Over the last year, I have heard the phrases, “it’s Republican” or “it’s Democratic”. When did we begin to determine that everything was party related? Many of the issues relating to these phrases, I considered were simply part of being an American. Did we all forget what our country was built on and what it means to be an American and to live the American Dream?

To me, an American is anyone who has been given the inalienable right of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They stand upon these rights with the innate ability to maximize their perception of “The American Dream”. Which I affirm as the ability to achieve whatever your heart desires. This also includes the legal right to vote which was guaranteed to all Americans after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and is the stimulus to our freedom.

Voting is only a small part of being an American. Americans share values, ideals, and a love for justice and freedom. Even though America has not always been inclusive of everyone, it has somewhat shifted the values towards inclusivity of everyone as our country shifted due to new laws and the shifting of immigration through time.

In the 1900s there was a big immigration push from European immigrants to the U.S. which shifted the demographics of our country. In the 20th century, it took Japanese Americans 40 to 50 years to receive recourse. Even today as we see the open borders so many people from so many different countries entering will cause a shift in the American demographics. With a shift in demographics comes a shift in values and ideals.

History provided the 14th Amendment which ratified, granting citizenship to all people “born” or “naturalized” in the United States to ensure the inclusivity of all Americans. Along with this amendment, there is a naturalization process to be achieved if you would like to become a true American. This process has been established to ensure that everyone coming into our Great Nation understands what a democracy is and the process in which it performs to keep us living the American Dream and to ensure our freedoms are secure.

In history, only Congressional action can give the restricted or suppressed the right to vote only after naturalization has occurred. The reason for this is that with a demographic shift without the knowledge of American Democracy, we are at risk of losing our freedom and our ability to achieve the American Dream. There is a legal way to citizenship and I encourage everyone who is seeking our way of life to achieve it legally.

Remember that most of the ideals associated with party ideology were American ideology passed down through history which allowed us to be free and to dream and achieve the American Dream. All of our ancestors worked very hard and sacrificed so much so that we may remain free and have a life like no other historical civilization.

So the next time the media is force-feeding you party ideas, stop and listen to see if those ideas are really American ideology which this country was founded on.
Happy New Year and Let Freedom Ring!!!!

Mary Ann Hutton, Founder
The Straight Truth