Thursday, August 28, 2008

The American Dream

Without any doubt nor ambiguity; we live in the greatest country in the world.

With only dreams and tenacity at hand, the ability to achieve anything is not only a possibility but quintessentially dubbed The American Dream. This is a country where an estranged immigrant with only twenty-four dollars in his pocket and a citizenship obtained through political asylum can just fifteen years later become a multi-millionaire with broken english-- I know that man, I call him dad.

Growing up in America, I've only just begun to realize the magnitude of the American spirit. Strange how we can take for granted even the most basic rights that are refused by billions of people in the world. I can only begin to describe the awed envious looks on the faces of many others in an international airport when I flash that navy-blue passport that so proudly says "The United States of America" because united we are, by the common thread of being alien in a new land, of working hard to achieve greatness and of our undying devotion to our undeniable rights.

We are by no means perfect, but the pursuit of something greater than you and I, that is the pursuit of equality and opportunity drives us to strive for the better. If we want something bad enough, we as Americans will always without fail get it. We're a country founded by people that believed in change, to escape the tyranny of the old world politics, to practice what they believed in their very core to be right.

So Obama is right tonight when he says that we're not a "blue America or a red America" but the United States of America. And forgive me for being idealistic, but together we can build a country that will be worthy of the world's envy.

And when people tell me how this country is falling apart and how this country is trailing wayward, I just smile and nod. Because they don't know yet, they haven't seen America through my eyes. They don't know what it's like to be hungry in a third world country (at the time), they don't know what it's like to never have seen a car, the don't know what it feels like to know that working hard does not equate to proportional success-- I do, I was there and I love the US of A.

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By the way, I'm still on my raw journey. I can't seem to get into your blog but I just wanted to update you!

3 comments:

Skyle said...

I came from the same background. I know what it's like to be in a third world country, and I agree with what you said. The envy is unmistakeable, because I wish they wouldn't think that way. They have a lot of things we don't...like a preserved innocence. I don't want to get into it, but maybe sometime in the future.

Meanwhile, I've been failing miserably at my raw foods diet. It seemed to work perfectly for the first two weeks, but like all diets, it didn't sustain. I'm confused with the whole Cheese/Starch combining thing because she says you can't combine those, but then gives you a recipe for the detox pizza which is cheese and starch.?? I kinda got bored after my 20th avocado salad.

What variety of recipes do you use? and are you still satisfied by green juice? I get majorly chocolate munchie during the afternoon, and I start devouring dark chocolate bars. So BAD.

Also, do you live alone? because if you do, it'll be easier to cook for yourself. It's hard when I have a sister around who eyes what I eat and wants some too, and i get majorly possessive over the expensive shit that I just bought from whole foods. Can you see my dilemma?

Anyways, thanks for all your help, angel :) Here's a link to my blog, if you want to comment:

http://www.iamnotwitty.blogspot.com/

Beautiful said...

Eloquently spoken. Dems and Republicans would unite over this well written piece.

If not too personal, what were your parents granted political asylum from? I found that portion of this piece especially heartfelt and interesting.

Skyle said...

Thanks Angel :)