Evening star., 1947-05-18
Whut IS an American?


today to ask themselves what they mean
when they say they are Americans. It is
. good time for such question. It Is q
good time for all Of us to remind ourselves
Of what We stand for in world OF over
wrought nerves, widespread human and
economic wreckage, and ominously clash
ing ideologies.
Above everything, leaving aside the fact
that we are incomparably the richest and
most powerful Nation on earth at this
time, what makes US unique Is this: That
nowhere else is there any people so diverse
as we are In religious creeds, racial stock
and national origins, and who yet are
legally as one. This oneness is inherent In
our constitutional democracy-a way Of
life built on the great spiritual principle
that all men are created equal, that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable Rights, that among these are
Life, Liberty and the pursuit Of Happiness"
AS a people and Nation, we have
attained the summit of world power under
this principle, but that does not mean
that we have lived up to it perfectly. Il Am
an American Day" is certainly no occasion
for puffed-up, chauyinistic pride. As
human beings, as children OF God, we are
intrinsically no better than human beings
anywhere, and as citizens of the United
States we have more than few evils
within our own borders-more than little
tawdriness, more than little gimme"
greed, more than a little intolerance, and
more than little of other things that
should make us hesitate to preach self
righteously to the rest Of mankind.
Today, therefore, not without some
humility, Americans, besides reaffirming
their faith in America, have reason to look
into their hearts and minds, individually,
to Judge for themselves how well they have
abided by the root principles of their
country. How strongly have they followed
Washington's counsel that the name
American must always exalt just pride
Of patriotism" over the spirit of faction
and narrow self-interest? How deeply have
they supported the beliefs that distinguish
all democracies from relationships? Can
they pass what Bernard Baruch has called
the tests of freedom? Are they, for
instance, ardently in favor OF free express
sion OF opinion or Of political opposition?
Are they Fundamentally against non
constitutional government? Are they de-
termined to have fair play for poor and
rich, white and colored; for private persons
and public officials alike? Are they dedi-
Gated against secret police methods that
would deprive men of liberty or life with
out just and open trial?
A good American Is the man or woman
who can honestly answer yes to such
questions. A good American is one who
firmly believes in democracy and is resolved
to preserve and improve it in America.
Beyond that, in relation to the world, a
good American is that citizen who is aware
of the greatness and immense RESPONSE
bilities of the United States, aware that
1t Is giant among nations and that it
must play giants role-a role calculated
to insure its own security by acting with
vision within itself and by doing all that
it can to widen the areas of prosperity and
freedom abroad for the sake of decent
and enduring peace. If most of us can say
that we are this kind OF American, then
we are equipped to face the tasks before u.s.