Camille Zendzian

DQR
Paine Revised Draft
06/04/14
Each person has their individual and ideal version of a perfect world: and each has come
to the cruel realization that there is no such thing as flawless. Although Paines utopic concept
of America holds immense appeal to any optimistic person, the crude reality is that as diversity
exists, conflicts that arise over disparities are inevitable as mankinds perception of perfect must
be hindered to create space for improvement.
While Paines belief that Americas unique democratic government would develop a
cordial union was bright, the irrefutable truth is nothing turns out the way one imagines. Its
true that the nations republic was revolutionary in its time since, for the first time in history, its
people were given sovereignty. Ideally, this would allow the masses to construct a regime based
upon the principles of society and man. Today, citizens are able to impose a limited control
over its administration as they express their beliefs and aspirations for the nation. The March on
Wall Street was a legal, peaceful demonstration in which individuals readily conveyed
dissatisfaction with the economic disparity. However, this constitutional action was shot down in
an undeniable attempt of the government to oppress its people as police officers imposed
violence to silence these citizens. In Paines utopia, they would have been allowed to carry out
their demonstration and the government would have given positive feedback in which they
changed aspects to please the group. Unfortunately, the world refuses to satisfy our hopes and
dreams and this did not occur.
In addition, Paine expressed certainty that societal variety is the center around which
concord is built. The United States is well-known for its foundation on diversity as it held open
arms out toward any and all refugees who fled the oppression, poverty, and famine of their
homelands. A never-ending influx of immigrants have found homes in this nation and developed
this melting pot of a country. Paine was deathly accurate in predicting that America would be
composed of people from different nations, but he could not have been more wrong believing
they would all live in harmony. Prejudices have led to unequal treatment, opportunities, and
conditions of many groups of Americans. In Richard Wrights Native Son, Bigger reveals that
due to the racism of the 1940s, his family of four is confined to a tight apartment room and he is
not allowed to escape the life he is given for society prevents a black mans success.
Throughout American history, such incidences have occurred to all populations: Asians,
homosexuals, women, the poor. Paine was incredibly mistaken to predict that natural
differences in mankind would allow them to coexist.
If reality was indeed as ideal as Paine envisioned, America would not be the great
country it is today. The imperfections in its people have led the nation toward progressive
change. It has overcome disunion, inequalities of all sorts, and so much more. It is the mistakes
that teach us vital lessons: if not for a dystopic reality, the United States would still be in the
chaotic state it was founded in.