"Land Of Dreams:" For Everyone

As you watched the video above, what did you notice most? Was it the beautiful photography? Or Maybe it was the music or the song that struck you? Was it the races of the people, their faiths, their sexual preference, their cultures, or their income? No, really, I want to know. Please leave your answers in the comment section below.

A Bit Of Background: The company which partners with the United States Government to operate DiscoverAmerica.com (The U.S.'s official travel and tourism website), BrandUSA, released a new ad campaign titled "Land of Dreams." This commercial is being shown world wide in countries like United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. Their aim is at attracting international tourists to the United States.

The entire crew were a rainbow of races and types from across the globe, so it made total sense that this international talent pool behind the filming and creating of these spots, were so highly capable of creating such a blending of people and types in the entire commercial series. As you watched there were faces of every race, many cultures even in the instruments that were used, and there was even examples of different family and couple styles. An excellent example of the melting pot that America was founded on.

BUT.......

You knew there was a but so don't look so shocked....

At around the 1:15 point in the video there is a couple that is making people talk. What makes them so special? Americans haven't always reached out to couples like them and while they have come far, they are still battling to be considered a "normal" part of our culture. The issues facing them are a hot bed topic in many state and federal elections. They are a beautiful gay couple enjoying a ride on the street car.

WHY?

Why is it so hard for differences to be accepted. In today's modern world, you would expect more educated opinions about ... everything.

-To balance a budget only spend what you bring in. Simple? Not for a government.

-If you want people to stay out of your business then stay out of theirs.  This includes gun cases, bedrooms of consenting adults, a woman's uterus..... ect...

-Religion and Politics make for poor bedfellows. A good case in point would be the up roar against gay marriage. The LAW surrounding marriage should be about protecting the rights of the couple. The MORALITIES of the marriage should be up to the couples belief system.

My Point:

Poor, white, black, middle class, Catholic, Pagan, city, country, foreign, healthy or disabled - it shouldn't matter. It's about Human Rights. It's about freedoms to be looked at with out judgement. It is about the freedom to live your life by your morals.

America is supposed to be everything that video showed. A chance for anyone to be everything that they need  and want to be. To have an equal chance to be fed, housed, and loved. Race, Sexual orientation, bank account, religion - none of that should matter.

We are all in this together and I am so happy to see and hear of the progress that is being made to embrace that. But I am also worried about the areas where no progress or even reverse progress is being made.

I am very proud to call an actor in that video a friend. I am very proud to see America showing acceptance. And I hope we can all be inspired by each other.

To Learn more about the couple, please click here.

"The handsome gentleman with the beard is my husband of 20 years, multiple award-winning actor & director/designer Edward R. Cox. I'm very, very proud of him for being involved in this commercial!"

posted by VaticanLokey on 21-May-2012 11:09

On the DNA website (click Here)

To read a Forbes take on the campaign click Here.

Search "Land of Dreams Tourism Commercial" to find all the different videos the campaign has released so far.