Now that's classy...

This is the land of opportunity! Opportunity to do what?
       Well, today I'm taking the opportunity to express myself in the most jumbled, confusing, non-            grammatical way possible, because that's what I love about America. We can do that.

Recently in my Family Relations class, we discussed social class and the effect that it has on families. What kind of range in values, perspectives, attitudes, resources, and opportunities is there? How does this effect a family?

"The American Dream", as it probably should, has taken some heat lately. In a land that promotes increase, progression, improvement, and idealism. Many of our citizens are not feeling the endless American possibilities working for them. The U.S. Census Bureau has found that 1 in every 6 Americans is now living in poverty. Over 146 million of our people are either "poor" or "low income". Twenty percent of American children are living in poverty. One out of every three children live in a home without a father.

These statistics are only a small taste of the economic issues in America, but even they seem to be hard to swallow. It's difficult to watch people suffer. It's difficult to watch people be indifferent to that suffering. In all the overwhelming difficulty that the media lavishly spreads across its headlines,

                what can we do about it?


So Today, I don't actually want to discuss statistics.  I want you to think about them and (if you so choose) watch these clips from the documentary "People Like Us: Social Class in America" to learn more about how social class divides the American people and often American families.

o   WASP

o   Belles

o   Friends in low Places

o   Joe Queenan's Kitchenwares Tour

o   How to Marry the Rich

o   All you need is Cash

o   Gnomes are Us

o   Trouble in Paradise

Today, I want to focus on the positive. I want to see the bright side of America.

The media has us convinced that we're hopelessly and helplessly falling apart. Are we? We might be? They say statistics don't lie. But what truth are they telling? What action are they calling us to?

Focusing on the negative has done little more for us than rile up politicians, news reporters, and citizens. The government is always to blame. When did the government-- meaning the suits in Washington D.C.-- become America? When did we become unaccountable for the current state of our nation?

We are America. It's about time we started acting like it.
               The first amendment in the Bill of Rights:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

What wonderful freedoms we have! What wonderful opportunities that simple amendment allows us! We have the freedom to assemble together, openly exchange our thoughts and opinions, print those thoughts and opinions for others to read, and create change within our government-- within OURSELVES. 

We are the government. It's about time we started acting like it. 

                  Gandhi wisely stated the bright side: 

“If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. … We need not wait to see what others do.”

The Bright Side is: We can change. Acknowledge the poverty, the suffering, and faults of our society. Then proactively change the world by being a better individual. Give someone who's frowning something to smile about. Share your bounty with those who go without. Provide those who are distressed with another route. Enlighten other's souls when their light has gone out. . . . Yep, that was cheesy rhyming, and I liked it.

There is good in this world. 

There is hope for us. 

There is hope for our families. 

There is hope for America. 

Are our circumstances who we are? Whether that's upper class, middle class, lower class-- no. Have some more human class today. Look at the bright side. Change. 

              Now that's classy.