The 2015 Harvard Institute of Politics "Survey Of Young Americans' Attitudes Towards Politics and Public Service" raised the question "Is the American Dream Alive"? The poll reveals that Donald Trump's supporters are less likely to answer the question positively. Overall, the poll shows about an even split among "Young Americans." A Fusion poll also reveals that today's youth are more likely to report that the "American Dream" lacks any real meaning for them. These results appear to bolster Donald Trump's claim that the "American Dream is Dead." In his campaign kick-off speech Trump was also animated about his ability to resurrect the "American Dream." Like many polls, these two raise many more questions than they answer, and this is a good thing.
While generally I am a "glass is half-empty" pragmatist I have to admit that I was struck by the significance of the huge range in the Fusion poll's numbers. Broken down, I noticed that Hispanics were listed as positive about our "American Dream" at 52%, Whites at 49%, and Blacks at 44%. This somewhat 50/50 split is a far cry from the screams announcing the death of the "American Dream." And when it comes to our "American Dream" I am more inclined to be in the "glass is half full" camp. Those in this camp instinctively recognize that this is really a good time for Americans to elevate their collective "Dreams" for America.
In 1963 the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. shared his "Dream" with us. With Pres. Obama's first election part of Dr. King's "Dream" was fulfilled. On inauguration day in 2009 Americans flooded the National Mall to witness this historic event. World leaders and others around the globe chimed in with their "way to go" exclamations. Is the "American Dream" dead? Absolutely not.
It is true that since Pres. Obama took office there have been many folks plotting against him and blaming him for the death of the "American Dream." Some have been experiencing chronic nightmares and exhibiting all the symptoms of "Restless Mind" syndrome, "Affluenza" and untold numbers of illnesses known and unknown. They just can't get over it. To them, I say - America is just not all that into you. We have a "Dream" to fulfill.
Americans, as the Harvard and Fusion Polls suggest, may be having a hard time wrapping their collective heads around our "Dream" and may well be questioning whether we still have a good night's sleep in our future. But, are we ready to believe that our "Dream" is dead or dying? Hell no.
America's "Dream" is alive and kicking. Young people (our future) are attending college in record numbers and even participating in political polls and voting. Women have expanded their ranks in schools as well as on corporate boards. Even the Defense Department has at long last found that women are equal to men and has authorized their deployment in all aspects of military service. Gay marriages have also been recognized as a basic human and constitutional right. Immigrants continue to make America strong with their individual and collective contributions. True, we still continue to be vexed by wars but "Peace" has always been front center in our "Dream" and will continue to be so.
If the "American Dream" is dying then it is as a consequence of those suffering from nightmares not letting the rest of us get a good night's sleep. If it were in an emergency room, taking its last breath, what would be its "Dying Declaration?" Would it be a confession that it administered a "self-inflicted" wound? Or would it, like Mark Twain, utter that "rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated?" Americans do not need Trump or his ilk to get our "Dream" back for us. If, and that is a big if, we are on the ropes we are more than capable of getting ourselves off them and fighting our way back and surviving any supposed nightmare.
Returning to Twain's response to reports of his demise we can experience the Spirit that is America. Twain concluded his letter to a friend with these words: "When you hear it, don't you believe it. And don't take the trouble to deny it. Merely just raise the American flag on our house in Hartford and let it talk."