Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
IN PURSUIT OF THE AMERICAN DREAM
For decades, Guyanese have opined that America is a blessed country and that their success lies not in Guyana but in America, which they recognize as the land of opportunity.
The United States is the home to hundreds of thousands of Guyanese and their offspring. Many have migrated to the U.S. with the belief that they are literally in the land of milk and honey, a cliché expression that refers to a place or a country that is full of comfort and luxury, but in reality, this is not the case. Life in America for many is as tough as or even tougher than life in Guyana.
Guyanese have embraced the idea of the American Dream, as enunciated in 1787 by the framers of the American constitution, and this has enthused and inspired many of them to migrate, live, work and do business in the U.S.
The American Dream it is the belief that anyone, regardless of where they were born or what class they were born into can attain success in America, where upward mobility is possible for everyone. It is achieved through sacrifice, risk-taking and hard work, and not by chance. It is estimated that if given the opportunity, a majority of Guyanese would prefer to live in the United States rather than in Guyana. Others would choose Canada and the United Kingdom.
In spite of U.S. President Donald Trump’s seemingly unwelcome campaign mantras of “Making America Great Again” and “Putting America First,” many Guyanese-American see the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of freedom and the iconic emblem of the American Dream.
Historically, the American dream dates back to the 1776 Declaration of Independence which states that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. This most famous declaration has enamored many Guyanese who believe that the American Dream is alive and well.
There is no Statue of Liberty or any insignia to excite and inspire Guyanese to stay at home and pursue their dreams. The highly touted national programme in the mid-1970s promising to “Feed, Clothe and House the Nation” is perhaps the closest we have come to defining and espousing the Guyanese Dream. It was a comprehensive and integrated socio-economic strategy to empower Guyanese to achieve their fullest potential, maintain a healthy environment, develop a robust economy and provide a better life for all. The goal was to make the small man a real man, and Guyana, the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business.
In spite of the political squabbles between the two major political parties, which have always been diametrically opposed to one another as to the way forward, many believed that achieving the Guyanese Dream was possible. Others see the lack of transformational leadership, divisiveness of the two-party system, partisan politics, and the preoccupation with political power at the expense of everything else, as having killed the Guyanese Dream.
In essence, the indisputable truth is that not everyone has been able to achieve the American Dream. Actually, the ideals of the American Dream are not necessarily what have played out in the lives of many naturalized Americans. There has been a long list of daunting challenges such as racial intolerance and social injustices, income inequality, crime, the illegal drug trade, poor health and the lack of jobs etc., which have shattered the American Dream for many, and have made it less attainable for those who were not already affluent or were not born into affluence.
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