Is the American dream still coming to be? Ask this question among many Americans and according to each person’s experience you will get different answers. Some Americans do not even know what to believe anyway and they will say it is confusing to them. People do not have a clear answer if the American dream is still alive or dead. Still, it is not well understood who is to achieve the dream. Is it the government or the citizens?
After the terrorist attack in September 11, the American dream for many came to a sudden death. Yes, talk about the immigrants in America who have faced a dramatic change in their life plans. All immigrants run to America where they believe freedom exists. They come with their heads so high, hopes so bright to pursue happiness and wealth without the fear of losing it all in a flash.
It is a dream for immigrants from the Middle East to be in America; a country where discrimination is history and where no one will prevent them from achieving their dreams in life. They all work hard and stay away from trouble just to gain citizenship in America so they can achieve their dreams. This was the case before hundreds of people died in a terrorist attack. After the attack, that what was when their light at the end of the tunnel became their worst nightmare (Hernandez 98).
The America with a dream has now turned against its dream in the name of making America a safe place free from terrorism. The immigrants from the Middle East now watch as their rights disappear in the darkness of security. Imagine an immigrant worshipping at home as the thought of been seen in a mosque by the “law-keepers” make him shiver.
The “law-keepers” can be any of them; be it the FBI or the Homeland Security, they have all joined hands to ensure the Muslims do not attack. Why does one suffer just because his religion is associated with terrorism? Is that not what they run away from in their home countries?
The privacy right is now a dream among immigrants from the Middle East. All they say, do or go is known. There is no freedom left to them even though they are away from their countries and the sound of blasting bombs. Those in school face it harder as what you borrow from the library is known.
My friend who is a Muslim will have broken the law if he moves without notifying the INS about the change in his address. This will mean been deported back to “hell” where freedom was killed by war and greed. How do our friends who are Muslims become citizens if it is already impossible to enjoy the few immigrants’ rights? I remember my friend telling me a horrifying story he experienced in the airport when travelling.
Muslim immigrants queuing before him were taken from the queue for interrogation. These days the law keepers can break into their homes without warrants or arrest them and hold them for long in the name of ensuring security against terrorist attack. What is left for them to believe in anymore? What they thought was a bright new start is now a dead end.
Today, if you are from the Middle East, name it the Arabic land, then job security is no longer assured. Employers are sending home employees who are Muslims just because they do not have full citizenship in America. Is America not supposed to be free from discrimination? Those working in sensitive areas like technology are denied their dreams when written-off from their paycheck.
It makes it worse when you cannot question what caused your being sent home. Mention a name that is associated with insecurity and you will be paid a visit by security officers for questioning. It has become hard for immigrants to fight their way in achieving their dreams. How do you work hard to be a citizen of country where the freedom you came to seek is discriminative?
America has a dream to be free from racial discrimination. However, is this dream coming to be or is it still out of reach? How do you rejoice to be born with a certain color while the other curses to be born of another color? You forget it was not your choice to decide in which color to be born. When will we all rejoice to be born Americans and not of a certain color? (Davis-Laack 124).
Worry if you are born a black-American, as you will find yourself reading a notice saying “for whites only”. There is still the dream that one day a notice like that will be replaced by another saying “welcome all”. Am I still a citizen of America if by just being a Negro I cannot enjoy the richness of my country? If I travel for a long distance and its nighttime and I need a place to rest I cannot find one.
Hotels will not admit me just because of my color. I still believe that a day will come that all no matter what color, origin, or religion will share a hotel. A day will dawn when all our kids, black or white will hold hands and play together. A day that ghettos will be history as all America has will be for all of us.
The police have come to believe in existence of a “criminal race”. No matter how hard you try to avoid trouble if you have this race’s color the police will treat you like them. It is time us, the “criminal race” stopped fighting fire with fire but instead fought for our place through use of our inner energy.
Who will achieve the America dream? The answer to this question by many people will point to the white people. However, whose dream is this? Is it for the white people or black? Is the dream really for America? I believe this dream is for America and if you are in this ship called America then you can achieve it.
All people can achieve this dream because it gives us the opportunity to define it according to what we believe in. Every person then has the opportunity to decide on the means and ways to achieve it. It is time we stop blaming President Obama for the poor economic times. It is time we stop to wait for the American dream to happen while we do nothing. The American dream is supposed to encourage us to work hard as Americans to achieve our dreams in it.
In America today, about one million mortgages are in default and people blame it on the economic recession. Others believe that the dream of one day having their own home, working one job and that they will retire at 65 with retirement benefits is dead. Its time people defined the American dream. This will help them achieve their full capability. This will ensure that they are accepted by others, regardless of their birth or position situations.
Its time people took responsibility to enable them achieve their dreams as a contribution of keeping alive the American dream. My friend became a surgeon though his father was drug addict. He is proud having achieved his dream through determination and handwork. Today is the time Americans did their part no matter what challenges they face to making the American dream a reality.
Though the future is beyond tomorrow and full of uncertainties, I belief the American dream will come to be. The time is now when all of us will be Americans, not Muslims and Christians, not blacks and whites. Americans will fight with economic recession without pointing fingers to the government.
This is the time when everyone’s dream will be a reality. This is the time when immigrants will be citizens and respected in their workplace and a time when all states will be homes for all. The future of the American dream is the future of our dreams. The handwork Americans are putting on their dreams will make the American dream become a reality in the future to come.
American dream is not all about becoming free from discrimination, or enjoying your rights fully but it is all about progress (Hansen 89).
This progress starts with every American citizen no matter which race, color, region or economic status. The American dream is all about each American setting their own goal and stopping at nothing until they achieve it.
Though as America we have failed in things like economic progression, sacrifices must be made to work the way up to progression. The future of American dream is still alive and bright as Americans follow the slogan of our President Obama, “Yes We Can”. With this faith Americans are striving to achieve their goals in life, which implies the gradual achievement of the American dream.
Works Cited
Davis-Laack, Paula J.D. Is the American Dream Still Alive? 2010. Web.
Hansen, Davis. The Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Speech that Inspired a Nation. New York, NY: Harper Collins. 2003. Print.
Hernandez, Daisy. The Illusory, Elusive American Dream. 2010. Web.