"...And We Thought That Nation-States Were A Bad Idea"

In answering the question "what makes a nation?" I can only call upon my own background and try to explain what those words mean to me. As an American citizen and resident, I am a member of this nation. However, my parents are immigrants, which makes things a little bit more complicated. See, I'm no longer a member of majority American culture at this point, but cannot say I'm "half" or "part" American. I'm also an Israeli citizen, and in many ways consider myself to belong to that nation, as well. Jessie Dzura mentioned food as an indicator of nationality (cheeseburger as an American food); when I think of home cooking, I think of the many dishes my mom made, most of which are Israeli/middle eastern. Nations are mosaics; a big picture created by smaller fragments that may not make sense on their own. Cheeseburgers aren't a nation, but what could define America better than a Fourth of July cookout?

As far as the purpose of a nation, it seems twofold. The state has a responsibility to protect its citizens, and the nation itself is merely a symbol in which the citizens may put their trust. One may claim to belong to a nation, but in all honesty, it seems to me as if consent is unnecessary in this regard. Other members of a nation may reject your claim, and the state may refuse your rejection of the nation.