The American Dream

I'm taking a Colonial American Literature class this semester, and for Monday I had to read excerpts from the diaries and journals of several colonial settlers, including Capt. John Smith who served briefly as governor of the Jamestown colony. He was also the one who established rather good relations with the native people and became friends with Pocahontas. Here's a picture:

Anyway, so he wrote several books about his experiences in the New World, some more authentic than others, including "A Description of New England" published in 1616 which ends with a sales pitch to potential new settlers. Two lines in particular struck me:

My purpose is not to persuade children from their parents; men from their wives; nor servants from their masters; only, such as with free consent may be spared: But that each parish, or village, in city, or country, that will but apparel their fatherless children, of thirteen or fourteen years of age, or young married people, that have small wealth to live on; here by their labor may live exceedingly well...

Isn't that the American dream? This is a land of opportunity where no matter who you are or where you come from, if you work hard, you will succeed.

I've been watching the political conventions the last two weeks and have felt a little sickened by the idealism on both sides. I'm ready for the debates to start so we can stop throwing around all this empty rhetoric and talk about how the candidates are going to actually do what they say they want to do. And I seriously doubt that, even if they come up with fantastic plans, either one of them will really be able to accomplish much as President.

But, despite my cynicism toward both parties, I have to say I believe in the American dream as John Smith verbalized it almost 400 years ago. I'm proud to be from a place that from its very inception offered new opportunities to people who needed them. And our history is full of their success stories.