Chesterton - What I Saw In America

     "But citizenship is still the American ideal; there is an army of actualities opposed to that ideal; but there is no ideal opposed to that ideal. American plutocracy has never got itself respected like English aristocracy. Citizenship is the American ideal; and it has never been the English ideal. But it is surely an ideal that may stir some imaginative generosity and respect in an Englishman, if he will condescend to be also a man. In this vision of moulding many peoples into the visible image of the citizen, he may see a spiritual adventure which he can admire from the outside, at least as much as he admires the valour of the Moslems and much more than he admires the virtues of the Middle Ages. He need not set himself to develop equality, but he need not set himself to misunderstand it. He may at least understand what Jefferson and Lincoln meant, and he may possibly find some assistance in this task by reading what they said. He may realise that equality is not some crude fairy tale about all men being equally tall or equally tricky; which we not only cannot believe but cannot believe in anybody believing. It is an absolute of morals by which all men have a value invariable and indestructible and a dignity as intangible as death. He may at least be a philosopher and see that equality is an idea; and not merely one of these soft-headed sceptics who, having risen by low tricks to high places, drink bad[Pg 18] champagne in tawdry hotel lounges, and tell each other twenty times over, with unwearied iteration, that equality is an illusion."   http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27250/27250-h/27250-h.htm
     My interpretation of this paragraphs is that being a part of a community is looked highly in the american culture, or "dream". Some are able to agree on this dream and one's who oppose are simply not questioned. The English community do not focus on this idea but it does bring comfort to an Englishman to know that there are options. These opportunities are viewed in a respectful manner. Overall the paragraph speaks about equality and how it is talked about and in his eyes it is just an idea, a simple illusion given to create idolization of a better place. He referred it as a fairy tale which was very interesting to me. 
     I chose this paragraph because I believe that this belief system, in some sense, is still accurate. America is the land of "the free" and it is a place people come to have their american dream. Part of that dream for many is to become better and like this many doors will "open" for those who are citizens. It is believed that there is equality. When we look at what was stated in this article over many years ago and even in today's world, can we truly define equality and freedom in America? Like it was stated, in a way it is a fairy tale for some. Even if there is a chance people become a part of the American dream, and community; or even considered equal, there are many small obstacles that will still restrain us from true growth. I think it's important to know what comes with what we desire; of course the good and the bad should always be considered when trying to do better for one self.