What is an American

This is a copy of an eMail sent to me by a very dear friend(thanks "T"), I have read it over and over and each time I read it I seem to find something I missed the time before and in all honesty it chokes me up! I am not sure who the original author is or how many different edits it has gone through but its seems the heart of its meaning has not changed.

To Kill An American
A report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward "To Kill An American", any American. An Australian wrote an editorial to let everyone know what an American is, so they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!)

What is an American
'An American is English, French, Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek, an American is also Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, Arab, Pakistani or Afghan, and an American is also Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world.
The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return. When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country! As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.

The quote on the national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty reads:
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
These in fact are the people who built America.

Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and some first languages included those that aided and abetted the terrorists.

So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did, General Tojo, Stalin, Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world tried. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.


Please keep this going!
Pass this around the World .
Then pass it around again.
It says it all for all of us.
Thanks!