Who is an American?

[The Green Bean]

I was hearing Obama's rhetoric that his job is to save "American" lives. In my opinion that was arrogant to say the least. So who would you define as an American? Is anyone that possesses an American passport American? Or is it anyone who lives within specified geographical borders? Or is Americanism an ideology? Can Usman living in Syria, following an American way of life, sharing its values be called an American?

I was discussing this with a friend about Pakistanis and I came to the conclusion that Pakistani, more than a state is an ideology. This thread is not about Pakistan, but I consider any Muslim who is of Indian origin, a Pakistani. This is just an example, lets not discuss Pakistan here. I want to hear of what Americans think about Americans.

Who would you rather save? A low-life American who lives off others, or a noble Chinese? I want to understand what Americans mean when they say American lives are more important than the innocent civilians they kill around the world in collateral damage to save Americans.


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Last paragraph caused the thread to be locked.

You went from posing a question for discussion to trolling.

Common Courtesy
AT Admin

 

[guyver01]

Who would you rather save? A low-life American who lives off others, or a noble Chinese? I want to understand what Americans mean when they say American lives are more important than the innocent civilians they kill around the world in collateral damage to save Americans.

Since there is no such thing as a noble chinese.. that leaves only the American as capable of being saved.

btw... troll thread is troll.

 

[JSt0rm]

I was hearing Obama's rhetoric that his job is to save "American" lives. In my opinion that was arrogant to say the least. So who would you define as an American? Is anyone that possesses an American passport American? Or is it anyone who lives within specified geographical borders? Or is Americanism an ideology? Can Usman living in Syria, following an American way of life, sharing its values be called an American?

I was discussing this with a friend about Pakistanis and I came to the conclusion that Pakistani, more than a state is an ideology. This thread is not about Pakistan, but I consider any Muslim who is of Indian origin, a Pakistani. This is just an example, lets not discuss Pakistan here. I want to hear of what Americans think about Americans.

Who would you rather save? A low-life American who lives off others, or a noble Chinese? I want to understand what Americans mean when they say American lives are more important than the innocent civilians they kill around the world in collateral damage to save Americans.

Thr president takes a oath of office to protect and defend the nation. This also includes our interest around the world and we will kill people over that shit. Now if people align themselves with us they too get sweet sweet nectar (south korea vs north korea) If they dont then they are left as 3rd world crap holes with 18th century mentality.

 

[Craig234]

In my opinion, we should consider everyone a member of the human race before being a member of a nation.

But to answer your question what a lot of Americans think, I think it comes down to American citizens first; there are some in that group people will defend or attack depending who the 'enemy' is. If it comes down to them not having medical care, that's ok; if it's about an illegal Mexican immigrant doing something criminal to them, they'll defend them strongly. Below that I think people put our allies - like the British of Canadians, and others especially if the situation has them acting 'for us'.

The idea of Americans risking their lives for others is another issue.

I think the way that plays out is that we like to take credit for it, but it's not seen as a good justification.

So for example, take Vietnam - the reasons given for the war were not to help the Vietnamese, except as a side benefit; the reason was to fight the cold war, defeat communist aggression (that's what was said) - LBJ actually had a line about 'if we don't fight them there, we'll fight them in San Francisco'.

But when it came to taking credit, we were the saviors of the South Vietnamese people. We were protecting their freedom.

In WWII, we freed the Jews, we liberated France, we saved Britain for credit - but the war was justified by Pearl Harbor, the attack on us.

The war in Iraq and Afghanistan have a lot of talk about democracy for the people there, freedom from the tyranny of Saddam or the Taliban - and there's some truth to that - but we helped both those groups when we thought we'd benefit to do so, until Saddam got off the leash and harmed our interests, until 9/11.

Basically it means American citizens - not foreigners who might share culture.

But it can include 'common enemies' so for example, the pro-Democracy Chinese in China at Tianenmen Square were ' heroes' to American we cheered.

 

[wuliheron]

I was hearing Obama's rhetoric that his job is to save "American" lives. In my opinion that was arrogant to say the least. So who would you define as an American? Is anyone that possesses an American passport American? Or is it anyone who lives within specified geographical borders? Or is Americanism an ideology? Can Usman living in Syria, following an American way of life, sharing its values be called an American?

Whoever can cough up the money, has something else worthwhile, wants to be known as an American, and isn't such a total scumbag the whole world disowns them.

I was discussing this with a friend about Pakistanis and I came to the conclusion that Pakistani, more than a state is an ideology. This thread is not about Pakistan, but I consider any Muslim who is of Indian origin, a Pakistani. This is just an example, lets not discuss Pakistan here. I want to hear of what Americans think about Americans.

Who would you rather save? A low-life American who lives off others, or a noble Chinese? I want to understand what Americans mean when they say American lives are more important than the innocent civilians they kill around the world in collateral damage to save Americans.

Are you offering to take some of our low-life scumbags off our hands? I'm sure they'd be right at home in Pakistan.

 

[Taejin]

I was hearing Obama's rhetoric that his job is to save "American" lives. In my opinion that was arrogant to say the least. So who would you define as an American? Is anyone that possesses an American passport American? Or is it anyone who lives within specified geographical borders? Or is Americanism an ideology? Can Usman living in Syria, following an American way of life, sharing its values be called an American?

I was discussing this with a friend about Pakistanis and I came to the conclusion that Pakistani, more than a state is an ideology. This thread is not about Pakistan, but I consider any Muslim who is of Indian origin, a Pakistani. This is just an example, lets not discuss Pakistan here. I want to hear of what Americans think about Americans.

Who would you rather save? A low-life American who lives off others, or a noble Chinese? I want to understand what Americans mean when they say American lives are more important than the innocent civilians they kill around the world in collateral damage to save Americans.

Just trolling or really that stupid? American citizenship = American. Hur Dur.

 

[sMiLeYz]

Since there is no such thing as a noble chinese.. that leaves only the American as capable of being saved.

btw... troll thread is troll.

I disagree, there are noble human beings who aren't American.

If I was asked to save a Chinese Nobel laureate or Timothy McVeigh, I would pick the the Nobel Laureate every single time.

Things are never that simple, the US president has an obligation to his countrymen is bound by law to do everything to protect the interests of Americans overseas.

The lengths Americans go to protect the lives of the countrymen becomes a disincentive for others to harm Americans.