American is a word that we use almost everyday to express what we are. But exactly what does that word mean? Does it mean that we work a standard 40 hour week? Does it mean that we have exactly 2.5 children and half of our parents are divorced? The word American entails more than those trivial facts about the United States of America. Is an American one who will run into burning builds to save another? Someone who believes in all that America does criticizing nothing at all? A true American means that a person is entrenched into America's culture, takes advantage of all our freedoms, and has a sense of their history.
             First of all, an American knows full and well the culture of the country that they are living in. They should know what sports is known as our national pastime as well as other small facts that make our country special. They should know who our president is as well as being entrenched in the music and movies of the times. However, culture is more than just knowing the famous and well known aspects of our country. Culture is just the environment that every American lives in. For example, how many Americans could go through an entire day without watching TV? Things like TV, coffee, and the internet are staples of the American culture that we all are involved in, in some way, shape, or form. Yet and still it's easy for Americans to not be into the culture even though they wake up in it every morning. Case in point, the two biggest issues in the last few months have been the presidential election and the war over in the Middle East. A true American is abreast of all the issues that will directly affect their and their families' lives. They watch the news every few days and participate in elections if they are able to. Americans now want to be more culturally conscience of other cultures. Even fifty years ago, W.E.B Duboise saw the need for all people to live in a harmonious society. In his Credo, he writes, "I BELIEVE in Go...