Is America Ready for a Change? – “Street Corner Dreamers”
Is America ready for a change? And now that a chance is given, will it be taken? John Edgar Wideman, writer of “Street Corner Dreamers” wonders himself. Will the youth step up and make a difference? and become more than a stereotype. Is it right for Americans to rest on their laurels? His thoughts on appearance and reality, can the color of the president insure change. Wideman wonders about the youth today. There are too many of them running around doing nothing with their lives. Seeping through the cracks and who is going to be there to help them out.
Will Obama? Wideman wonders “How will President Barack Obama attempt to seal the cracks they slip through? Not cracks in the pavement of Grand and Essex, but the cracks of broken promises, the cracks that have divided and conquered the will of a nation to treat all citizens equally”(858). It seems the questions never end, but what else can they do but wonder. The world stands and waits for the next move, but instead of waiting why don’t they join in on making the first move. Just because the president is black and that is accomplish within itself.
Taking the first step is always the hardest but it has to start somewhere. “I want to walk up to one of them and ask “Do you think your life might be different now that Barack Obama is president? What steps do you believe President Obama will take to improve your life? What steps do you think he should take? ”(857). There are some kids that are out there willing to make a change and enforcing it as well but there isn’t enough, the more that will contribute the less work there will be for everyone and life could go back to the way it used to be, cheap.
In school, kids only think about their looks and the lust of one another is no longer a learning system but a fashion show at the mall. From what’s on your hair to the latest sneakers, “young people of amalgamated…eyes hungry for each other” (858). Wideman said though “intimidated” he was in love with the way the kids thought, made him think about his own and one day theirs. About the future that he will no longer be in charge of but let the young adults care for him.
He’s also worried that there are more than few of them walking around without a care in the world, not thinking about their future. “Is there such thing, really, as a future in young minds”? Kids today are committing suicide, and are in gangs and killing one another, or just not focusing enough in school, whatever it maybe. Kids are finding more ways to stay on the streets, but being on the streets doesn’t make you any less it just means you must work harder to achieve your goals.
There should be more adults trying to guide these lost souls back, instead of turning their back and being even more ignorant adults acting up. It’s not only the kids fault but the nature, these kids don’t have a choice on where they grow up or how much money they’re parents make or the way of luxurious life styles they weren’t grace with jewels but if they work hard and really want it anything can be there’s. Look at all those rich and famous people not all of them where born into it, most of them had to work hard and grind and that what should be taught to work hard and you shall receive.
Americans feel it is okay to rest on their laurels but resting on anything that is half way built is bound to break and tip over. Having a good foundation is key to success, help is needed in these kids life’s more people who give a damn and Obama is doing that. Giving the little ray of sunlight on those kids future. Letting them know that no matter how big their dream is they can receive it as long as they work hard at it. Obama is trying to build a better and stronger foundation for future for Americans but he can’t do it alone.
Everyone has to take responsibility and try to become a better them. “Perhaps we would explore together the explosive, still almost unbelievable fact that our country finally seized the opportunity to turn away from one deeply rooted, intractable, self-destructive, dead-end understanding of itself as white and black, finally began to create a new vision of itself”(858). Just as Wideman said try to be the positive being you want to see in the world. Michael Jackson was a legend he not only sing beautifully but his is words he made a difference.
His song Man in the Mirrors lyric is very powerful and true “If you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself, and then make a change” should be a world motto and if “Yolo” was used correctly you do only live once so use every opportunity given big or small, just take it “Yolo” right . Obama was just the tip of the iceberg of change and good this world really needs. Wideman story was honest and good, his points were valid and firm. The only question is America ready for a change? And now that a chance is given, will it be taken?
