by Charles Ray

Created on: May 16, 2009

Susan Boyle, the Scottish singing sensation wowed audiences in April when she sang "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables on Britain's version of American Idol, Britain's Got Talent.

When Boyle, who had to be talked into entering the competition, walked onto the stage, judges and audience were apprehensive because of her unpolished appearance. When she finished singing, the audience gave her a standing ovation, and she received unanimous praise from the judges. Even though she had some musical training, her public singing experience prior to Britain's Got Talent had mainly been in church and karaoke at local pubs.

A perfect example of the danger of judging a book by its cover, Boyle has become a hit on this side of the Atlantic as well.

One might well ask, why are Americans so taken with this phenomenally talented but physically unremarkable woman? In part, it is the duality of the American psyche. We are a culture attracted to beauty, but deep down we root for the underdog. It makes us feel good to see the average Joe or Jane rise up and kick the beauty-obsessed establishment in the teeth. Susan Boyle renews our deeply buried wish that it is true that gut, determination, and talent can win out over shallow surface appearances.

Most of us who are Baby Boomers and older can probably remember hearing "in America, every boy can grow up to be president" as we were growing up, only to conclude from election results over the decades that it was all a cruel hoax. The 21st century has been a renaissance. First, race-obsessed America cast off the fetters of over 200 years of biased voting and elected a man of color to the White House. And, then came Susan.

One can't help but imagine what is going through the minds of millions of young 'outsiders' in this country, who have been rejected by the in-crowds and left perpetually on the sidelines. They have to be thinking, "it IS possible!" She did it, and so can I.

Talent aside, and it is truly a huge talent, Susan Boyle is a symbol of hope and inspiration for a tremendous number of people, here and abroad, who can now hold their heads up and take pride in who they are, rather than bemoan who they can never be. Instead of the futile chase after the unreachable dream which can never be, they can now set a determined course of their own; looking the world straight in the eye and say, "This is who I am, deal with it."

Susan Boyle is 'everyone." For Americans in particular, she is that small voice deep down inside each of us that says, "I am somebody."

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