What It Means To Be An American Citizen

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I am extremely lucky that I was born in the United States of America. As an American citizen, I have rights that millions of people around the world never get to have. I have never had to worry about being discriminated against due to my race, sex, or social standing. Many days, it is easy to forget that there was not always a country that gave its citizens so many freedoms and rights-- that this country was born out of the blood, sweat, and tears of our forefathers. I have only ever known the freedom of America, but my father, who immigrated to America from Vietnam at the age of 13, reminds me that my rights are not rights for everyone. For example, in many parts of the world, exercising the seemingly fundamental freedom of speech can lead to execution. My father, being the son of a soldier who had fought for South Vietnam, knows that freedom is not always something one can expect -- it is also something you must fight for. Everyday, thousands of American citizens act as valiant protectors of freedom as enlisted members of the United States Armed Forces. These courageous men and women routinely risk their lives to protect our freedoms as citizens. When we are in the comfort of our homes, when there is nothing amiss with our life, …show more content…
I do not have endless money that I can donate, nor do I have tremendous influence over a large number of people. But I do have my rights, namely, the right to control over my own destiny. However, I do not have to sit idly and take my citizenry-given rights for granted. I will study hard, work hard, and do whatever I can so that I will become a contributing citizen. My responsibility to America is to become a contributing citizen that will do whatever possible to uphold the American ideals of freedom and equality. In short, I must ask, as John F. Kennedy once said, “what [I] can do for my

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