Let me introduce myself!

I came to America in 2002. I went to a good state school somewhere in the South. In 2007, I graduated with a degree in Business and Economics. Since then I haven't been able to secure any job. I tried to attend Graduate School, but I ran out of money before the first semester was over.

I worked several jobs to pay for my undergraduate program. That strategy did not help in Graduate School, because I needed more time to focus on my coursework. Eventually, I withdrew from Graduate School under financial strain.

In late 2008, I took my LSAT and applied to Law Schools. I have a decent LSAT score. I hope to be admitted to a half-way decent Law School. But, things are not the same they used to be in the 2007-08 Law School admissions cycle. A lot of people have lost their jobs and are trying to go back to school. Competition to get into a Law School is tougher than ever before.

The recent economic situation in our country has not only dimmed my prospects of securing employment, but is also severely affecting my chances of going to Law School.

Talking about employment, I am willing to work minimum-wage jobs. I have applied for work at every place you can imagine. I even interviewed at motels and McDonald's. I have been unemployed since June 2008 now. I haven't received a single penny in Government assistance. My savings have dried out. I am living on handouts from my brother and some good friends.

I dreamed of coming to America since the time I remember having dreams. Initially it was more about being free from my mother's supervision. Talking about her, I was raised by a widowed-mother. Our father died soon after I was born. I have an elder brother who lives here in the US. Our mother was a very strict parent. We were raised to be highly obedient and disciplined children.

I just wanted to run away from home. I wanted to run away to America, where I could be myself. But, that was a silly thought. I am glad I finished school before coming to America. Our mother got us the best education anyone in her position could have afforded.

After High School, I was pretty much decided America was the place for me to be. My home country was too small for me to spread my wings. I dreamed big. I wanted to be highly successful at whatever I did. The potential for my success in my home country was diminished by the lack of opportunities.

So, I took the first opportunity I got to come to America. Since then, I haven't look back. I have had good days and bad days. But, I never regretted my decision to come to America, even once. A good day is a good day, but a bad day makes me stronger. How bad could it get? The worse it gets, the better I feel because I know it cannot get any worse. On bad days I feel I just lived a part of my fair share of tough times.

But through all this discussion, the one question that needs to be answered is why I still believe in America even when she is down on her knees, and sick to it's core.

I don't believe in America because it is too big to fail. I believe in America because its founding principles and institutions are too strong to be corrupted. The concept of individual liberty and the institutional separation of People from the Government may have been stomped all over. People may have lost faith in themselves and may have instead invested their faith in the Government. The Government may have been made to believe that it has the power to fix an ailing nation.

But at the end of it all, I see a light. I see the light of wisdom that will once again shine on America and its people. People will once again believe in themselves when they realize that it was them and their institutions that made America great. The Government and its institutions just enabled the people to make America great by being the guardians of our constitution and not the creators of a social experiment.

Such are the principles and institutions that made America great. I believe in their power and immortality. We can ignore them but they cannot be forgotten. Our country and its people are roaming in the wilderness. The day we once again develop our faith in the power of individual liberty and a limited government, we will emerge from the wilderness. And that will be the day, we will start re-building America by putting down one brick at a time.

There will be a day when America will once again be the shining city on the top of a hill. There will be a day when people once again dream of America. That day is imminent.

I am doing my part to make that happen by living by the principles laid out by our founding fathers. I refuse to accept any Government assistance. I will overcome any Government induced obstructions. After all, the pain I am experiencing is fueling my path to achieving my American Dream.