In tonight’s Fourth of July newscast, we had a story in which one of our reporters took the questions from the United States Citizenship Test to the public, to see how many flag-clad Americans celebrating our nation’s independence with beer, barbecues, and pyrotechnics, could answer the questions required for immigrants to be granted their citizenship in this country.
Unsurprisingly, very few of them would have passed the test, with questions like “In what year was the Constitution written?” and “What are two rights named in the Declaration of Independence?”
Some of the questions were easier than others, and a select few actually had real relevance in our world today, but all of them got me wondering what it means to be truly American. Because knowing the answers to a cherry-picked list of historical minutiae surely can’t be the real litmus test.
To some, being a “true” American means serving in our military. To others, wearing a pair of flag-printed swim trunks to the beach to watch the fireworks on Independence Day is a show of patriotism. To some, wearing flag-printed anything is a show of disrespect to our flag, and therefore to the nation. To some, you cannot be a true American if you do not stand and properly honor the flag during the National Anthem. For others, being truly American means exercising the right to do none of those things, fearing no harm.
None of these is wrong.
But with so much disagreement over the “proper” way to prove one’s Americanness, do any of these outward shows of patriotism actually mean anything?
I think not. And I’d argue, the framers of the Constitution would agree.
To me, the only real criteria for being a true American patriot are these:
– Treat all people with equality and respect. No exceptions. No fine print.
– Be active in our democracy. That means exercising your right to vote, and doing it in an informed manner. Don’t understand how it works? There’s Google for that. Don’t like politics? Keep in mind that whether you like it or not, our political system dictates much of the way you are allowed to live your life, from how your taxes are spent, to what you could get punished for doing (or not doing). Refusing to participate in the system is the same as giving tacit consent for whatever our politicians decide to make law. And yes, that’s just as bad as it sounds.
– Question authority. We are a nation of humans, and humans don’t always make the right call. Loving our country doesn’t mean accepting every element of it without question. You don’t stop loving your children just because you recognize that they make some bad choices. It’s our responsibility, and a truly great privilege, to mold the country into the best nation it can be.
To be a true American is not a regurgitation of memorized facts, an outfit, a flag pin, a salute to the flag, or participation in a ceremony. Those things don’t matter. Sure, you can do them, and be proud of them, but they don’t really matter.
Action matters. Take the action. Make our country better. Because the most American thing I can think of is the constant effort to create a place where everyone in the world wants to live. That effort started on July 4, 1776. It shouldn’t stop now.
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