The American Dream

"The American Dream is dieing". It is a familiar, and oft-used battle-cry for politicians time in and out. It is a convenient scare-tactic, for in the notion of "The American Dream" is placed all the faith and trust of this nation, and represents what this country stands for.

America is a flawed nation, as all nations, and for that matter all things, are. America's existence is but a blip in the history of mankind and 'nationhood'. Yet, in this 250 years or so, America has shown a history and legacy of mass carnage and barbaric acts like no other nation has ever done. Americans have justified the enslavement of people based on Racialist theories, Americans have voted for a regime that dropped the only nuclear bomb ever used on civilians. Americans have created junta after junta, backed dictator after dictator who would care more for American interests than the care and interests of his nations people. As President Hoover once said: "The business of America is Business", and with that motto is succinctly the very precious notion of America. It's all about our interests, and it's "all about the Benjamins".

Yet, America is built upon great ideals. "The Spirit of '76" as it is often called is a foundation that no other nation truly exemplifies. " We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.". Can it really be said any more eloquently?

This is the basis of "The American Dream". The American Dream is this notion that here in America everyone is treated as equals. That meritocracy is insured, and therefore everyone should at least theoretically be given the equal chance to let their talent (to let their natural unequal abilities) shine. That if you work hard enough, if you have that rare idea, and/or if you just get lucky, you TOO will "make it".

And this American Dream has a sort of flavor to it. If one was to describe it, it would mean owning your own home. America is a nation built upon the premise of meritocracy and the entrepreneurial spirit. It's a spacious land, and therefore it is not surprising that the "Home" has become synonymous with the American Dream.

Yet, as I stated in the beginning, there are times when politicians rail against the American Dream. They drum up fear that the American Dream is dieing, knowing full well that such sentiments drive deep within the hearts of the American people. It pierces at the very desires of our nation, to be free. This is a nation built upon freedom. Recently I learned that freedom actually in many ways really means "security", and that freedom often was related to creating bonds to secure freedom. Well, to rail against the American Dream is to rail against the aspirations of freedom in the American people. It is a clever and convenient power-trip tool.

But is the American Dream really dead? I have insisted in recent years is most certainly is not. I see the American Dream everyday. I see it in the cab-driver who came from Bangladesh (or better yet the Tibetan Refugee who came to NYC from Daramshala, India) so his children could get the education they deserve. I see it in the Dominican Taco Bell worker (who also happens to works at the McDonald's half-a-mile down!!) who travels from Brooklyn to Long Island simply for a little more than minimum wage, cause her children deserve a better life, and that minimum wage is significantly better than what she could do in DR. I see it in the student who works her ass off because she refuses to let life beat her, because she wants to be completely and utterly FREE and INDEPENDENT.

It's funny how I am for the most part a "Liberal" (or at least that's what Conservatives call me, Liberals, ironically, usually call me a Conservative...guess I'm doing something right! lol), and I'm often very averse to "jingoism", but when it comes to "The American Dream" I am willing to eat it all up in heaps and I am quite dangerous towards those who would deny it's vitality still today.

Why? Well, today is February, 27th. Thirty years ago today, two Indian immigrants, who had met thousands of miles away from their home got married. They made promises to each other, as well as to themselves to "make it".

I recall when I was a little child, we were absolutely loaded. My parents worked hard. They would work 6 days a week at our company-store, and then on Sundays would work at a Flee Market all day as well. I recall those days so fondly. I was treated like "a little emperor". Look at pics of me as a child and you will see me all dolled up, it's funny.

But times changed, and things got progressively worse economically for us, culminating on one sad day in 1989 (I think). We lost it ALL that day. My parents are a strange people, they didn't believe in lawsuits (as my right foot can attest to), and they didn't believe in insurance. Foolish yes, and there is no one to blame but themselves, but in ONE DAY, we lost it ALL. You don't know how it feels to be a 14 year old sitting at the dinner table, and noticing that suddenly 'nowadays the amount of food for dinner is less, and your parents are watching you eat, barely eating themselves'. When you see that, and understand what that means, that's when you start to realize what is more important than money. ;)

Yet, again, my parents worked their asses off, and from almost NOTHING, they once again built themselves up. They are now fairly comfortable and well off. My father semi-retired in 2000, at the ripe young age of 52. How many people can say they can do that?! He now still deals with the wholesale side of business part-time, and deals in the maintenance of real estate property he now owns. He's a good man, who worked hard, got lucky and was able to persevere.

Maybe they are not a fair example, they did have support from family members when it was needed most, so they were in better shape than many. Many in the situation we went through may not have had the help/support my parents had at the time. Many just may not have gotten as lucky. Either way, on this day, when I looked at them eating at a restaurant that my brother and I decided to take them to for their anniversary, I was reminded again that the American Dream is still alive. It is alive in them. It is their desires and their determination to make a better life for them, and for my brother and I.

Next time you hear someone railing about the American Dream, I ask you to stand up to them. It is bull-shit to state the American Dream is dead. Sure, it has become a more competitive 'smaller' world, sure it is quite tougher to "make it" now, but the same can be said of every new era that comes with every new generation. In the end, it is the innate striving of the American people (particularly the immigrants who come here with "hunger") that has created and continues the American Dream!

The American Dream lives I tell you!! It is alive and kicking, and to take an appropriate snippet of the Declaration of Independence, I will paraphrase:

"This Truth should be self-evident". :)

Spring Fever

And so it is now well into February that I find myself fully blooming with my annual "Spring Fever". Usually somewhere between the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl, Ground Hog's Day, the Valentine's Day, and the official call for 'Pitchers and Catchers' does my fever come.

It was cold the last week or so in New York. Strange, we have had possibly the mildest winter I can recall this winter (and NO, I am not complaining whatsoever...though I wouldn't mind whipping out the snowboard before it's all over!), and yet the last week or so was bitter cold. Frigid cold to say the least. Yet, with the turn of the month and the subsequent events has come my longing for the season I love best.

I am a bit of a romantic, as people well know by now, and being a romantic, and being born on Long Island, that means I am quite fond of the Spring. Spring in this part of the country is absolutely lovely. It's still usually cool, but warm enough. The trees become more and more clothed, and the women...well, they become less and less clothed. Driving around in the Fall, you can see dead carcasses (leaves) fallen to the ground like strewn soldiers. During the Spring you can hear the soft pounding of Baseball gloves, and the sweet sound of a bat hitting a ball.

Yes, SPRING IS NEAR!! And with Spring comes one of my favorite things to do in the World -and I've already hinted at on this post, aren't I nice? :) - Baseball. Someday I'm going to write a post on explaining exactly how Baseball might possibly be the perfect physical manifestation of Religion itself, but not today.

Today, I just want to remind anyone who happens to be reading this, that with the Spring comes the promise of a brighter future. With the Spring comes the rejuvenation of what appears dead. With the Spring comes a time to re-engage, and re-invigorate, and yes, re-surrect. I am no Christian, but certainly have always found the choice of (the one known as) Christ's death in April as a genius decision. Spring represents so very much to the World. This probably even more starkly true in ancient times, before our "War on Nature" -which is succeeding far better than our "War on Drugs" and our "War on Terror" for some reason lol- truly took shape.

And it was probably even a more intelligent move to choose Valentine's Day in February. I can hear the birds chirping in the early mornings already. I can't wait till the late Spring, early Summer period where they wake me up by eating the bread I leave outside my window. That is always a pleasant sound to wake up too. With the Spring comes our hormones, and well, what's Love without a little hormones now and then right? lol

And on that note, as winter slowly draws to a close, and Spring's sexy silhouette begins to dawn on our minds, I just wanted to remind everyone of the innate cyclical, impermanent, nature of this world.

As the Buddha stated on his death-bed: All things are impermanent, change is inevitable, strive with diligence.

Six weeks of the 2007 year have come and gone....I hope you are still striving diligently. :)