being said to be a symptom of bullying. The idea that someone suffers constantly (in the same way many veterans do after seeing the grossest forms of human nature) from being called a name or having their feelings hurt, especially in an online environment, is beyond asinine. There is a simple solution for cyber bullying. Turn off the device. There is a solution for standard bullying. Don’t raise your child to be a welcome mat to be stepped on.  I am not one to advocate the uncontrollable use of violence as a cure-all, however in some circumstances retaliation in the name of self-defense is the only solution. Article 12 Universal Declaration of Human Rights succinctly states:

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Furthermore in United States v. Peterson 1973, Federal court in the United States offered that self-defense is legal in response to “an affirmative, unlawful act reasonably calculated to produce an affray foreboding injurious or fatal consequences." This is largely disregarded in public school systems where a “zero tolerance” policy on violence is the norm. I can recall fights from my own days where the student perpetrating the attack was punished as well as the student defending himself. This is not only wrong, but it further lends to the idea that passivism is the correct course of action in response to an aggressor which as a whole is not a state America should be in. 

This leads me to the point of this periphrasis. When asked the question, “What does it mean to be American?” there are usually differing answers. A resounding one word answer I’ve heard multiple times is simply “freedom.” This answer is usually given by young college age citizens. A vast majority of that population are those that have not fought or otherwise contributed to their simplistic view of freedom. They are the same ones that lament the US’s treatment of insurgents in war-time while applauding the “courage” of our enemies. The same ones that call anyone participating in war murderers and child killers. The same ones who have only their own narrow view of what can be called right and wrong in the world. The same ones who deject the concept of war which is ironically the thing that gave them their freedom July 4, 1776. Our country was not founded on the principles of political correctness, nor were the militias that valiantly fought against tyranny bound by an oppressive ROE. The United States of America was founded on exactly the opposite. 

Side note: I do not think that America can do no wrong. I am not of the persuasion that this country is bullet-proof. Our country has its problems and in my opinion has been declining as a super power in the eyes of the world. However, our issues can be corrected by increased education of what actually goes on behind the flag and the dissolution of bipartisanism into a group that is for the advancement of the country and not political agendas.