From Bernie Sanders to Donald Trump, the 2016 presidential candidates shared one thing in common: a conviction that they could revitalize the American Dream. Pinned between stagnant wages and the soaring costs of housing, education and healthcare, millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet. To address these urgent issues, the social sciences department at Whatcom Community College will host a free screening of the new award-winning film Dream On at WCC’s Heiner Theater, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2.
Dream On features political comedian John Fugelsang as he retraces the journey of Alexis de Tocqueville, whose study of our young country in 1831 came to define America as a place where anyone could climb the ladder of economic opportunity. Following in the Frenchman’s footsteps, Fugelsang speaks with fast-food workers and retirees, prisoners and entrepreneurs, undocumented immigrants and community organizers about their hopes, dreams, and daily struggles. Dream On explores whether the optimistic spirit of the American Dream that Tocqueville observed is alive and well in the 21st century, or whether George Carlin was right when he famously quipped, “It’s called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.”
John Fugelsang’s reflections on his Tocqueville odyssey are captured in a stand-up comedy monologue woven throughout the documentary. As a comedian, actor, writer, talk show host and pundit, Fugelsang’s eclectic background allows him to bring equal doses of wit and wisdom to our search for the increasingly elusive American Dream. Dream On is the 32nd documentary produced and directed by Roger Weisberg for national public television. Dream On builds on this extensive body of work and represents the culmination of nearly four decades of reporting on ways to remove barriers and expand opportunities for disadvantaged Americans. For further information about Dream On, please visit the website at http://pppdocs.com/dreamon.html.
