A Rich American Dream

by Kerry Thomas

October10, 2002

I have read with amusement the dirth of letters and paid advertisements recently in the Vilas County News Review attacking various residents of the area on the basis that they're rich. In my opinion, this is a lot of ink based on jealousy, envy and covetousness.

For years it has been the American Dream to be able to start from rather humble beginnings and through your own hard efforts become successful in America. In relatively recent times, however, it has become politically expedient to attack the wealthy in America, for no other reason than the fact that these people have become wealthy, or more wealthy than those doing the attacking. Why?

When I see men like Don Eliason and Glenn Schiffmann I see men who started from humble beginnings, worked hard, and achieved a modicum of success right here in Northern Wisconsin. Men like these took risks, saw a need, and found a way to fill that need. I would say these men epitomize the American Dream and should be emulated, not castigated with rhetorical labels that attack them for being successful.

When these men served on government boards they brought their experience and expertise to those positions, and refrained from using their positions to personally enrich themselves or prohibit their business competitors from a fair business competition, despite many opportunities to do just that. They made good common sense decisions while on these government boards, decisions that usually benefited the majority of residents, not just a select few. They didn't have to resort to personal attacks and technical legal loopholes to justify their government actions. They didn't write ordinances prohibiting others from doing what they had already done.

If being rich or successful is so bad, why are so many people striving for just that? And isn't it then hypocritical to criticize someone for doing what you yourself are trying to do?

When it comes to government in America, at all levels, you bring your ideas to the table, debate them with those who hold opposing views, and let the voters decide who makes the most sense. It works the same way economically, too. You offer a product or service at a price, and consumers either buy what you're selling or they don't. These may be naive notions in today's socio-political climate, but that's the America in which I grew up believing.

There's nothing wrong with achieving your own American Dream.