Essay about I Am An American - 1673 Words

Since the 1800s, immigration has been considered a problem that is out of control in the United States. Government officials have claimed that the issue of birthright citizenship is the core of the dispute over immigration. To try and remedy this situation, holders of public office have held hearings and debates in an attempt to â€Å"redefine† what it means to be an American citizen. Birthright citizenship is the term used to refer to the citizenship that is granted to an individual who is born on the associated territory. Providing an individual with citizenship of any state or country means that one now has the rights, privileges and duties of a citizen in the related region. In the United States, birthright citizenship is a highly†¦show more content†¦This text implies that any individual, no matter their original location, is subject to the privileges of an American citizen. Some argue that the language of the Fourteenth Amendment has been misinterpreted and abus ed as time has passed. The backbone for this argument? — â€Å"Subject to the jurisdiction thereof.† In the Fourteenth Amendment, this phrase holds the key to why birthright citizenship can be deemed unconstitutional. Government officials say that these key words were put in the constitution to specifically to exclude Native Americans born on reservations and any other foreign national. In 1884, the case of Elk vs. Wilkins was brought to the attention of the U.S. Supreme Court. In this case an Indian named John Elk, who was born on a reservation within the U.S. border, was denied the right to vote by Charles Wilkins even though he had moved to a non-reservation territory and separated himself from his tribe. Elk argued that he deserved the right to vote as a U.S. citizen because based on the Fourteenth Amendment he was granted automatic citizenship for being born in the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court came to the conclusion that Elk was not considered an American citizen just because he was within U.S. jurisdiction. It was stated that in order to be considered a citizen of the United States, you cannot oweShow MoreRelated I am Arabic, I am an American! Essay620 Words   |  3 Pagesmy own thoughts and ideas about the terrorist acts against my country, the United States of America, I have decided that there is no right or wrong way to handle the situation. The fact is, something just has to be done. I have studied our involvement in World War II, but the attack on the World Trade Center has really affected me. I grew up with the idea that although German- and Japanese-American citizens are innocent, many of us still have stereotypes about them. Why? What is so hard for us toRead MoreI Am An Italian American Essay1651 Words   |  7 Pages I am an Italian-American, female college student who comes from a middle-class background. My experiences have shaped a variety of beliefs that influence how I view education and how I will run my classr oom as an educator. As an Italian-American, I was and am still told by my mother, grandparents, and great-grandparents how proud I should be of my heritage. I was taught to respect my great-grandmother who, after arriving in America along side her husband, fully committed herself to raising herRead MoreWhy I Am An American914 Words   |  4 Pagescriteria, I can honestly say I haven’t thought much about my â€Å"cultural† back ground being a white American. I also don’t have much to say on my ethnical background because let’s be real, I am a mutt. I have no clue about my ancestors and what breed I may be but I do know that I am an American and even though the thought of â€Å"my† culture hasn’t crossed my mind much; I do have one interestingly enough. I did a little digging to help me out with my American culture and was pleasantly surprised at what I foundRead MoreI Am A Taiwanese American765 Words   |  4 Pagesindividual, I would say that nothing can be m ore valuable and meaningful than my international experiences. My academic background, academic discipline and my personality are in fact closely related because of these valued experiences; they allowed me to learn and to explore various cultures, to expand and to broaden my knowledge and vision beyond mediocrity, to form and to shape my personality and most importantly to know who I am and who I want to be. First of all, I am a Taiwanese American from DallasRead MoreEssay about I am Vietnamese, I am American3111 Words   |  13 PagesI am Vietnamese, I am American Durian fruit. When people ask me how I feel about my Vietnamese culture, the first thing that comes to mind is durian fruit. Unlike the strawberries or cherries found at Safeway, durian fruit at first glance does not even look edible. The entire fruit resembles a dirty old football, except that durian weighs nearly three pounds. One-inch spikes and a tough brown outer peel cover the fruit, giving it an intimidating look. Inside, yellow, kidney-shaped pieces lineRead MoreI Am Irish And African American Essay1546 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom across the awkwardly conjoined, wooden desks. I took a minute to sit back in my chair and wonder what the reaction would be this time, the usual â€Å"You don’t even look white,† or something completely new that I could add to my list of quirky comments made about being biracial. I stared blankly back at her, adding to the not-so-dramatic moment of suspense. â€Å"I’m Irish and African American,† I replied in a somewhat re hearsed, monotone voice, as if I had already been through this situation 100 timesRead MoreI Am An African American Female938 Words   |  4 Pages I am an African American female. The color of my skin is black and both my parents are African Americans. However, my descendants include Native American relatives from Saluda, North Carolina. Therefore, I am a healthy heterosexual female raised in a two-parent household; and my family includes two brothers and seven sisters. Currently, I am married with seven children; five sons and two daughters. Born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina until the age of twenty-five. However, IRead MoreAnalysis Of The Phrase I Am Not An American Essay759 Words   |  4 Pagesthe phrase I AM NOT AN AMERICAN; I AM THE AMERICAN in a notebook that he took with him on his European travels during 1897. Over time as many hear the quote has become more and more popular. To me it’s not really surprising but it is catchy. Some may wonder was Mark Twain truly an American in our minds. What is truly being American? People minds of modern patriotism Twain could be called un-American. I can also argue there was times when Mark Twain gave service for his country. I would agreeRead MoreI Am Familiar With American History1475 Words   |  6 PagesSince my earlier years, I have always had a picture in my mind of the Native Americans sitting at the table and feasting with the Euro-American colonists. It would seem that the two relatively different nations were cordial and warm. Being that I am familiar with American History, names such as Squanto, Hobbamock or Massasoit are rather familiar. Sometime between 1620, when the Plymouth Colony came to be and the outbreak of the first wars with the Native American inhabitants, is frequently understoodRead MoreI Am A Third Generation American1020 Words   |  5 Pages1984, I am a third generation American. My grandfather was born in Mexico and my father was born in New Mexico, while I was born at Fort Lewis Washington, I am a Soldiers Son. While growing up my father was stationed at various bases throughout the United States and I was â€Å"lucky† enough to tag along. From an early age I was always told to do better and more than those who came before me by my mother. From the age of two till I was five I lived in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This is where I gained