Thirty-Nine Years Later: A Random Sampling

-Victor goes to a private Christian university in Southern California. He cites the "I Have a Dream" speech when you ask him about the American dream, and to hear him tell it his people still have not achieved it. It routinely escapes Victor's notice that he is able to afford a school whose tuition costs over $30,000 a year.

-Lamar is a twenty-eight year old medical intern with a specialty in cardiology. When asked about the American dream, he will most likely shrug and give you the stock answer about opportunity. If you ask him whether he feels he has achieved it, he will indicate his stethoscope and say, "what does it look like?"

-Oprah Winfrey is perhaps the world's biggest proponent of the American dream, passing out like candy on her internationally syndicated television show.

-Darcelle is an officer in the United States Air Force. When asked about the American dream, she'll point you to the words "freedom" and "liberty," which can be found in any speech, pledge, document, or song that features the name "America." And you can forget about asking her whether or not she feels she has achieved it - she protects it every day.

-Barack Obama says this of the American dream: "For that is our unyielding faith - that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it." As far as whether he will achieve his own American dream - check back in November '08.

-Jaden is ten. He lives and goes to school in Crenshaw, a low-rent area of Los Angeles. What do you think of the American dream, Jaden? "I think it's cool," he says, grinning.

That may be the most profound answer yet.