My last post caused a surprising degree of tension among friends and family alike. Many were offended by my wording, that I was "finally" proud to be American, and that I was ashamed to be identified as one before Obama was elected as our next president. Even for those of us who travel occasionally out of the country, many of us can often miss the blatant disgust many in the world feel towards our country, misinterpreting it for snobbery or aloofness. It is often neither. Rather, this dislike stems from a perceived snobbery and aloofness on our part.
It has been difficult to convey these perceptions to my critics. But the point of my argument was illuminated in a conversation with a woman yesterday. She congratulated me on our new president, and we began to talk about the shifts that this election would bring. In the interest of not misquoting her, I will not quote her entire sentences. However, my new acquaintance said that before the election, to say one was "American" was like a "germ," that everyone would want to avoid you. Furthermore, she said that she "couldn't help it," that "whenever I see an American I see Bush." We are a direct reflection of our leadership. It is the beauty and the bitterness of democracy.
That afternoon, I also saw on a magazine cover a picture of Obama and the future first family, with the headline, "The New Mandela." Mandela was South Africa's Moses, the saviour of the downtrodden and the hopeless nation. He was also a symbol of South Africa's re-entry into the world after years of embargoes and international isolation. We must be critical of turning Obama into an untouchable, mythical figure, but the comparison is intriguing. It is our time to reconstruct the identity of our nation and re-enter the world.
I have been relatively successful in deconstructing our negative stereotype and shifting my non-American friends' perceptions of our country, but ideally, I would prefer to not wear the mask of the enemy at all. Is it possible for us to have a positive stereotype? And what would that stereotype look like?
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It is a veritable ocean, a separate planet, a varied, immensely rich cosmos. Only with the greatest simplification for the sake of convenience can we say, "Africa." In reality, except as a geographical appellation, Africa does not exist. (Ryszard Kapuscinski)
Many ask me why I am going to Africa. They are looking for a justification, a reasonable explanation that will quell their fears and curiosity. If you are one of those who are asking this question of me, you will be disappointed. I have no answers. I have only questions. All I ask of you, my family and friends, is that you embark on this journey with me, with an open mind and heart, and live the questions.
And enjoy a good story along the way.
And enjoy a good story along the way.
1 comment:
"Is it possible for us to have a positive stereotype? And what would that stereotype look like?"
It looks like what it looked like at the end of WW-II, or the day after September 11 --- a prosperous nation which, although reeling from a severe catastrophe, is full of enterprising and open-minded people who support free speech and hard work.
Guess what, on Nov 5, 2008, it looked pretty similar :).
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