The American Dream has gone through different stages through the years, but today the Dream Is unattainable and unfair. “Owning land Is no longer the dream, owning a home Is no longer the dream, even having a good life is no longer the dream,” (Gale). There is no real dream for the United States; it is an ordeal. We welcomed immigrants into our country, our home. Giving them the message that we wanted them and that they could be anything and that they could have a better life. “Give me your tired, your poor, huddled masses yearning to be free,” (Lazarus).
The American Dream to an Immigrant is that they will be able to feed, clothe, and educate their children, that they will have the opportunity to get a Job and earn money in an honest way. No one bothered to tell them the ugly truths of this country: racism, sexism, homophobia, poverty, and injustice. A few achieve the Dream by eventually starting their own businesses, gaining a profit, or purchasing their first home. The majority however work sun up to sun down for someone else for the rest of their lives, finally realizing that this country isn’t as sweet as they were told.
The American Dream was In fact designed to make the rich richer and the poor remain poor _ Not as many immigrants come to the united States, because today Republicans on Capitol Hill are determined to keep foreigners out. For yesterdays immigrants it was so easy for them to pass through the border, but today immigrants must access a green card and a legal visa. So many are desperate to come in the united States that they give all that they have or even risk their lives. Then they were disappointed in the end to find that the American Dream Is a trauma.
If America could absorb my grandfather, why keep out today’s Immigrants (Teller). Ever since Immigrants were allowed to enter the united states, Americans felt threatened by Immigrants since they were from different countries and decided to change the United States into a giant melting pot. This has affected us today greatly; we’ve created harsh laws against foreigners from entering and becoming American citizens. There have been at least 865 bills and resolutions relating to immigrants and refugees introduced to 45 state legislators and the District of Columbia.
Immigrants are not treated equally, neither are the citizens of the united States. The American Dream Is all but a lie. It is full of discrimination and racism to anyone that doesn’t fit the requirements to be accepted in the American population, and being stuck in a large amount of debt. The real reality of it all is that if there was a dream it would be unattainable, unless you are in the 1 percent of those who become millionaires overnight. “But many don’t realize that with hard work it is still not easy to attain. ” (Logger). Citizens of the United bob and start a career.
The Declaration of Independence claims that everyone is equal, and that everyone has opportunity. “We hold these truths to be [obvious] that all men are equal,” (Britannica). If everyone is equal then why are so many discriminated by their heritage or color, they cannot help for who they are. In 1910 over one million immigrants from Germany, Ireland, Russia, England, and Italy came flooding the United States hoping for opportunity and a better life. Yet since so many Americans felt threaten by foreigners discrimination laws were passed against immigrants not giving them the opportunity to achieve their dream.
People would put up signs saying help wanted, but no Russians or Irish allowed. Even today in 2012 people are still discriminated because of their color or race. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment is currently at 9. 6 percent. If you take account the underemployment, the numbers are knowingly higher. The unemployment for blacks is 15. 7 percent and 12. 6 percent for Latino. The rate of unemployment for college graduates is 5 percent, but that doesn’t take into account employed Black college graduates, or underemployment.
Hundreds of millions of people are suffering from discrimination in the world of work. This not only violates a basic human right but has a wider social and economic progress, and stresses social tensions and inequalities. The American Dream is full of discrimination and racism. When you try to achieve the dream you end up in debt. People go to school, grow a large amount of debt, sometimes taking up to twenty-five years to pay off, only to work for someone else’s company; sometimes never owning a home till you’re the age f forty, and still paying off debt and not really fulfilled with your career choice. We will always value education, which is why we went to college and then graduated school; but not at the expense of being indebted for half your life to the American government,” (Vera). We are dreaming, that’s why we are falling, closing our eyes to reality, hoping for the best, but our best wasn’t enough to achieve our American Dream. You invest, you fail, and you lose. In order for there to be winners there must be losers. The American Dream is a trauma.
