Is America an Equal Opportunity Society? According to Webster's dictionary equal opportunity is defined as one who does not "discriminate against a person because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, physical or mental handicap, or age" (Webster's dictionary, 2002). America's reputation is known as the "land of equal opportunity" but I believe it has failed to completely stand up to its reputation (Sawhill, 1998). In this paper, I will argue that, due to a person's education, …showed first 75 words of 474 total…

…showed last 75 words of 474 total…being segregated by white, poverty and disadvantage has followed them (Wilson, 1996). Due to a person's education, family and class, race, and gender complete equal opportunity cannot be achieved. A person's cultural capital has too much power and influence in this world for equal opportunity to exist. I do believe that equal opportunity does exist in some places in America but America as a whole should not have the reputation of "the land of equal opportunity."