Dreams

Before the apocryphal ham sandwich did her in, Mama Cass Elliot was best known as the lead singer of the Mama’s and the Papa’s. A number of their songs had a dreaming theme that seemed to translate well into chart success. One of my all time favorite tunes was one sung by the Everly Brothers called “All I have to do is Dream.” Dreeeeeam, Dream, dream, dream… dream, dreeeeeam. Perhaps I’m the only one who notices such things, but dreams and dreaming appear to be popular concepts in America. We have the greatest and most prosperous lifestyle in the history of the human race, yet we dream…and dream…and dream. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. electrified the nation with a speech while standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial. He spoke of the dreams of a people who yearned for freedom, who sought to shed the heavy yoke of oppression.


For people who came to America voluntarily, or were transported here in shackles, or were born to the promise of liberty and freedom, the dream has persisted. For some, the dream for freedom has been a consuming passion that defined their lives, and for others it has been a smoldering awareness that must be fanned and nourished. Does the dream still live? Has our understanding of the innate desire for freedom been suppressed by prosperity and indifference? Have our dreams been replaced by fears…will I have a job tomorrow, am I prepared for the inevitable economic chaos that is just over the horizon?
Dreaming glorious dreams is difficult when one struggles to survive, and whatever glimmer of dreams we possess are suppressed by day to day considerations and uncertainty.

If our nation is to achieve what the Founders hoped for…if we are to become the manifestation of their dreams and their sacrifices, then we must begin dreaming again. We must not; we can not allow the political class and the elites to steal our dreams. For the sake of our children, their children and generations unborn, and for our own self respect and dignity, we must recapture the momentum and begin to dream again. This is my dream for you, for us and for the United States of America.

Comment or email:  cnpearl@woh.rr.com