What is today's American Dream?

Gerald · 03-28-11, 07:28 AM

They may not have called it the American Dream but for centuries people have gone to America in search of freer, happier, and richer lives. But is today's American Dream a mythical concept or still a reality?

Isabel Belarsky's tiny Brooklyn apartment fills with the sound of her father's voice. Sidor Belarksy sings an Aria in Russian and 90-year-old Isabel, her lips painted an elegant red, sways gently to the song coming from her stereo.

Isabel speaks with pride about her father's talent and his success as an opera singer: Albert Einstein was such a fan she says that he invited Sidor to accompany him on his speaking engagements and would ask him to sing to the audience.

How the Belarsky's came to be in America is an extraordinary tale that Isabel loves to tell.

"It was the Mormons!" she says, laughing. "They couldn't be more different from us Jews!"

It was the offer of a six-month job by a Mormon college president, whom had seen Sidor singing in Leningrad, that enabled the Belarskys to escape from Stalin's Russia in 1930.

"Our dream was being in America," Isabel says. "They loved it. My mother could never think of Russia, it was her enemy and my father, he made such a wonderful career here."

National psyche

Like generations of immigrants before them, the Belarskys came to America in search of freedom - to them the American Dream meant liberty.

But Isabel says it promised even more.

"The Dream is to work, to have a home, to get ahead, you can start as a janitor and become the owner of the building."

The American Dream is not written into the constitution but it is so engrained in the national psyche that it might as well be.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12876917

Note: 28 March 2011 Last updated at 10:41 GMT

03-28-11, 07:28 AM	#1
Gerald SUBSIM Newsman Join Date: May 2008 Location: Close to sea Posts: 24,254 Downloads: 553 Uploads: 0	What is today's American Dream? They may not have called it the American Dream but for centuries people have gone to America in search of freer, happier, and richer lives. But is today's American Dream a mythical concept or still a reality? Isabel Belarsky's tiny Brooklyn apartment fills with the sound of her father's voice. Sidor Belarksy sings an Aria in Russian and 90-year-old Isabel, her lips painted an elegant red, sways gently to the song coming from her stereo. Isabel speaks with pride about her father's talent and his success as an opera singer: Albert Einstein was such a fan she says that he invited Sidor to accompany him on his speaking engagements and would ask him to sing to the audience. How the Belarsky's came to be in America is an extraordinary tale that Isabel loves to tell. "It was the Mormons!" she says, laughing. "They couldn't be more different from us Jews!" It was the offer of a six-month job by a Mormon college president, whom had seen Sidor singing in Leningrad, that enabled the Belarskys to escape from Stalin's Russia in 1930. "Our dream was being in America," Isabel says. "They loved it. My mother could never think of Russia, it was her enemy and my father, he made such a wonderful career here." National psyche Like generations of immigrants before them, the Belarskys came to America in search of freedom - to them the American Dream meant liberty. But Isabel says it promised even more. "The Dream is to work, to have a home, to get ahead, you can start as a janitor and become the owner of the building." The American Dream is not written into the constitution but it is so engrained in the national psyche that it might as well be. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12876917 Note: 28 March 2011 Last updated at 10:41 GMT __________________ Nothing in life is to be feard,it is only to be understood. Marie Curie