American Creed

Even if you are poor or you want to escape poverty you should have an education. People face difficulties in their professional and personal lives. In this case, their ability to make rational and informed decisions depends on their level of education and self-awareness, which also helps them escape from being dumb. Everyone knows that it is impossible for a stupid person to be capable because you need to use your brain; how do you use it without education? In the film American Creed Condoleezza Rice, Deidre Prevett, and Eric Liu talk about the importance of education and back it up with their own experiences.

Condoleezza Rice, the woman who became the first African-American female Secretary of State in the history of the United States, the first person to serve as the Secretary of National Security of the United States, declares, “It doesn’t matter where you come from, it only matters where you are going. You could come from humble circumstances, you could do a great thing” (Source A). Her accomplishments and successes speak volumes about the importance and necessity of education. Furthermore, her grandfather also escaped poverty by earning a college education. He became a minister so that he could earn a scholarship to pay for school. Her family is African American and they came from Alabama before the civil rights movement during Jim Crow Laws. Even though she is Black, she got success and achievements through education. Her grandfather became the first generation to go to college. Today, Rice is a professor of political science at Stanford University. In the film, she says that she is grateful for a country where access to education can change everything.

Next, the film features Deidre Prevett, a 5th-generation educator who also is a principal of an elementary school. She says she was lucky that she didn't live in poverty like many other Natives and like some of the children that attend her elementary school. Deidre Prevett is Native American and lives in Oklahoma. She says that she is fortunate because her family was able to keep their land in Creek Nation. Her family was able to pay for 5 generations to go to college because they found oil on their land. In addition, each generation that went to college was able to help pay for the next generation. Prevett calls this “paying it forward,” which means education gives people an opportunity to escape poverty in America. As an educator, she lived out her American dream because she wanted to help children in her community to get an education. She wants to change their lives and their futures through education.

Furthermore, Eric Liu is an American author, educator, and founder of the non-profit organization Citizen University. Eric Liu's parents are from Taiwan, because Japan was attacking China at the time, his parents had to immigrate to the United States, so they had an opportunity to become educated in America by attending University. After witnessing first-hand the political crackdown on dissent during a trip to China, Liu decided to devote himself to the fight against civic apathy at home. Politics requires judgment, ability, discrimination, thinking, and so on. This is all related to education because politics cannot be done by everyone. He was a former speechwriter to President Bill Clinton, Deputy Assistant to the President for the Interior, and director of the National and Community Service Corporation. This is further evidence that all his achievements were brought to him by education and knowledge.

 In conclusion, the significance of those perspectives is that all three speakers value education. Because they know the power of education and knowledge and that can change your life. They got educated and noticed education brought more opportunities for your life. We would have to believe education changes your life because it is a fact. Education growth and development to shape the lives of other individuals and achieve a better society. We should understand the deep meaning of education and spread them in this world that can help many people.