On Wednesday's Glenn Beck Program, Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love filled in for Glenn and spoke about her family's experience with the American Dream and whether or not it continues to exist.
Read a full transcript of her monologue below:
Hello, America, and welcome to The Glenn Beck Program and TheBlaze. My name is Mia Love, and I’m filling in today for Glenn. Tonight, my guests and I are going to discuss the American Dream, where is it? Does it still exist? Are the events that are taking place in our country right now promoting the American Dream.
I know a little bit about this. I was born to Haitian immigrants who came to this country in the early 1970s. My parents arrived. They had no earthly possessions, no home, no car, nothing aside from the clothes on their backs and $10 in their pockets, but they did have one thing that money can’t buy that America offers in abundance, real hope for a better tomorrow. They had hope that their family could find peace here in America that didn’t exist in Haiti. They had hope that through hard work and diligence, their children and grandchildren would enjoy prosperity that this nation offers.
My parents believed in the American Dream, and they set out to reach it. Before becoming citizens, they learned to speak the English language. They educated themselves on American history and the Constitution, and when they pledged their allegiance to the American flag, they understood what they were saying, and they meant every word of it. But the dream didn’t stop there. My parents expected their three children to become productive, contributing members of society.
On the first day of college, my father came with me to orientation. I still remember how he looked. He looked at me very seriously and said, "Mia, your mother and I have done everything we could to get you here. We have worked hard for every penny. You will not be a burden to society. You will give back." Through my parents’ example, I learned the value of hard work, education, personal responsibility. My husband and I have tried our very best to instill those same values in our children.
For the past 10 years, I have served as city council member then mayor of my city in Saratoga Springs, Utah, where I have worked hard to cut wasteful spending, balance budgets, promote economic development by reducing red tape, and creating a fiscally responsible, financially stable and sustainable city. Last year, I had the honor of receiving the Republican nomination for Utah’s fourth congressional district where we came within 768 votes of defeating a six-term incumbent Democrat.
I plan to seek the Republican nomination for my district again. Why? Because of all the lessons my parents taught me, none of them were about giving up on this country. I owe it to my children and to your children to give them a chance at their American Dream. Many in America today are concerned and rightfully so about the direction of this country, but I want you to know, and I want to encourage you, please do not give up hope. Our best days lie ahead of us.
I compare the times that we’re in today with the hardship that America has faced in its history. In the 1980s, back then times were tough like they are today. We suffered from four years of disastrous policies imposed by the Carter Administration. I think of a story of a ship, the USS Midway. The USS Midway was the longest-serving aircraft carrier of its class. While it was patrolling the South China Seas, the crew of the Midway observed a small leaky boat crammed full of refugees from Indochina.
Hoping to reach America, the refugees had set sail on a dangerous voyage across the Pacific in the hopes that they could get to the United States. The ship launched a small rescue to bring the refugees back onto the carrier to safety. As the refugees got closer to the Midway, one of the refugees stood up, focused his attention on young American sailor, and called out to him, saying “Hello, American sailor. Hello, freedom man.”
Although the light in our country has dimmed a little at certain times throughout American history, the United States has always remained that shining city on a hill, a nation conceived in liberty, that people all around the world would sacrifice anything and everything to come to. This is still true today. Through the Civil War, we’ve cured ourselves of slavery. We did so in the War of 1812. When faced with the threat of Nazi-ism, the world looked to America, and we led the charge in defeating it.
We also turned back the tides and defeated communism by winning the Cold War. But America isn’t a great nation just because of its military might. It’s a great nation because of its American might and the values that it was founded on – fiscal discipline, limited government, personal responsibility. This is the time-tested formula that will put America back on the path to prosperity.I’m here to tell you that the American Dream is not dead. The American Dream lives on. You can achieve it by starting with $10 in your pocket, no one else to do it for you. History has taught us that government is not your salvation. Government is not your road to prosperity. Hard work, education, and thrift will take you far beyond what any government program can ever promise.
Look at my parents or the refugees on that small leaky boat who gave up everything to come here and know that the American dream lives. Look at me and know that that can include you. Today, we’re going to discuss some of the policies in Washington that threaten that very American dream. Nearly $17 trillion of debt, a government takeover of health care and education, regulation and taxation, how far away are we from losing the Dream?
