A first grade teacher explains to her class that she is an American .

She asks her students to raise their hands if they were American too .

Not really knowing why but wanting to be like their teacher , their hands

explode into the air like flashy fireworks .

There is , however , one exception .

A girl named Gita has not gone along with the crowd .

The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different.

"Because I am not an American ." replied Gita.

"Then" , asks the teacher, "What are you ?"

"I'm a proud Indian ," boasts the little girl .

The teacher is a little perturbed now , her face slightly red . She asks Gita

why she is an Indian .

"Well", my mom and dad are Indians , "so I'm an Indian too ."

The teacher is now angry. "That's no reason ", she says loudly " if your mom

was an idiot , and your dad was an idiot , what would you be then ?"

A pause, and a smile.

"Then" says Gita , " I'd be an American ."