I'm an indian, after moving to America and assimilating there
can I celebrate and call America my country with pride?
like whenever America achives something be proud and celebrate like i used to do in motherland?
I'm asking this because I've seen many Americans on twitter trying to create a boundary wall between immigrants and white american
disgracing them by saying "You'll never be American"
45 comments
Yes. It’s encouraged even. Don’t listen to anyone on Twitter about anything.
Absolutely. This country needs more immigrants like that. We need more Americans like that for that matter. Twitter isn’t real life.
Fuck ya you can.
Some of the most patriotic people in this Country are the ones that moved here for a better life.
Absolutely. It gives some of us the feel goods when we see this.
I think so. This gets contested and so forth politically but actually the most patriotic people I’ve met have been immigrants. I actually think it’s kind of un-American to think immigrants can’t become Americans…
Yes of course
In fact some of the most “American” Americans I’ve known were immigrants. They came here, worked hard, and love the country. Unlike a lot of the self hating Americans who were born here
My fellow American, hell yes you can.
I keep telling people this in this subreddit to the point I’m just going to start cutting and pasting it.
Other countries use the word “Culture” to mean some kind of unwritten but super important set of rules that dictate everything you do; what food you eat, how you prepare it, how you eat it, what you wear, how you act, how you present, whether you raise your goddamn pinkie or not while dancing the Polka during the Winter Solstice that A) everyone follows and B) everyone notices if you don’t follow and it often seems like it just boggles your fucking minds that WE JUST DON’T HAVE THAT HERE.
We have dozens of major cultures and countless small ones and while I’m not going to insult anyone’s intelligence by pretending we handle it particularly well all the time I am more and more thinking we handle it better BY ACTUALLY HAVING MULTIPLE CULTURES than other countries where if anyone steps out of line and breaks the spaghetti in half or puts the rutabagas in the stew before the onions or wears a tweed jacket after St. Swiven’s Day ya’ll do backflips down the road in utter confusion.
In America if someone sits down using chopsticks next to someone using a fork and knife… NOBODY CARES. It’s not weird, it’s not unusual, we barely notice. We don’t need everyone to perform a bunch of arbitrary acts the same to have a sense of country and I’m so sorry that ya’ll don’t understand that.
All of these “Do you eat our food? Do you wear our clothes? Do you watch our entertainment? Do you hang a gourd stuffed with spearmint and Swedish Fish over your hearth and tell the story of One Legged Pete on Christmas Eve like we do in MAH CULTURE?” questions aren’t really the question they are asking. They are asking us, begging us to make them understand how we’re not a monolithic Ethno-state where the culture and the country aren’t a 1:1 match.
Of course! Also, if you are an American citizen, your history is now American history.
If you live, work, and pay your taxes in a place then that place is your home. No one gets to decide who is and isn’t American based on their own arbitrary criteria, although that doesn’t mean they won’t try. Just know that there are way more people in the US who are welcoming and friendly than the loud ones who aren’t.
That’s the whole point.
It’s widely encouraged for everybody in America to view America as their own country and celebrate American achievements. America is *supposed* to be a melting pot of people from all around the world, so feel free to be happy and celebrate whatever you want. Celebrate the 4th of July, the moon landing, etc. We welcome you to do so.
Of course! No one gets to tell you that you can’t be proud of your country.
Anyone who comes to America and contributes postively to society should be welcomed with open arms.
Yes his name is Arnold Schwarzenegger
America is the one country you can move to and you are now truly considered a true citizen you can celebrate all American holidays with pride
Absolutely. Anybody can be an American. Its what makes this country so great.
in my experience the most patriotic people tend to be naturalized citizens. the only people who question it are ignorant, racist, low IQ assholes. if you chose to come here for whatever reason and pay taxes like everyone else then yes celebrate as much as you want. its yours too.
yup
I’m a first generation immigrant. That means I know what it means to actually become an American. Those people on Twitter are just nepo Americans that probably don’t even know the branches of government.
Absolutely. I know some Russian immigrants who are the proudest Americans.
Twitter is a racist, right-wing cesspool, and you should never believe anything you read there.
An immigrant has chosen America as their country of residence. You don’t have to forget about your birth country, but it would be strange to NOT take pride in your chosen nation’s achievements.
America operates on what I would call “umbrella multiculturalism”. You can be anybody, but as long as you identify as American, believe in the ideals of America, and adopt certain core principles (like that same respect for others), you are one, no ifs or buts. You don’t have to give up your original identity to gain that new one, either. That common cause under a shared banner is what makes and has always made America great. E pluribus unum.
Racists are gonna be racist, but if anybody doesn’t belong here, it’s them.
If I saw anyone reppin the usa on the 4th of July, It wouldn’t really matter who it is, we’d be on the same page in that moment.
Twitter isn’t the real world.
Yes, my father is British and has lived here for 50 years and is one of the most American people I know. People are shocked when they find out hes british.
Twitter was never an exact reflection of American public opinion, but it really, really isn’t anymore.
Yes. My Italian grandparents, and my Hispanic in laws are proof in my close to home/personal exlerience.
Yes, and like someone who converts to a new religion, I find immigrants to be even more patriotic, speaking as a second-generation immigrant. Statistically more likely to be a dutiful, law-abiding citizen than someone whose family has been here for generations actually
Yes.
My best friend is British and does this. It’s fine and is the point of the US and what it historically stands for.
My parents got here in 1956, from South Africa, and became citizens as soon as they could.
Welcome.
Absolutely! That’s literally what America was founded upon. We want people who want to be one with us.
The problem is when people who *don’t* respect American culture come to take advantage of the country, in any number of ways.
I would love it if you did. No offense to anyone, but many Indian people in my area act like it’s such a burden to be here. If I were to go to India (or anywhere), I would do my best to appreciate and learn about the culture.
But, I will say the few that I’ve seen try to enjoy it here, seem like they’re really having fun. Riding motorcycles, camping, there’s one guy up the street that’s trying to restore some classic cars, and they actually talk to time people around them. They seem to be getting along wonderfully here.
Of course you can.
Your birth country will always be special to you and no one can take that away. You chose to become a U.S citizen and that does not mean that you can’t celebrate. This country will also be special to you in due time.
Enjoy your home. You deserve it. 🙂
That’s how immigrants are supposed to work. This is your home now. Treat this place like your home, and we’ll treat you like you’re one of us.
Yes, that’s actually the preference for most Americans – including white ones. The consternation comes from when immigrants come here and then celebrate their wins as Indian, Mexican, etc.
Desi American here, second gen so didn’t immigrate. I’ll always be desi to an extent but my desh is the US, if that makes sense. It’s my home and I will always defend it.
My immigrant great grandmother used to say, ” We didn’t come to America to be Italians, we came to be Americans.” That attitude and belief carried many of them through some very harsh discrimination. The color of their skin wasn’t the issue, it was their religion and language and culture. People who have hate in their hearts and souls will always find something to hate. You came here to be an American.
I would prefer this and I think many feel the same. In my experience, the problem immigrants are ones that refuse to assimilate into their new country, regardless of what country they are coming from and going to.
yes, but it will take some time to truly integrate. also, as a first gen immigrant, you may not ever do so, depending on how much of your home country is in you.
your kids however… much easier for them.
“you can take the Indian out of India, you can’t take India out of the Indian”. heard this somewhere.
edited to add… beautiful question.
another edit: immigrating is truly the best of both worlds… you’re simultaneously neither here nor there and in both places at once. that’s the beauty of humanity. we bring a whole lot more than we take, culturally.
You can. My Indian husband takes the Thanksgiving menu very seriously and always insists on making the turkey himself. It is a delicious turkey so I don’t argue with him.
Yes! It’s encouraged for legal immigrants to embrace American culture and American ways of life. It doesn’t mean you have to forget your culture. Americans are generally pretty curious and they’ll ask you questions about what it’s like to live in India. Just remember, don’t try to make America like your country, and don’t try to make Americans follow the customs of your country. That’s the opposite of assimilation. This was a really good question that you asked!
Yes but the kicker is you have to actually assimilate and integrate. Its one thing to have foreign heritage, its another to share more in common with that heritage and then claim someone else’s while sharing little with them.
Example: if you don’t share blood, you need to share language/dress/morals/loyalty, etc. You’ll hear stories about Indians moving here and getting jobs in HR/hiring positions and then doing nothing but hiring other Indians from their caste background. These are not Americans, nor are they trying to be.
We _do_ have some modest, negotiable standards…
* You have to be here — you won’t be viewed as American if you haven’t lived in the country, with the exception of those born abroad to Americans and who identify as American.
* You’ll have your doubters if you harshly criticize America while wildly praising your home country. But that’s more if you’re overtly condemning a core American value. You could live here twenty years, speak English without an accent, and coach your daughter’s softball team, but if you said “Crime is such a problem in our democracy. America would be much better with a strong leader like I had back in Saudi”, that would be a problem.