Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1941-07-03
Who Is A Good American?

These days of stress and disaster, Of wars and
rumors of wars. They are as all such days of world
wide holocaust days of ferven emotions hates loves
bitterness and patriotism. Men say and do things
they would say and do in ordinary times. There
is the stress in mems souls in the outer world
in which they live Feeling high. 1t boils over
at the slightest provocation.
We here in America prize our way OF lie, ABOUT
which we are hearing much these days. Our country
we love- Our patriotism cherish. There is pride
pardonable pride in America and in things American
And Americans, good Americans, will not knowingly
approve or permit assaults, from the inside or out
side upon this country the democratic institutions
and liberties it harbors and espouses In the fervor
Of things however, there is upon occasion an oppor
tunity to mistake just who is good American Who
has the right to lay claim to patriotism? Whose the
glorious privilege OF saying, L am an American, a
good American?
. What constitutes a good American? Whom shall
we apprase as such? And how We detect him
when him? We cannot discern him by his col
or. For color has nothing to do with ones patriot
ism. We cannot appraise him by his race In Amer
ica the melting pot the world, is neither bar
rier to- nor proof Of the best in Americanism. Greed
does not tell the story. 1t cannot. For America and
Americansm know creed, that of patriotism
itself color, creed then falls sole heir
TO being good American.
Americanism is something more something bigger,
than color, and creed. And they who would lin
il patriotism the narrow confines OF any or the
three have missed something closely akin to patriot
ism itsef-which is tolerance. Who then is good
American? We do not think the definition is difficult,
though the requirements for fufllment may be hard.
A good American is tolerant of his fellow man
he would have his fellow be tolerant of him.
He believes in the democratic form of government as
something in which found the good for the
greatest number He disagree with with
thinking him either insane vicious. And he
agree with him without thinking him perfect.
A good American believes in that liberty for which
he is willing make those sacrifices that will
the freedom for all society. He adheres TO
that freedom which unfetters the minds and souls of
their bodies. He believes in freedom of
speech of the press assembly of worship. But
he believes in them much for the fellow the
the other side of the tracks as for him
self A good American realizes that Americanism is
always if the easy way He knows there are
sacrifices to be made for the benefits received un-
dersands and appreciates that PATRIOTISM real patriot
ism, calls for giving, quite much for receiving
And above all else, the good American sees in
patriotism the necessity, if not the opportunity of
paying more than lip service to the ideal democ-
racy He visualizes Americanism theory but
as something living and practical And seeing and
realizing he accepts its responsibilities quite will
ingly as its benefcences The good American thus
subugates personal gain and selfshness to the broad
er more social concepts of public welfare and COM
munity service. Real Americanism is more than
shouting. It's praying. It's than a salute with
the hand It's salute from the heart That the
good American, irrespective of color, or creed
understands and accepts-B. Lee Pace in the Col
orado Springs (Colo) News