the american dream can be split between B(efore)911 and P(ost)911.
as a guy visiting this country for the first time P911 the differences are most striking as compared to my earlier B911 visits.
the all pervading "fear factor" and the paranoia of security hangs like a pall of gloom - portenders of some impending disaster. it is indeed sad that what we took for granted in the past is no more the case - for eg visit to the white house, walk up the statue of liberty, minimum fuss in airports so on and so forth.
BUT the guys in charge of security are making their personal individual efforts to make life comfortable (with rare exceptions) for the citizens and visitors alike in these trying times. the guys at immigration were more helpful, the guys at homeland security at the domestic airport were most accomodating as we were travelling with 2 kids wrt to our needs but at the same time declining to allow certain items past security (which in india we are allowed and we have had homeland security now for over 2 decades)!!
the recent downturn hasnt helped the american dream with a spate of shootings by "regular joes". in all this the administration is strained and one can only expect furthur restrictions on what we take for granted today.
at times one wonders if all the money on security and the war machine cant be better deployed ?!! maybe terror is winning slowly like a cancer in this "fear" country. dont know.
on an aside "Jack Windolf, the CEO of Bollinger Insurance, recently gave his 434 employees a surprise gift: out of his own pocket, he paid each of them $1000" - it is such acts which define the spiritual wealth of a nation - maybe the american dream is being redefined?
as a guy visiting this country for the first time P911 the differences are most striking as compared to my earlier B911 visits.
the all pervading "fear factor" and the paranoia of security hangs like a pall of gloom - portenders of some impending disaster. it is indeed sad that what we took for granted in the past is no more the case - for eg visit to the white house, walk up the statue of liberty, minimum fuss in airports so on and so forth.
BUT the guys in charge of security are making their personal individual efforts to make life comfortable (with rare exceptions) for the citizens and visitors alike in these trying times. the guys at immigration were more helpful, the guys at homeland security at the domestic airport were most accomodating as we were travelling with 2 kids wrt to our needs but at the same time declining to allow certain items past security (which in india we are allowed and we have had homeland security now for over 2 decades)!!
the recent downturn hasnt helped the american dream with a spate of shootings by "regular joes". in all this the administration is strained and one can only expect furthur restrictions on what we take for granted today.
at times one wonders if all the money on security and the war machine cant be better deployed ?!! maybe terror is winning slowly like a cancer in this "fear" country. dont know.
on an aside "Jack Windolf, the CEO of Bollinger Insurance, recently gave his 434 employees a surprise gift: out of his own pocket, he paid each of them $1000" - it is such acts which define the spiritual wealth of a nation - maybe the american dream is being redefined?
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