We, as citizens of the United States of America, have been raised and taught that we as a country are civilized and fair. We are a country of personal freedoms, while also maintaining a certain degree of balance between personal freedoms and a stabilized federal government. But are we really civilized? Do we even understand the concept of being civilized? The constitution was written by the framers of America to be a flexible document. It was created to bring order to the country, but still able to bend to the ever growing nation. The constitution and our government were created to form a free and civilized nation of people. With this being said it is easily understood that "being civilized" is a very broad term. It is a term that is defined in the dictionary as "polite and well mannered", but what is "polite and well mannered?" Why is this topic so argued?

There are approximately 307,006,550 people currently residing in the United States of America. With over three hundred and seven million people living under one unified nation there are bound to be opposing views and opinions. This is where the problems and tension plays a part in our nation. Many people in the United States define a civilized body as a group who respect themselves and do what he or she find necessary for their well being, but at the same time, also respecting the values and conditions of others who surround you. This is an opinion that many people, including myself, in our country find true, but this does not mean all bodies of people find this. Our great nation is made up of countless nationalities and races. Religion and costumes that are spread world wide can be seen here. With the different nationalities, beliefs, and customs different groups of people define laws in different ways. Once again, the constitution and our nation's laws are set up in a certain way that allows room for opinion and individual interpretation. This means that the idea of a civil person is debated due to personal beliefs and relationships. For example, a person of one culture might say one crime is worthy of the death sentence while another culture call it a mire accident. The controversy and opinion of what a civil person might be are endless, but not only does this problem occur in the US, but also in, and between other countries.

People of our country look at us as one of the most powerful countries in the world due to our civilized nation, laws, and personal freedoms; but other countries find us weak and foolish for allowing the people their rights. This is just one example showing that the meaning of the word civilized is taken in a different way in each nation. The government of the countries that make up this world are vastly different in each nation, and with the vast difference comes different views and opinions directed towards other nations. A person considered civil in Chile would most likely not be considered civil in Russia. Once again, this is very much due to the culture in which these people have grown up in and have been taught.

Being civilized is a term, as I said before, can be interpreted in many ways. It is a term that almost all people believe in, but also something that not all people agree on. Different races, religions, and cultures are in constant argument, debating on the terms and conditions in which the word civil are based. It is a word that people throw around with no problem daily, but also a word that will always be argued upon. It applies to all nations and people of those nations. It can determine the outcome of a simple argument, but also can be used to determine wether a war shall end or continue. As seen the word and concept of being civil can be the cause of many issues, but also be used as a great hero in a time of need. So the real question is, are you "Civil?"