“Great Society” needs to open the door...

September 2006

Lyndon Baines Johnson will go down as the President who fretted the public’s negative opinion of the war in Vietnam on a daily basis. This is clearly seen in documentaries chronicling his life. He attempted to change the public's focus by addressing what was a very serious social problem plaguing the urban cities of America in the 60’s.

Civil unrest and violence. Violence and marches demanding access to the American Dream by the disenfranchised. It was crystal clear that Black America was not getting a fair shake in the land they helped build and defend. I have often wondered how our founding fathers could square slavery in the face of the country’s very own founding document. You know, the one that says “...all men are created equal.”

A mistake that, although corrected in 1865, had many blacks wondering the same thing. To appreciate the perspective one only has to try and reverse the situation in your imagination.

History, the great teacher, has shown throughout time in memoriam that if you oppress a people, any people, sooner or later those people will go from docile to hostile in the blink of an eye.

Having said all that, Johnson’s attempt to solve the crisis in American cities by basically paying off the poor to chill out with the creation of welfare, was a noble idea which lacked one very important element...how to open the door to the American dream.

The Dream, of course, seems to have changed since those civil unrest days of the hot summer of 1968. Where at one time Americans sought to own their own home, make enough money to raise healthy, educated children, who would then go on to do a bit better than their parents because of the sacrifices they made and the solid foundation from which they were launched. Now though, it seems the American Dream today is to become somebody to everybody else. Whether that means tossing down a few crunchy African beetles, laying down with “black widow” spiders, or engaging in any activity which shouts, “look at me” on worldwide TV.

A recent glimpse of the Jerry Springer show delivered a knockout, literally, as two scantily clad women went at it over some goofball most women would run from.

Can you believe this?

Our perceptive monthly feature contributor, Frank Gabriel expounded perfectly on the state of the “look at me” mentality so prevelant on TV in last month’s column. You can check it out on line at acinside.com Getting back to the point of this month’s start, and moving ahead to today, there has been rightful public outcry over the increase in violence in the inner cities of America. Some forty years after Johnson attempted to create “The Great Society.” A culture of violence created by the lack of instruction on how to open the door to the American Dream... whatever that is for you today.

Me, I lean towards ol’ Father Flanagan’s view in the movie “Boys Town,” (you remember that flick don’t you?) most kids aren’t born bad. Even though the argument over which element is mainly responsible for a person’s achievements, heredity or environment, will most assuredly always be debated. The fact is, you put somebody in a war zone and over time they are either going to kill or be killed. All because the culture, the environment, says that’s what they must do.

The really sad part about all of this is that the door to the American Dream has been there the whole time.

Sarah Spenncer Washington was a black woman from Atlantic City who also happened to be America’s first woman millionaire. That was in 1905! What did she do that others did not...she walked through the door of the American Dream. That’s all. Turned the handle and walked through.

There’s an old Chinese proverb I like to invoke when talking about making your own American Dream and it goes something like this... “Those who think a thing cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it!”

Go ahead, open the door... your dream is waiting.

Have a sensational September!

Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival tastier than ever...

Mark your calendar for the weekend of October 6th to the 8th as the Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival sets up shop at the convention center. There is so much going on at this year’s show we couldn’t possibly fit it all here. Check out their ad on page 11 for a full look at the impressive line-up of activities and events. Of course, there will be plenty of tastings and samples for attendees as well as a plethora of cooking related items. For more information call 814-1522, or check them out online at gourmetshows.com. There’s also an exclusive and valuable two for one admission special for readers of this fine publication. Go to gourmetshows.com/insider for this terrific offer. For a complete list of all of the super September events taking place in Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean Counties, as well as Atlantic City’s Casinos, see pages 26, 30, 35 and 40 respectively.

Dan Klein is publisher of the South Jersey Insider Magazine, as well as host of the weekly radio show by the same name, heard Saturdays from 1PM to 4PM on Newstalk 1400 WOND AM, and host of the weekend entertainment & events segments on NBC news Channel 40. Dan's segments can be heard during the news on Friday and Sunday.