What does it take to be an American?

I was just reading someone's story about exercising her American right to choose not to say the pledge of allegiance (for which she was ejected from class) -- and quite frankly I agreed with her and find her to be a true patriot. But then I read some of the comments that followed - some like "if you don't like it - leave the country" and such nonsense. When I disagreed about going to war with Iraq and protested in the streets for a week straight, many people said I was "UnAmerican" simply because I didn't see anything wrong with giving the situation a little more time and waiting for proof of the Iraqi WMDs or their connection to Osama (which NEVER did materialize). So I had to ask myself -- is agreeing with EVERYTHING the government does what it takes to be "American"? Do I have to keep my thoughts to myself in a free society in order to be "American"? Is the President ALWAYS right in America simply because he is "American"? To those who say if I don't agree with what the Administration does, I should move somewhere else and to those who think that America is the only free society, I would like to point out a few other countries where women are not degraded, there is democracy and the right to protest and free speech -- Canada, England, France, Spain, (now) Germany - just to get started (FEEL FREE to add more names to this list). America is not so special. We are an EVOLVING country the same as any other. We are not the only country that has the freedoms we enjoy. At any time - the freedoms we fought and died for in this country can be stripped away by a fascist Administration right under our noses, and as Americans, I believe we should be vigilent in our awareness as to the direction our country evolves or devolves, instead of running on rhetoric. Peace to you all. Scall