Mekaal Khan is a 13-year-old Lexington middle school student.
What does being American mean to you? Does it mean that you were born here? Does it mean that you have a passport? No. Being American means contributing to your community and doing your part to help the country in any way you can.
As we near another election, I wanted to reflect on the poem The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman, which she read at Joe Biden’s inauguration.
I believe the theme of The Hill We Climb is that we must support our nation and each other if we want our country to succeed. The poem speaks about diversity and equity for all Americans and the need for our country to heal. I believe Gorman is calling on all Americans to come together, heal the country, and look past their differences. This theme is evident when Gorman discusses the country being “unfinished,” the diversity of the nation, and what it truly means to be an American. Her speech is a powerful display of American patriotism. It shows that no matter your ethnicity, you are still an American, and you are welcome.
Gorman says, “a nation that isn’t broken, but simply unfinished.” This aligns with the theme of Americans needing to heal their country. It also suggests that Americans must not sow division among one another. As Lincoln once said, “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” Americans must lift each other up instead of tearing each other down; they must help one another achieve greatness rather than sabotage their fellow citizens. If we can support each other, we may be able to complete the puzzle that is America and make it whole.
Later in the poem, Gorman states, “We the successors of a country and a time.” America encompasses a country, a time, and a spirit. Ever since the Declaration of Independence was signed and the first July 4th was celebrated, America has been in the hearts of its people. It has become an all-encompassing identity, a source of pride, and a safe haven for freedom and democracy. We are the successors of the first Americans who fought for our freedom, and now we must make them proud by celebrating our successes. We must demonstrate that we are worthy of carrying the American name, the American flag, and the American identity. We should all be proud to call ourselves Americans, and we must show that we are worthy of this identity.
Gorman also says, “We are striving to forge a union with purpose, To compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters, and conditions of man.” Whether we are Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or hold any other faith, we must work together to make our country proud. No matter if we are Asian, Arab, Black, or from any other background, we all carry the American name on our shoulders, and we must all live up to this name. Regardless of what we look like, whom we worship, or what we believe, we are all Americans. Though we have differences, we are united under the banner of stars and stripes, under the banner of freedom, and under the banner of America.
Finally, she says, “It’s because being American is more than a pride we inherit; it’s the past we step into and how we repair it.” Yes, some of us are American by birth, and some of us are not. Some of us proudly carry our American identity, while sadly, some do not. No matter our circumstances at birth, we must still prove ourselves and show that we are American. We cannot claim to be American and then ignore the well-being of our country when it needs us most. Those who nurture, protect, and uphold the legacy of our country are the true Americans. Just as Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and countless others stepped up and proved their worth to their country, we must also help our country through tough times. We must ensure we go down in the history books, and we must ensure America is remembered as the greatest country ever created.
Very happy to learn that a young man from a diverse background has quoted Gorman and focussed on qualities that define a true American, and the need of the time to work together for communal benefit.