[AlternateGray]

Being an american... even with the above arguments, it means being one of the luckiest people on earth. This is not sappy patriotism, trust me. The difference between America's life-style and that of most of the world is incredible- even our lower classes are not that bad off. Being an American means... being a little more adventurous, more willing to take risks, and taking for granted a prosperity that other peoples would be willing to kill for. It means rarely being satisfied with our lot in life, and never being satisfied with our government. Both are good. And it means tolerance of others, enforced if necessary. The last is more important, I think, than most people ever realize. Being an American should mean not letting our prosperity lure us into complacency regarding the most important things- namely, our rights, our freedoms, the separation of church and state, and the balance in our government. But, nope.