This is the untold story of a poster that previously offered real hope and change to millions of people from around the world, and how it was pulled from stores to be replaced with Obama's poster containing a catch phrase of false promises. This is my story and this is the first time I've told it publicly.
By 2008, To Achieve Your Dreams, Remember Your ABCs had gone through four publications to sell nearly five million copies and was available in major department stores such as Wall Mart, Toys R Us and Sams Club. It was written by myself in 1991, as it came to me in answers to many prayers, and first published in 1992 after Dear Abby posted the words from a letter I wrote to her. The opportunity to publish presented itself almost immediately. Even by 2008 it was still selling at a minimum 10,000 copies per month and at a much higher number during many months. It was one of the longest selling popular posters to have ever been published.
Then suddenly in mid 2008, it was pulled from all of the stores at the discretion of the publisher, and replaced in every known case by the infamous Obama Hope and Change poster. There was no reason that could be discerned as to why the publisher decided to do this other than that they only rack displayed one or two "inspirational" titles amongst of their normal offerings of celebrities, sports figures and cartoons and they obviously decided that the Obama poster would take precedence. Personally, I was devastated both financially and emotionally. The ABCs were a huge success and over the years I had received uncountable mails from people telling me how they had changed their lives by using them. I have letters from psychologists, doctors, teachers, clergy, students, parents, law enforcement, and businesses, and the piece had also been published in numerous books and on many websites. It was helping. People were improving their lives and getting inspiration from it. But it didn't seem to matter compared to the publisher's desire to promote a candidate.
Maybe I could have understood if they had then afterwards replaced the Obama poster again with the ABCs once the fanfare died down. But they didn't. In fact this particular publisher instead made a similar poster in that it lists things alphabetically and includes the word dreams in the title. So they copied my idea, filled it in with a lot of empty lightweight sayings that have no substance, and that certainly can not be attributed to the answering of prayers, and continue to profit from it without any concern for the people that might of been helped with the re-introduction of To Achieve Your Dreams, Remember Your ABCs, nor did they have any concern about using my basic idea and profiting from it.
Now, those who know me personally, might think that this is why I have been so concerned about what has transpired since Obama was elected. But that isn't so. This is how one aspect of his campaign affected me and potentially millions of others, but what has driven me to become such an activist is much deeper than that. It goes to the root of the two messages. One message contained real solutions and positive ideas that were proven to turn lives around and help people to achieve their dreams. The other message was a catch phrase of rhetoric. But on the deeper level it comes down to what the candidate behind the poster promoted and went on to make into reality during his first term as president. That being, for one thing, class envy and warfare instead of the idea that rather than to envy those with more, to instead get out there and make it happen for oneself. In our country, the American Dream is a potential reality for every one if only they apply themselves and use the right methods in their lives to achieve it. But the idea of the treasured ideal of "The American Dream" has never been his goal to pass on to the American people, or the people of the world, and instead he has made it easier and more appealing to the very people who need the most inspiration to remain put in poverty demanding entitlements rather than independence.
At one point, I asked myself, if I am sincerely dedicated to helping people improve their lives, then how can I stand by and just watch as the freedom and encouragement needed for anyone to reasonably expect dreams to be achievable was systematically destroyed. The answer was, I couldn't. And so four years of intense activism was launched while all other aspects of my career was put on hold. I felt deeply that in a climate of oppression, so many hopes would be dashed and dreams would never be launched.
During this time due to the severely declining economy, my family lost three businesses, one that had been in the top ten in the nation. But this didn't change my resolve. In fact it strengthened it. As I watched America decline right before my eyes, I knew, the only thing for me to do was to continue on in a fever pitch to awaken people to the reality of causes for what we were experiencing as a nation.
I care about America, and all people around the world. I care that many lives are broken and suffering and that those who can not see a way out of their current situation need real hope and help. I care that freedom is precious and the most crucial element of allowing dreams to come true. I know that I or the ABCs can't help every one, but I know that I can still help many more, if only those who need it the most can be reached.
I don't know if I will pursue getting the ABCs back out there as a poster in department stores or not. The market of poster publishers has become a monopoly and there aren't many options. But I can say that as of right now, on this eve of the election 2012, that no matter what happens, I will pick up and carry on in a way to reach as many as I can with help to find and achieve their dreams one way or the other. The solutions to so many problems in this world are hidden away in the hearts of mankind right next to the dreams just waiting to burst out into reality. And not much in Washington DC will really ever change until the minds of mankind, We the People, "Make It Happen."
By: Wanda Hope Carter
