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Rita Dove
Former Poet Laureate of the United States
For a long time, the American dream meant, you know, a chicken in every pot and a Frigidaire, right? You know, "You need a Frigidaire in the kitchen." And now we're beginning to realize that the American dream really is not about uniformity, but it's about -- I don't want to say diversity. What I want to say is, it's more like a mosaic. It's not a melting pot, it's a mosaic, and we all contribute our tiles to making up that big picture. And that's glorious. That's nothing to be afraid of.
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Sylvia Earle
Undersea Explorer
Sylvia Earle: A good friend of mine who has been a hero to many in engineering and in science was Ed Link. He said "I've never worked a day in my life." He worked very hard by anybody's standards, but he loves what he did, or he did when he was alive. He died a few years ago, but he lives on with the work that he accomplished, and the inspiration that he provided to many, including me. My father worked very hard, but he really enjoyed what he did. He made whatever it was, however seemingly mundane, a pleasure. Life is a joy, and if it isn't, then it's your own fault in many cases. At least in this country at this point in time. We are so blessed with the kind of freedom that makes it possible for us to have choices. I think I became aware of that at an early age. Not just through the ethic of my parents, but those who surrounded me, who made me understand that freedom is precious and that it isn't something that we should take for granted.
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Michael Eisner
Entertainment Executive
Michael Eisner: When I speak, I speak a lot about the creation of the American intellectual product. There is no question that the reason that it is the most successful export from the United States -- in all areas, whether it's literature, fine arts, architecture, movies, television -- is, to me, the democratic process. We never think about what the government thinks. We made Reds. We made a movie about Golda Meir. We've made many, many movies that you would think somebody would say, "What does the government think?" We never think about what the government thinks. The point I'm making is, you just don't care. And it's one of the few countries in the world where you do not care. And we do take it for granted, which is healthy. You should always take good things for granted, good parents for granted, good children for granted. But you have to understand, it has to be protected. And our system of government, the system that precludes tyranny also includes the ability to be creative and therefore for me, the American experience is the right to express myself.
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