Hopefully, more and more people will begin to feel their story is somehow part of this larger story of how we’re going to reshape America in a way that is less mean-spirited and more generous. — 1990

My Take – In this day and age, if you’re saying that someone is systematically trying to take the American Dream away from you and you don’t do something about it, then you have no-one to blame but yourself.  It’s been a generation since systematic racial discrimination became actionable in court.  If someone keeps you from getting a job, buying a house, or getting an education because of the color of your skin, your religion, or whatever, then you drag their butts into court and get satisfaction.  Maybe you won’t be CEO, or live in the mansion, or get that advanced degree in particle physics that you crave, but if you’re willing to work hard and not take crap from anyone, you will advance in life.

If, on the other hand, you choose to whine that someone else is keeping you down, you will go nowhere.  And if you come to me looking for sympathy that you don’t feel that your story is somehow part of this larger story, all I’m going to do is offer you some sand to go pound.  Quit looking for the rest of us to boost you up and start climbing on your own.