I Am an American NOT of Caucasian Descent :: Personal Narrative Writing

I Am an American NOT of Caucasian Descent What does it close to be American? What does the word American mean? If I range I am American, does that mean I am obligated to fight for America in a war? Does that mean I would not do anything against this country? How permanent is my status of being an American? When asked, I always say I am American, based on the occurrence that I was born here and that is what my birth certificate is supposed to prove. But then why dont I also say that I am also Mexican and Indian, as my upbringings and family have been more of these cultures than of American culture? Until college, I had lived in Michigan all my life. Visiting Canadian friends the twenty-minute drive away was a regular family outing. My mother usually had the task of driving through Customs, as she, though the child of Mexican immigrants, spoke without an accent. Citizenship? The customs official would ask. U.S. My mother would reply. All four of you? Was the typical response, as the official would look directly at my dad, whose physical features do not hide the fact that he was born in India. Yes, My mother would reply, as she handed over the proper paperwork. It was not until the age of eight that I wondered enough to ask my mammary gland why she did not reply American to the customs officials question. She responded that the term American is vague. A person from Canada has an equal right to identify himself or herself with the term that reflects the name of our shared continent. Using the term U.S. is both true and specific. My mothers opinion is just one of the many views that exist on the term.As I grew up, I began with a very chauvinistic pride in my birth country.