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Amid protests and a pandemic, what does it mean to be American in 2020?
Jul 03, 2020 3 mins, 57 secs

Experts say the heart of the debate is whether being American depends on who you are – such as being an English speaker – or on what you believe – such as valuing freedom or equality.

"White Americans have defined the nation, its norms, what it means to be an American for decades.

If I'm excluded by that version of being American, which I view as very narrow, we're going to develop our own sense of what it means to be an American.'".

Despite the political polarization of the country, there are elements of American identity people generally agree on.

But political identity still influences how people feel about the country and how they believe devotion to the nation should be expressed.

There are also perceptions not about behaviors but about qualities, for instance, how people believe a "real American" looks. Research shows Americans are much more likely to associate Kate Winslet, an English actress, with being American than they are Lucy Liu, an American actress. The Grinnell College poll found nearly a quarter of respondents said real Americans are born in the USA and are Christian, and 44% said real Americans speak English.

"That's why they ask someone who is Asian, 'Oh, what country do you come from?' without thinking 'Oh, this person could actually be an American citizen who's born here and maybe the parents are born here and the grandparents,'" said Leonie Huddy, a professor of political science at the State University of New York-Stony Brook and co-author of the study American Patriotism, National Identity, and Political Involvement.

For those who believe American identity is defined by values, there's potential for a larger tent. .

"Some people think that being American means ...

Liz French, 32, of Severance, Colorado, says that while this is a volatile time for the nation, she's confident America's core values will see the country through.

"I think of Hurricane Harvey in Houston a few years back, and how many people came from all different sides of the country to really help rebuild that community.

And that's what America means to me," French said.

"I feel like we're at a pivotal moment in history where people are waking up and saying, 'I can't just sleep on this and let this unfold around me,'" said Liz French, 32. (Photo: photo provided by Liz French).

"Seeing solidarity across racial lines suggests it's a fight for the country itself, what it means and what its values are.".

Johnna James, 42, was raised in Anadarko, Oklahoma, a predominately Native American community, and says she is proud of her country but doesn't ignore its history.

"To me to be American is to be a part of the community," James said.

"A real patriot is about criticizing the country when it needs to be criticized in order to bring the social practices in alignment with the values on which the country was founded.".

There is strong agreement on founding American values, but there are important distinctions in how we interpret them.

'"American' is not part of my identity at all, to be honest," said Alycia Kamil, 19.

"As Black people, as people of color, it is incredibly hard to love a country that historically has oppressed us," she said. "When we're fighting for our rights, it's not even necessarily as an American

For her to feel pride in America, she said, there would need to be widespread recognition that the systems upon which the country was built are inherently violent and racist, and that they have to be dismantled for Black people to feel safe. 

or black people protesting for their lives is un-American," said Moises Rodriguez Cruz, 22

There's no way that you fit into the American narrative because you don't have this magical paper that validates your existence and your identity in the country," Cruz said

Cruz wishes that when people talk about what it means to be an American, they would do more to acknowledge its diversity without whitewashing its past

"When we talk about America and what it means to be American, what we really should celebrate is queer people, trans people, black people," Cruz said

Cruz said he doesn't feel pride in a "nationalistic project" but is often proud of the people who make up the United States

Young people are more familiar with diversity, and many are using activism to edge the country closer toward a version of America they feel embraces different identities

"Even those that have disagreed with a given policy or administration have been able to look at the United States and see an example of a country that is not homogeneous, full of different people from different backgrounds and countries, but that collectively makes democracy work," said Jack Petroskey, 29, of Royal Oak, Michigan

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