when asked to introduce myself,
the response is protocol:
my name, my age, or where i'm from,
friends and family know it all.

when asked to talk about myself,
some things don't come to mind.
sure, you'll know my favorite foods,
but i'll leave my country behind.

i have friends from around the world,
who take pride in their homeland.
but one thing you won't hear me say-
"i'm proud to be american".

what comes to mind when one hears "america"?
mcdonald's and walmart and guns?
what about slavery, racism, genocide?
i guess that's how history runs.

i'm lucky to have my freedoms,
i'm lucky to have my rights.
but with this "american privilage",
set the stage for continual fights.

we fight against one another,
which breaks down our unity.
as americans, it is our job to think:
"what does 'american' mean to me?".