‘America’ is more than U.S. alone
COMMENTARY
By Monique Bhimani

“And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free. …”

Although most of us grew up singing the lyrics since grade school, most people don’t seem to realize what it really means.

First of all let’s take the word “American.” Why are people and products from the United States only considered American? After all, the Americas actually include every region from Northern Canada to the tip of Chile. However, none of us consciously notice just how much this inference is used. From “Americanization” to the “American dream,” this engrained vocabulary will not allow us to associate a country such as Guatemala or Columbia with the word “American.”

In spite of this, other languages have created words to make this distinction. For example in Spanish, there is the word, “estaunidense.” Literally this translates to “United States-ian.”

In spite of these distinctions, you hear people from all different cultures say phrases such as “That stupid American” or “You’re becoming so Americanized.” It seems this one word has become to embody many aspects of this country, from pop culture and blue jeans to the physical characteristics of blond hair and blue eyes. Citizens under repressive governments see “America” as the land of the free. On the other hand, to some, America symbolizes crime, violence and corruption, which are also images exported as “American.” If all one sees of the United States are TV shows like “COPS” or movies like “Terminator 3,” the fear of violence here is understandable.

Amidst all the negative connotations, people all over the world over admire this country for its material wealth and the comfortable lifestyle the “American dream” brings. After all, in this country even those in poverty have TVs, radios and modern kitchen appliances. Compare this to countries such as the Philippines, where more than one-third of the population lives in poverty and only four out of every 10 people have electricity. No matter how much you try to avoid saying “American,” when you mean from the United States, it’s almost impossible not to.

Now let’s take the word “free.” Although the United States guarantees its people freedom in the Bill of Rights (now recently restricted by the Patriot Act), other countries in the Americas give their people significantly fewer freedoms. Cuba, for example, still remains a communist country.

So while I may not be blonde or have blue eyes, I am certainly glad to be a citizen of this country, especially because of the right to freedom of speech in the First Amendment. After all, soy americana morena and proud of it too.

Monique Bhimani is a junior international communications major from San Antonio.