American Identity

Every community has its own principles and regulations. But they are not enough to keep the integrity of all its members: an individual could be a good citizen (i.e., to observe the law) and, despite that, not to respect the goals and aspirations of the community in general. This can occur especially in times of crisis or disappointment. For that reason, a set of various celebrations is used in order to integrate the members of the community again. Some of these celebrations are essentially recollections of past events that define the identity of the particular nation. Their function is to unite people, but their ramifications are far-reaching. The feeling of belonging can be very important for every individual, and it can help the latter to construct their own view of the world. In short, to belong to a community is an inevitable part of human life, but to be aware that one belongs to a given community means that one's life is meaningful. In this way, we can ask here, How can the fact that we are Americans affect our lives? What difference does it make? What is America for all of us?