Cultural Labels, Immigration and what becoming an American Should Require

Recently, I enjoyed a short TED clip featuring Maz Jobrani. While I think their Axis of Evil commedy tour is a step in a positive direction toward mitigating the harshness of cultural prejudice in our world, I can't overlook the self labeling of being an "XYZ American." What I'm referring to is the cultural labeling and embellishment of type of American. This practice is a relatively new fabrication which I do not see as harmless.

My grandmother came to this country to become and "American" and was truly proud to say that she was American and that her children (8) were all Americans. She did not want the sacrafices of that choice and her new identity as an American to be diluted to something less than what it truly meant to her, our family and most of our ansestors that came to American in last century.

Immigration today, whether legal or not, should require one essential qualification which is, that you want to be an "American." That is it. All or nothing. And certainly nothing less!!! It is the history of that sacrafice alone that has made America something more. Becoming an American was a new identity and not a fair weather relocation program.

If you are an American then no qualification is needed, all else is presumed, implied and otherwise accepted unless you place a qualification on your own identity in which case you cannot be said to have become an "American."

In this time of our history, we should all recognize the importance of not allowing others to dilute our identity as Americans. More importantly, we should never dilute our own identity as an American or the sacrafices of our ansestors.

I am an American, who among you are satisfied with the singularity of that identity?