“Whose Country Is It? The Shared Claim of American Identity”
The claim to American identity rests in a shared sense of belonging and in the reality of a pluralistic identity and society. It is rooted in many histories, cultures, and places of origin. Yet this shared claim has also created tensions and complexities among the diverse groups that shape the American story, and it is a story that remains an ongoing experiment in living together as one nation. However, the American story is unique to different groups of people who call the United States home; yet this sense of belonging and community urge us to consider a variety of claims and entitlements.
For example, White Americans often claim the nation as theirs, pointing to the legacy of their ancestors. This is often linked to an inheritance of history and settlement. Black Americans remind us that they built this country with their blood, sweat, and unpaid slave labor. This claim is the foundation on which much of America’s wealth and power stands.
Furthermore, Native Americans assert that the land was theirs long before European conquest and colonization. They are the original stewards whose presence and traditions remain deeply tied to this soil. Immigrants—both European and non-European—lay claim through residency, hard work, and the path of naturalized citizenship. Both groups represent the ongoing renewal of the American story and experience through those who choose to make this nation their home. Every one of those stories tells a peculiar journey and is stamped within the American trajectory.
Each of these claims is true, and together they shape the identity and story of the United States. Everyone who calls the United States home desires belonging, and every community seeks acceptance in this shared nation. To belong here is to recognize that every community has contributed to what America is today, and every community has a rightful place in what it will become. We uphold the truth that every person within each community is a human being, and this shared humanity of the collective should be protected by the rule of law and this nation’s ethical principles.
It will not be an understatement to assert that this country is not possession. It is home, and it is a home that many groups, races, and ethnicities all share. The United States does not belong to one people or race; it belongs to all who live and labor here—contributing to the common good and strengthening its democracy. We inherit this nation not by ancestry, but by our shared responsibility to one another. The strength of this land is not in bloodlines, but in the lives we build together. The power of this country lies not in exclusion and xenophobia, but in the diversity of voices, histories, and dreams woven together. The dignity of the individual group of people matters, and it should be maintained and celebrated at all cost.
We should be reminded that this country is not a legacy of one group, race, or ethnicity. It is the common ground of us all to grow together, experiment life collaboratively, and dream collectively. The future of this country depends on recognizing that, regardless of race, ancestry, or origin, we all have a stake in building a just and united home for all—toward human flourishing. This land is where our history, struggle, disappointments, failures, sacrifice, future, and hope are intertwined.
drcelucienjoseph, "Thinking and Meditating" 