I portrayed an illegal immigrant in the simulation, and was told to take 9 steps backward. This confused me at first because I didn't grasp the meaning of the exercise. Then i realized that we were visualizing the chances of specific majorities and minorities of achieving the "American Dream." An illegal immigrant is the third on the scale to be the least likely to get a taste of the American Dream; the American Dream is one that is a privilege. To be specific, the 1950s Baby Boomers are most likely to achieve the Dream, but a disabled American chances are low, and even worse off were Native Americans. I ask myself why this is, but the only explanation I can think of is "favoritism." Those groups at the bottom of the scale remind me of the Holocaust during WWII; Hitler was trying to perfect (in his mind) the world by ridding it of imperfections: Jews, the disabled (mentally and physically), gypsies, the elderly, etc. This is not only unfair, it is wrong! America is supposed to permit equal rights to all, and everyone should be able to achieve the American Dream, but how can they if they are not given the chance to do so. Portraying an illegal immigrant inspired me to ask this question, because I have had the privilege to be close friends with amazing people who had traveled to America illegally. I've spoken with their parents and have learned that they only came here to give their children the best education, and possibly a better life than they would have had back home. Is it fair to punish someone who is just trying to help their children?
Disabled people are even more neglected; for example, can a person in a wheelchair achieve their dream of living in a two-story house if ramps and elevators are not provided? Th
ey can't always get hired (despite the fact that employers are not permitted to discriminate against the disabled), which explains why many are asking for financial help from the government. I have had first hand experience of this situation: my mother was in a car accident before I was born. Her back was broken, but thankfully she could still walk, but not without pain. Our family got on well enough (we were financially stable), until my parents got a divorce. The family income was split in half, and my mom was out of a job after getting injured at work (different incident). Now she was a single mom trying to support two children as well as herself, with minimal child support and almost an nonexistent Workman's Composition. In conclusion, is the American Dream a reality for everyone, or only those privileged enough to achieve it?
ey can't always get hired (despite the fact that employers are not permitted to discriminate against the disabled), which explains why many are asking for financial help from the government. I have had first hand experience of this situation: my mother was in a car accident before I was born. Her back was broken, but thankfully she could still walk, but not without pain. Our family got on well enough (we were financially stable), until my parents got a divorce. The family income was split in half, and my mom was out of a job after getting injured at work (different incident). Now she was a single mom trying to support two children as well as herself, with minimal child support and almost an nonexistent Workman's Composition. In conclusion, is the American Dream a reality for everyone, or only those privileged enough to achieve it?
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