The ideals of liberty, justice, and equality that form the cornerstone of the American Dream have been tragically contradicted by the reality of the nation's history. From its very inception, America has been plagued by the hypocrisy of claiming to uphold these ideals, while in practice denying them to large segments of its population, and at times depriving them from those it interacts with in the world.
The early American experiment in democracy excluded women, people of color, and Native Americans from the benefits of liberty, justice, and equality, and this legacy of discrimination and oppression has been difficult to overcome. Shocking to our modern conscience, women were not granted the right to vote until the 19th Amendment was passed in 1920, and the struggle for racial equality and the end of segregation only began in earnest in the mid-20th century. Just within the last 80 years, people of color were forced to drink from different drinking fountains, swim in different pools, use different bathrooms, attend different schools, and eat in different restaurants, while preachers and politicians in the South fought against desegregation in the name of God and America.
The hypocrisy of American idealism was not limited to issues of race and gender. The nation was built on the exploitation and displacement of indigenous peoples and their lands and the enslavement of African Americans justified by corrupt religious and imperial decrees that trace their roots back to Rome. Its rise as a global power was accompanied by the exploitation of other nations for economic and political gain, and the suppression of dissent at home. The history of America is also marked by the exploitation of the poor and the marginalized at home and around the world, and by a political system that has been corrupted by money, power, and influence.
The ideals of the American Dream have been contradicted not only by the nation's history but also by its present. Today, America continues to struggle with issues of racial and gender inequality, economic injustice, and political corruption. The gap between the rich and the poor remains immense, the amount of poverty and decay across the nation is devastating, and the political system has become increasingly beholden to the interests of the wealthy and powerful, rather than genuinely serving the needs of the people.
The hypocrisy of American idealism is a stain on the nation's history and a challenge to its future. However in the face of our failure to live up to the overarching and uniting principles and ideals we uphold, the last thing in the world we should do is tear down the Ideal. On the contrary, we must resurrect it back up to the highest of heights, and renew our efforts to atone for our pasts and strive upwards towards it.
The American Dream is not a destination, but an eternal journey. The ideals of liberty, justice, and equality must be constantly fought for, defended, and reattained each day in each time and in each place if they are to become a reality for All. It is only by acknowledging and overcoming the hypocrisy of American idealism that this nation can renew its courageous moral effort to truly live up to the ideals of that have made it a city on a hill, and a source of hope and inspiration for those struggling in the darkness of tyranny, poverty, and oppression around the world.
Forward to III.C. Political Division and Socioeconomic Inequality
Back to III.A. God's Name in Vain - The Misrepresentation of God in Religion, Politics, and Culture
Back to table of contents A New American Revolution - A Vision for a Stronger, Freer, and More United Nation