In the Aftermath of the September 11 Attacks
The September 11 terrorist attacks of 2001 on the New York Twin Towers of the World Trade Center constituted a traumatic event for Americans of all social classes and ethnic backgrounds. The memories of such violent attacks have been kept alive by the numerous terrorist attacks perpetrated abroad in places like Madrid, Paris and Brussels and in Americans cities such as San Bernardino, California. Unfortunately, all of these attacks have been perpetrated by Muslim extremists. Besides a sense of fear and vulnerability the September 11 attacks aroused a sense of patriotism and a reconsideration of the meaning of being American. Along with patriotism and the reexamination of the American identity there has been a significant increase of xenophobic sentiment concerning immigrants. No matter how much they have been assimilated into mainstream American culture or how long they have been in the United States, they are not considered authentic Americans by certain segments of the population. Inevitably the question that must be answered is what exactly constitutes an American.
One might begin by identifying some obvious signs that identify someone as being American. . Does holding an American passport make you American? Is speaking English an essential requirement for being American? Is it sufficient to be born in this country to be considered American? In his article “What Makes an American,” Mathew Bulger presents the results of a survey conducted by a Public Religion Research Institute according to which several factors constitute unmistakable signs of being American: the ability to speak English, being born in the United States, and being a Christian. Concerning the ability to speak English, Bugler points out that the United States does not maintain English as the official language of the country. Furthermore, he adds that there are more Spanish speakers in the United States than in any country in the world excluding Mexico. If being born in the United States is used as a criteria for being considered American, we are failing to take into account the millions of naturalized immigrants who have taken the oath of allegiance to this country by embracing American values and ideals, renouncing any loyalties to their country of origin. These naturalized immigrants have embraced American citizenship by choice, taking the time to prepare by studying American history and government in order to become American citizens. Furthermore, there are people who have American citizenship but whose language and cultural values are totally un-American. Such is the case of Yasser Esam Hamdi, who was born in East Baton Rouge, La. to Saudi Arabian parents. His father was on temporary work assignment as a chemical engineer in the United States. Hamdi was taken back to Saudi Arabia when he was three years old, where he grew up as an Arab, not as an American .In the fall of 2001 he was captured in Afghanistan by American forces fighting on the side of AL Qaeda forces. He was taken to Guantanamo and his Saudi Arabian parents shamelessly claimed that their American son be be freed. (Michelle Malkin, “What Makes an American?) Could such a person be considered an American? Definitely not; he is an American by accident. In the present hostile environment against immigrants, legal or illegal, such extreme cases have caused initiatives to modify the 14th Amendment to the Constitution which grants American citizenship to all persons born in the United States. One should keep in mind, however that xenophobic and racist ideas were the reason why Blacks and American Indians were not considered citizens of the United States until the late nineteenth and early twentieth century for Blacks and American Indians respectively. Nevertheless, in spite of the dangers of xenophobic feelings in a nation, it remains true that birth does not necessarily make a person American.
Perhaps the definition of the American identity should be a construct that encompasses American cultural values, a construct that encompasses Americans of all creeds and cultural values. The definition of being American should not exclude any group of immigrants that has come to this country in search of a better life. Stefan Herlitz (“What Makes an American?”) states that “This is the beauty of the idea of America: a place where you can be you, I can be me and we can have little to nothing in common, yet somehow we are still members of the same community.” He adds that even in the most homogeneous areas of the country one cannot have the certainty that someone is not American, regardless of race, ethnicity, accent or dress. (“What Makes an American”?) What unifies the American people are the fundamental desires of the human race. The all-encompassing definition of what it is to be American is best expressed in Herlitz’s words:
The “American Dream” is not a set of values unique to Americans, but the inner desire of all peoples everywhere: to be able to improve their lot in life through courage and perseverance, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. This is what makes, and has made, America great. Americans strive for excellence, demand to be heard and reach for the stars, actions completely independent of race, gender, class, ethnicity, or any other degree of difference. Anyone can work for a better tomorrow. Anyone can be American. (“What Makes an American”?)
The French journalist Raoul Roussy de Sale expressed similar ideas about defining the concept of being American. Part of his ideas are illustrated by the behaviors of the New Yorkers described in the article “ZipUSA: 10013.” In their portrait of their neighborhood (“ZipUSA:10013”), destroyed by the 2001 September 11 terrorist attacks, the authors, Pete Hamill, Diana Kane and Noel Maitland describe the ravage done to their neighborhood and hint at the ravage done to the American psyche, but more importantly, hint at the outlook on life characteristic of Americans. Early in the twentieth century, the French journalist Raoul Roussy de Sales observed that “nothing is more assuredly un-American than to entertain any doubt concerning the fact that somehow or other this country will come out all right.” (“What Makes an American?). Noel Maitland in “ZipUSA: 10013” attests to the capacity of Americans to heal and recover: “Before I fall asleep, I think back to the afternoon, when firefighters and construction workers fired up earthmoving equipment and started clearing the street. Only hours after the collapse of the towers, the recovery had begun.” Another example of Americans’ optimism in the future is expressed in the same article by Diane Kane when she reports the conversation between a father and son amid the rubble caused by the explosions. “The son took his father's hand and asked, ‘Where is the future?’ His father replied, ‘the future is everywhere around you, at all times.’”
Another characteristically American behavior evident in “ZipUSA: 100213” is what Roussy de Sale describes as “the urge to move and detach oneself constantly all through one's life from any definite surroundings.” Seeing a neighbor pack up his belongings Kane asks him how long he will be away, his response is “Forever.” Perhaps moving away can be interpreted as a means of healing, leaving behind an unhappy past, a way to start anew in a different location. It is the constant search of a new frontier. I think these more philosophical attempts to define the American identity are more exact and positive because they do not exclude any immigrant who truly wants to be an American.
Works Cited
Bulger, Mathew. “What Makes an American?” The Humanist.com 2 July, 2015 Web 15 May 2016.
De Roussy de Sales, Raoul. “What Makes an American? The Atlantic. March 1939 Web. 15 May 2016.
Hamill, Pete, Kane Diana & Maitland Noel. “ZipUSA: 10013.” National Geographic Magazine. September 2002 Web. 15 May 2016.
Herlitz Stefan. “What Makes an American.” Daily Collegian. 25 February, 2014 Web 17 May 2016
Malkin, Michelle. “What Makes an American?” WND. 4 July, 2003 Web 16 May 2016.
.
