What Is An American...?

What constitutes an American? Not colour nor race nor religion. Not the pedigree of his family nor the place of his birth. Not the coincidence of his citizenship. Not his social status nor his bank account. Not his trade nor his profession. An American is one who loves justice and believes in the dignity of man. An American is one who will fight for his freedom and that of his neighbour. An American is one who will sacrifice property, ease and security in order that he and his children may retain the rights of free men. An American is one in whose heart is engraved the immortal second sentence of the Declaration of Independence.

Americans have always known how to fight for their rights and their way of life. Americans are not afraid to fight. They fight joyously in a just cause.

We Americans know that freedom, like peace, is indivisible. We cannot retain our liberty if three-fourths of the world is enslaved. Brutality, injustice and slavery, if practiced as dictators would have them, universally and systematically, in the long run would destroy us as surely as a fire raging in our nearby neighbour's house would burn ours if we didn't help to put out his.

Harold Ickes
May 1941

As you can tell, I didn't write this. This is part of a speech that Mr. Ickes gave to encourage our support of helping Great Briton in WW2, but I thought that so many parts of this speech were pertinent to the way that things are today I wanted to share a small part of it.

Folks, this is powerful stuff! Not only is it strong, but it is just as true today as it was in 1941, maybe even more so.

Now let's get a fresh cup of coffee and sit for a while on the patio. OK, my friend?