Good evening everyone,

Before I start I just want to tell all of you a story. Ten years ago my parents left their homeland to immigrate to America with a hope of looking for opportunity, an opportunity for a better job. An opportunity for a better education, an opportunity for a higher standard of living. Where I came from, the rich always stay rich and the poor stay poor. That’s how things are. If you are born in a rich family, lucky you but if you are born in a poor family you are not likely to finish middle school.  You have to drop out and help you parents farm and do house work. So, most likely you will end up being a farmer just like your parents. My parents wanted something different for me. They want me to have a better education, and a better life. They wanted to give me opportunity.

The United States of America is known as the land of opportunity for many immigrants who dare to dream of a better life. Since the beginning of American history, United States has focused more about equal opportunity than any other country. For example, during World War 2, women moved into the work force and America gave birth to "Rosie the Riveter." That totally changed our idea of women being “bare foot and pregnant”.

 There are many people who strongly believe that once they come to the United States they are guaranteed to find success. For example, my relatives in Korea always ask my parents how much my family has earned so far. Also, they believe that we live in a totally different world, living the American dream.

The term “American Dream” is used in a number of ways, but essentially the American Dream is an idea which suggests that all people can succeed through hard work, and that all people have the potential to live a happy, successful lives. What a concept this American dream.

People immigrate to America to find a better way of life and to free themselves from oppression, religious, and political. People immigrate to America because America is the best place to live in the World. A person is free to say what they wish, go where they wish, and do what they wish.

What is so great about America? America stands for Freedom, Liberty, Democracy, and Equality as Abraham Lincoln propounded.

More so, the Statue of Liberty, carried from France to the shores of America, reflected the great human spirit. She has watched over our shores like a sentinel, her very presence touches the heart of every American. She states  “Give me your tired, your poor huddled masses yearning to breathe free” and the world did, she has been a witness to the opportunities that America has offered to new immigrants and she has also witnessed some of the darkest times in our history .

American is not only the land of the free, but it’s also the land of opportunity. You can become anything you want to be here. You can be a doctor, a lawyer, a police man, a fire fighter, a teacher, a nurse. Anything, you name it.

America is the land of opportunity. Anyone in America can grow up to be President, congressman, or a senator in the United States. Alls it takes is hard work. Forty years ago, who would have thought that President Obama, a person of color, could ever be the president of the United States? In America everything is possible. If you want to be successful, all you need to do is dream it then, achieve it.

 If you were to take a walk in through a typical large American city, you would find the city is a melting pot- people of various races walking down the street:  Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, and Caucasians. On school campuses in America, both the faculty and the student body are usually composed of people from a number of countries rather than only one. That unto itself is great! Almost anywhere in America, the possibility is encountering a diverse mix of people is guaranteed. This country was built on the back of people who came from other places. Thus, America is a land of plural races with a multicultural context. America is a multicultural mixing pot.  Which roughly translates, anyone can make it here in America. No one is left out. No one.

Why is American the land of the free? Because by virtue of election, we can appoint or remove people to lead us. In our court system, you are considered innocent until proven guilty. I was surprised to learn in my history class that this is a unique concept in the world.   

 We can worship who and when we want. These values in and of themselves are significant, and yet we have so much more that we just take this way of life for granted in most cases.

 Gay marriage is not legal in Germany, France, Britain, Mexico, Australia, and many other civilized countries but it is in America.

When you can have ice cream anytime that you want it, sooner or later it is taken for granted, and is not so appealing anymore. We are a great nation that offers so much to each and every one of us. I would suspect most people would jump at a chance to become an American citizen. Yet some of us born  here take these values   for granted and neglect to see the great things we have done. We should not take these rights for granted. I’m in a unique position to see this first hand.

America is not a race, a class, a skin color, a culture, or a religion. America is an idea; a great experiment. This idea states that its citizens, regardless of their origin, are free to chart their own destinies as individuals with equal rights and opportunities. America is truly the land of the free.

Not only are we free, but we are lucky!

I am proud to say that I am an American, and I know all of you are too.

 Thank you