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Essay / The creation of the myth of the American dream
Does America still provide access to the American dream? “This dream of a country in which life should be better, richer and more fulfilling for everyone, with opportunities for everyone based on their abilities or achievements. » -(James Truslow Adams). There are many different perceptions of the American dream. For many, the American dream is one of materialistic wealth or a “quest for material prosperity” (Adams), consisting of owning bigger cars, elaborate homes, and designer shoes and clothes. But for others, the American dream goes beyond materialistic values. For others, the American dream is achieving a fulfilling and memorable life in which they are offered opportunities that appeal to them. The United States Declaration of Independence states that "all men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, which include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." . This is considered the foundation of the American dream. Seeming that we live in a country of democracy and not dictatorship, everyone in America has equal access to the American dream, but the real question is not whether or not America provides access to the American dream because 'she does it. The most controversial question is: Is America making the American dream accessible to everyone? According to some, America is not making the American dream accessible to everyone. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay There are many ways in which people are prevented from achieving the American dream. One such example can be seen with attempts to eliminate the DACA program. The DACA program is a program in which illegal immigrants can apply for a two-year renewable visa provided they have graduated from or are attending high school, are a military veteran, and have a virtually clean criminal record . President Donald Trump chooses to eliminate this program. The program was also publicly scrutinized by Mr. Sessions who said, "the policy was implemented unilaterally, sparking great controversy and legal concerns." Eliminating this program impacts the lives of at least 800,000 people. Although they are not immediately affected by the exhaustion of the program, they have little time to prepare for deportation since they are not bona fide U.S. citizens. Not only would they be separated from everything they have known, but they would be forced to return to a land that is no longer familiar to them. The famous wall constitutes another obstacle to the realization of the American dream. In addition to eliminating the DACA program, the government, and specifically President Trump, plans to build a wall between America and Mexico in an attempt to keep illegal immigration to a minimum. The barrier between America and Mexico has already started to be built, but many people oppose this project. In “THE WALL The Real Costs of a U.S.-Mexico Barrier,” an article by Vanda Felbab-Brown, states: “Undocumented workers and drugs will always find their way through any barrier that the administration will eventually build. Brown also said people are more likely to become illegal immigrants by overstaying their visa than by crossing the border. She gives many other reasons why building the wall is futile. Race is another factor that would hinder a person's ability to achieve the dreamAmerican. Many examples can be observed in the American economy. There are unequal job opportunities, graduation rates, and graduation rates between races. In today's society, the unemployment rate of the African American community is twice as high as that of Caucasian citizens. Even though 150,000 jobs were created in January, the 2:1 ratio of black to white unemployment remains. The lack of jobs dispersed among the African American group may also affect the number of graduates. This would ultimately result in a larger group of people not wanting to go to college just to avoid going into debt for the rest of their lives. Which means that an African American citizen will have difficulty paying for college. As might be expected, graduation rates are equally unfair. In an article titled “Graduation Rates and Race” by Emily Tate, it was stated: “College completion rates vary widely along racial and ethnic lines, with black and Hispanic students earning degrees at a rate much lower than that of white and Asian students. ". A recent study found that African Americans had a graduation rate of only 38% and Latinos 45.8%, in contrast to white students whose overall graduation rate was 45.8%. 62% at university level. Another article, “College degree gap widens among whites, blacks and Latinos,” by Meredith Kolodner, tells us that by 2020, about 65 percent of jobs will require education beyond the secondary level. This puts the Latino and Black community at even greater risk because not only are unemployment rates high, but graduation rates are low, making it even more difficult for them to find jobs and to work towards the realization of the American dream. Other examples can be seen within the white supremacy and police brutality movements. Latino and African American communities are repressed and unjustly punished by the white “superior.” “Police officers are charged in less than 1% of murders, but the indictment rate for civilians involved in murder is 90%. » (FiveThirtyEight) Young black men aged 15 to 34 are most likely to be part of this 90% since they are nine times more likely than other Americans to be killed by law enforcement. With society stacked against them, there is only a slim chance that an African American or any citizen of color will achieve the American dream. Even if the American dream is not completely taken away from them as it is for immigrants, the dream is even less achievable and seemingly impossible to acquire. Although many people believe that the American dream is not achievable, a few may believe otherwise. Many people believe that the American dream is equally attainable for everyone. The opposing team's arguments include that the American dream is for Americans, which means getting rid of immigrants is no big deal. President Trump, in an article titled "Trump Moves to End DACA and Calls on Congress to Act," written by Michael D. Shear and Juli H. Davis, said that "before we ask what is fair for immigrants illegal immigrants, we must also ask ourselves what is fair for illegal immigrants.” is fair to American families, students, taxpayers and job seekers. What makes American citizens better and more deserving than others? Job opportunities have already been proven to be unfair without even considering.