The American
dream is exactly what it sounds like; a
dream. And like all dreams filled with hope
and wonderful things, it is hoped by those
who have the dream to become a reality.
However, only once in a while, and under rare
circumstances, does it ever become a reality.
The American dream first began as a ploy of
the English government to get some of their
rapidly growing populous to go to America, as
colonists, but also as defenders of the land
England wanted to lay claim to. They were to
set up forts, like the one on Roanoke, and
attack the Spanish treasure fleets. The
English government spread the word of a
“land of opportunity” where anyone
and everyone could become wealthy. The truth
of it was that America was an unexplored land
mass, filled with swamps in the south, poor
soil in the north, and great forests
everywhere. But to the poor masses of Europe,
it must have seemed as truly a land of great
opportunity, with free land for everyone!
Thus, the American dream became most popular
among the poor and especially the immigrants.
America
was heralded as having equal opportunity for
all. And yet today, the poor masses living in
filthy apartments in enormous cities are no
better off than those in Europe during the
1600’s. They are, perhaps, even worse
off. In the slums of Americas great cities,
thousands of people go every night without a
home. Thousands more are surrounded by drugs,
guns, and violence. Even a natural genius
subjected to the conditions of the slums,
would not have much of a chance at getting
out of his position. For, if he or she lived
in the slums, their family would, in all
likely-hood, be large and poor. This would
prevent him from receiving anything other
than a public education, and chances are he
would be forced to drop out of school at an
early age to help support the family. Even if
he could stay in school long enough to
graduate high school, he would be constantly
surrounded by drugs and violence. If he
excelled in school, he would be shunned by
the other kids, who probably would choose him
as the target of their bullying. Even if by
some chance this child stayed in school, and
made it all the way through without becoming
hooked on drugs, thrown in jail, or shot (a
rare task in and of itself), how could he
possibly hope to go to college. He would have
little if any money, and due to the poor
education offered in the slums, a slight
chance at best of getting into an excellent
college.
Despite
all these things against the poor and
unfortunate of our nation, so many of us
still say with a straight face that America
is the land of equal opportunity. How can a
poor, uneducated, person from the slums
possibly have the same opportunity to become
a successful adult, or for that matter, an
adult, as a wealthy, well educated son or
daughter of a well connected politician or
multi-millionaire. For the child of rich
parents has been educated at a top school,
and may even be applying to the same college
that their parents attended and are members
of the alumni at and large contributors to.
And with an increase in tuition at many
colleges and universities lately, how can the
poor person hope to pay for such an
education. Scholarships could help, but in
order to get one, one needs to excel at
something. How can the poor person, even if
he was a genius, possibly hope to score
better on the PSAT, or any other test for
which scholarships are awarded for doing
exceptionally well. It is not that the
occupants of the slums are less intelligent,
it is that they are not reaching their
potential in a system which provides them
with an inferior education.
And
yet it is this system which is hailed as a
democracy, and a society where all are equal.
Where everyone has the same chances. This is
all a lie. If two individuals were equal in
every way, except that one was born and
raised in the Bronx, and the other was born
and raised on 5th Ave. in Manhattan, they
would hardly have equal opportunity. The
system in which we live, whether
intentionally or not, creates an oligarchy of
the rich. Those who have the power and the
wealth, keep it and pass it on to their
children. Meanwhile, the poor are hooked on
cocaine are having more children than they
could possibly hope to support. Thus, the
rich are getting richer, while the poor die
young and get poorer.
|
