Ashley, age 12 of Clarcksville, TN
What it means to be an American citizen to me, is that I have the right to state my opinion. To be free and to go to school and learn thats an avantage that most kids don't have. I like bieng an American citizen because I don't have to follow everone ealses relgion. I am very proud of the troops!

Rebecca, age 12 of Abington, MA
It means you have been born on U. S. soil or, if you want to be an American citizen than you have to go through the naturalization process. If you are not born in America and did not go through the naturalization process than you are an immigrant.

Gennesis, age 12 of Phoenix, AZ
Being an American citizen means you're free and able to do many things people in other countries wouldn't even think about doing. It means you can go to school no matter what race or gender you are. Lastly, it means to be proud and enjoy every moment of your life.

Dyshekia, age 15 of Vicksburg, MS
To be an American citizen means that you have to love what you do. You have to help clean up your community and be born in America. An American citizen means to have a job do some kind of work.

Jessica, age 11 of Leavenworth, KS
I think it means to be the best person you can and to respect everyone. America is a free country and you should respect people's decisions. It means to treat everyone as you want to be treated.

Precious, age 14 of Lansing, MI
Being an american citizen means that you may not like everyone living here but you still have to respect them as a human been. Sometimes some people take others for granted and they don't even know what it is that they have been going through. You know somenoe could have just lost a really close family member. So being an american citizens just means that everyone of many different colors live in the same world as you do and no matter what you think about that person you should always remember everyone in this world is your brother and sister, and they are part of your family.

Alaina, age 9 of Las Cruces, NM
What does it mean to be an American Citizen? To me being an American Citizen is doing whatever you can to help your country become an amazing place to live in. People of all ages can do this by just being kind to everyone else. This is what I think being an American Citizen is.

Shareefa of Richmond Hill, NY
I am very proud to be an american citizen. In america, woman have the same rights as men and segregation no longer exists. In america there is lots of people and people can become anything that they want to be. Children can get education and can grow up to be just about anything. Everyday people are learning something new and soon the contry will be extremly advanced.

Jack, age 16 of Olympia, WA
In my oppinion being an american citizen means being loyal to your country. It means paying taxes, helping the community and voting. Being an american citizen means obeying the laws, not causing trouble and trying to make the world a better place. Being an american citizen to me is the best privillage any other person in a differen country would want for themselves and their families. That to me is what being an american citizen is.

Daisey, age 15 of Scottsdale, AZ
It means that we have freedom and rights. We help each other and care for each other. We stick up for each other. We beleive in dreams. We love our country.

Maddison, age 13 of Flint, MI
I think being an American citizen is sort of like what the soldiers are doing right now in Iraq. Or like when someone cares about anther citizen when they need help. Or someone cleans up a mess weather they did it or not. This is just a few things being an American citizen means to me.

Megan, age 13 of Anchorage, AK
To me it means that you would be willing to do almost anything for your country and being a representative of it, even if your not the president.

Anna, age 8 of Los Angeles, CA
What it means to be a American citizen is to be a volunteer and reaspect the Fourth of July.

Katie, age 14 of Huntsville, AL
To be an American citizen means, loving your country and respecting its flag, paying your taxes, doing your civic duty by voting, and having your own opinions, but supporting those of your leaders.

Parker, age 13 of Beverly Hills, CA
When you are an american citizen you are free. Our country can be explained in one word. FREEDOM. You can work where ever you want, eat what ever you want, and do anything you want..(that isn't illegal!!) So it doesn't matter if you black or white, blonde or not, smart or dumb or anything. You are an american citizen. You are free to speak your mind!

Esther, age 13 of Topeka, KS
I belive it means you live in the USA and everybody is free and you have the right to vote and that kind of thing.

Maria, age 14 of St. Paul, MN
An American citizen isn't someone who has a great uncle who was an Indian. It doesn't mean your parents were born here. Maybe your Mom comes from Korea and your dad comes from Brazil and you were born in the United Kingdom. You and your family can still be American Citizen's if you live in America. I think an American Citizen is someone who will support our country and its leaders, even if they don't completely agree with their choices. An American Citizen is one who loves America. I guess what I am trying to say, is that it doesn't matter where you come from, who you are, as long as you love being in America. That is what an American Citizen is to me.

Julie, age 10 of Nashport, OH
It means tht you are free from all of the kings and queens. Because we know that we are all treated the same we all are free. We can share are thoughts with people who care and we know that they will listen. We have the right to work where we what to work. We can do what we what to do. We are free and that is what a American citzen is to me.

Fatima, age 11 of Yonkers, NY
To me, being an American citizen means freedom and strength. It also means to unite in peace with everyone in the world.

Samantha of Spring Lake Park, MN
I think if you are a true American Citizen then you believe in your country and help it to make the right decisions. I think that it is also good to get involved in decisions made by the government, being a true American Citizen shows when you get involved with your country.

Hector, age 16 of La Porte, TX
To me to be a American Citizen means that you have freedom to express your self without anyone stoping you and the freedom to succed in life with all the oportinities given to you by the government.

Caitlyn, age 12 of Ashland, IL
What it means to be an american citizen. It means alot to me, it would be very hard living in a land of no freedom and no rights. Im 12 and I love america I have lived here all my life and so has my annsesters. What happened in septer was just a thing to me that made America stronger in so many ways but it also made it weaker in so many ways to. So if you want to aski me again what it means to me, then I'll tell you the same because I love america!

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