The spirit of 1776

By On July 2, 2010 · 3 Comments · In Minterview

In the absence of Minterview Monika, as we refer to her now at the clubhouse, I’ve sought inspiration from George Washington (always best to get hold of him before the holidays) to come up with our next Minterview questions.

You know the drill. It’s an interview.  It’s a mini-interview:  MINTERVIEW!  So answer these questions yourself – or, even better, interview someone else and post his or her response.  It’s a great way to greet strangers, bewilder friends and family, or achieve a restraining order. (Maybe not that last one.) Keep your answers short and piquant – 150 words or less – and let’s see what we discover about each other in your comment. George Washington’s questions are:

1.  What does it mean to you to be an American?

2.  Which new national holiday would you create and why?

 
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derek

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  • Star5fallonmyheart

    You amaze me by being a Brit asking me what is is to be a Yank. American, I mean. It's a question I usually got from grade school teachers and they wanted predictable, even cute answers.

    I am the embodiment of what America has and will become–a melting pot of different cultures. Roots from a Filipino mother who left Manila for a better life and a mixed European father–himself, a mix of Western and Eastern European–I am a convergence of different cultures into one body, one person. I think that's what America is. Despite our racial tensions present to the very moment I am typing this, that is what we are. From the Native Americans who arrived here thousands of years ago to the English who arrived only centuries ago, all the way down to those who continue to flow into our country now, that is what defined and created this country. We are unique in that we do not have a unified identity based so much on culture. Of course, culture is just something that comes with time–something our young nation doesn't have enough of. The only thing we can be united on is a common recognition of humanity–that we are all important and have something to offer. We've lost sight of that so many times in our short history. We still don't always recognize it now. We don't have a unified culture.

    Perhaps, as an American, living in the times now, it means we have the time to make the decision to create a culture bringing out and amplifying the best in humanity. I'm an American trying to do my best. Right now? That's what an American looks like at our absolute best.

  • Derek

    Beautifully put, Stefanie. But you forgot to choose a new holiday!

  • Star5fallonmyheart

    That's a bad idea making me create a new holiday. Because then it'd be *NSYNC day on July 13th (that's my anniversary) and it'd be nothing but playing *NSYNC music and videos all day, starting with their Disney Concert from 1998 and working our way up to the Popodyssey concert in the early 2000's. Not to mention going into all of their individual endeavors after they broke up in 2002! Do you REALLY want me to do that? =D