In light of the recent election, I think it's time we talk about America and greed, and everything that comes with it. America is a land based on “freedom,” we can all now vote, have “equal opportunity” and are a “melting pot.” If I was selling America to a naïve foreigner who knew nothing of the truth, these are the key points I would tell them.
I would tell them of suburban homes and cul-de-sacs, I would tell them on Thursday nights everyone brings brownies to their neighbors, I would tell them about the PTA and business suits and meetings, I would tell them our sons play football and our daughters are cheerleaders, and I would tell them of the life of your average white American family as seen on TV because that is what America is selling us.
I would tell them that they could come to our country and they could make a successful life for themselves no matter what the circumstances are because that is the American dream. But I would not tell them how we define success, I would not tell them that we are hypnotized, socialized into believing that this is the life we want to lead, when in reality America has its issues, and I haven’t traveled enough to tell you who really has it together but I have lived here long enough to know that we don’t.
America is greedy, I am greedy. I am 19 years old, work and attend school full-time, have little space for socializing outside of my usual circle, and spend 100 percent of my earnings on myself or family. Yet, I complain that the world around me is terrible, corrupt and GREEDY, but I am trying to change that. This is what I believe makes me successful. My bank account will not tell you how successful I am–it will only tell you how great I am at spending money.
The wealth of the “American Dream” is why foreigners would consider leaving everything they know to move to this country. I love America, don’t get me wrong, I see as much good here as I see bad, and I am sure my life is more privileged than the vast majority of the world, but that does not mean I can't see the opportunity for change. Because I see the potential in how great America can be, despite the recent presidential election.
It was morally hard to stand behind the two candidates when their elections mostly spread hate. Many people posted on Twitter fighting the results of the election and while these people failed at changing the outcome, I woke up to a flood of tweets and Facebook posts that all shared the same message–one man cannot bring down a world of people who band together.
He can separate us, build literal and metaphorical walls between parties, groups, races and genders, but the only way he can make people turn against one another is if we let him.
The point of America is to band together and make our voices heard, we have to stand up for everything we believe in. This is why we have a president and not a dictator because each person here matters and that is the point of this country.
T he American dream is supposed to mean freedom, not greed.
What has happened in recent history is everything that America has promised us. Finally, you can marry who you want, any ethnicity, gender and race can vote, women have the right to choose, everyone has the right to education and all of this is freedom.
This is the America our founding fathers dreamed about, wrote the Constitution about. This was the point. There were slaves in fields many years ago who quietly prayed every day that their children wouldn’t suffer as they did and they got that. Alright, we are not perfect, and should never claim to be. Racism is still a huge issue. We are making progress–now is not the time to ruin it.
One thing I agree with Trump on is that it is time for us to unite now. I do not care who you voted for, we must not teach our children ways of hate and violence. We cannot move backward, do not take steps away from our nation's dreams, everything we have worked so hard for.
This is the America our ancestors dreamed about, the America my grandmother traveled from Bogota, Columbia to become a part of. So I will not lie to foreigners about the status of America. I will tell them that now is our time, we are proving that the American dream does exist and it's not all white picket fences and blonde children with curly hair, it is freedom. I will tell them that we are free and we are not ruled by the beliefs of one man, in one house on Pennsylvania Avenue. I will tell them that America is where they want to raise their kids because we teach our children to love and not to hate. We have our issues and we know money will not solve all of them.
We are seeking happiness, past the impermanence of anything materialistic wealth can buy you and one day we will find it. I will tell them that despite all, America will refuse to be a place that will let them down and that is something that they should dream about.
