The American Dream
...ot even talked about except for upper class families. There are so many different choices for careers in American colleges, the possibilities are endless. The American pay rate is, for some people, an American Dream all in itself. We live in a country with an enforced minimum wage. Many foreign workers make pennies on the dollar compared to even the lowest paid Americans. What does more money mean? For many immigrants, simply being able to put food on the tables. It also means being able to provide for your family and one day maybe achieving financial security. Just the security of a job in a country where the workers are protected is a blessing. Even though the poverty rate in America is high, I do not believe being poor in America is at all the same as being poor anywhere else in the world. Unfortunately, now the victims of Hurricane Katrina know what is it like to be denied the things we usually have on a day to day basis. In many countries being poor can mean death for many, and with all the assistance programs in the United States like welfare, WIC, and food stamps, starvation is very rare. Land ownership and home ownership are also an important part of the American Dream, but with out the money, that dream can be very hard to grasp. The most common American Dream, I have heard expressed by people, is freedom. Freedom is taken for granted by many Americans. Just living your life the way you want to seems so simple sometimes to many Americans, it wouldn't be any other way. But when you look at how many other cultures plan out every aspect of its peoples lives, you would realize just how lucky we are. Our government doesn't decide what you should learn, either at school or even on the news broadcasts. Some governments decide how much you need to know and what you or your children should learn in school. Freedom of religion was one basis for settling in America. In many countries there is one belief, no ifs ands or buts. If you do not follow the common belief you could be put to death or be excommunicated from your people. Being an American means having the freedom to weigh your options and choose which belief you think is true. This freedom also includes politics. Politic...