What it means to be an American in 2019

The Fourth of July is about patriotism and tradition—parades, picnics, fireworks and all the rest.

It should also be a good time to think about what it really means to be an American.

In 2019, that question is front and center. With his anti-immigrant and nationalist speeches, tweets and policies, President Donald Trump presents one clear answer.

But there are many other views as well.

SN&R asked a diverse group of prominent people in the Sacramento area for theirs: Pat Fong Kushida, president & CEO of the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce; Basim Elkarra, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Sacramento Valley chapter; Ebony Harper, a Sacramento activist who is head of the new National Alliance for Trans Liberation and Advancement; and Eric Guerra, vice mayor of Sacramento.

Read their essays and see if you agree with them. Then consider: What do you think it means to be an American in 2019?