"Somewhere along the line, financial independence got interpreted as fabulous wealth. Today, that warped concept of the American Dream is embodied by the Kim Kardashian phenomenon: fame and fortune heaped upon someone who offers no particular talent other than self-promotion. She has 40 million followers on Twitter, but her insights are the Styrofoam peanuts of popular culture. Money for nothing indeed!"
"While I applaud your courage and intelligence in redefining the American Dream to fit your personal vision of the future, it's important that . . . commitment to championing the values of the U.S. Constitution be included, particularly the parts that condemn racism, sexism, homophobia and exploitation of the poor."
"That is an American Dream worth dreaming."
-- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, commencement address, Drew University, 5/14/16
Jabbar has always been so much more than a great basketball player.
No comments:
Post a Comment