Visits

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

The American Dream

The parking attendant, a young man from Komodo Island, stopped me in the parking lot this morning, wanting to chat for a moment. I have chatted briefly with the man before, but this morning he wanted to talk specifically about his desire to learn to speak English. 

"I very want to learn this talking," he explained, "because America is special place. In America, there is good government for people, and not corruption government. That is why I very want to learn the talk and go to America someday." 

Well ... what shall I say. Shall I mention that the American government was corrupted last election at the most basic level, that many of our highest government figures have their hands in Russian pockets? Shall I tell him that he likely cannot go to America because he comes from a 'shithole' country? Shall I tell him that our good government does not like him or his kind, or that they don't even much like the common citizens of America as they take away their health insurance, cut programs for the poor, the needy, and the helpless, giving to the rich instead? Shall I tell him about the North Korea style military parade Mr. Trump wants to order up for Pennsylvania Avenue so that, essentially, he can honor himself; or that Mr. Trump considers anyone who refuses to applaud him a traitor? Shall I mention the poverty in American ghettos and slums that rivals anything he will see in any other part of the world? Or the gang violence? Or the racism? Or our overflowing prison population? Shall I mention the working, tax paying, long-time resident immigrants who are currently being deported from our shores? 

Shall I try to paint a clearer picture of the ugly American for this man?

Or shall I try to believe along with him?

Yes, I shall believe, despite what I know--because this man's dream is better than our failures. It is the American dream, still intact, still striving, still wanting to become, still hoping, still believing, still and forever possible--and it is stronger, more alive in many foreign hearts than in our own native ones. They, in their untainted faith, are us. They are who we should still be.

The American dream still exists and always will exist--we just need to learn it over again from those true believers who are on the outside.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Well said.