Election Aftermath, Take II
Today I worked with the division at the International Fair. My whole weekend will be spent working there, which would make me quite bitter, except that I was able to use Maryland's colonial history as an excuse to wear my renfaire garb. So I'm only a *little* bitter now.
Since coming back, I've noticed a couple of major differences in how I think and perceive things. The biggest change is that I haven't come here with the goal to "assimilate," to try to adopt as much Japanese culture and やり方 as possible. This is probably for the better, too, because I learned last time that there are some fundamental values or points of view I have that are quite American and don't mesh too well with some Japanese values or points of view.
After we moved to MD again in high school and all through college, I wasn't very eager to identify myself as American. Some of this was the residual effect of living away from the States for so long, some of it was the desire to distance myself from the Ugly American tourist-type image, and, especially in college, it was the embarrassment at being associated with the pretty horrible stuff done by the government in our name.
Let's face it. At the same time the first colonists arrived on our soil and waxed eloquent about being a "shining city on a hill," they were burning so-called witches and enslaving Africans and thought it only right that the native Indian population should die away to make room for European settlers. More recently, our government of the people, by the people, for the people has supported ruthless totalitarian dictators, abused civil liberties, ignored international human rights treaties, and has dragged its feet to ensure all its citizens are provided equal treatment under the law.
These facts I learned after my childhood years of pride for our Sweet Land of Liberty and America the Beautiful. Michelle Obama drew a lot of criticism for her saying that for the first time in her life, she was proud to be an American. Pardon the conceit that the following statement may contain, but I don't think anyone who criticized her for that could have had more than a child's patriotism. I've had a very hard time trying to handle the underside of our history, and quite frankly, I have just as hard a time understanding how other people can be completely unbothered by this. Are these not polar opposites? What the hell do such American ideals and values like liberty, justice, equality, freedom, and opportunity even mean when they are being undermined from the inside out by Americans themselves? Why should I proudly associate myself with such disgusting hypocrisy that has continued even now? How can I know this and still be proud to be an American?
November 4th didn't change the ugly parts of our past. It doesn't change what we have done, or what has been done in our name. But it's the first irrefutable sign I've seen in a long time that Americans can come together for the nation and even, to certain extent, for the world, to entrust themselves to these oft-neglected ideals. We aren't entirely prisoners to our past. We do take the choice to try to start anew. So today I spent eight hours at the International Fair as a representative of the U.S. There were more than a couple people who smiled and mentioned Obama, and for once, instead of feeling only a heavy pit of embarrassment, I enjoyed discussing the results of a presidential election. And for the first time in a very, very long time, I was proud to say that I am from the United States of America.
Before this week, I never would have thought I would be one of the millions across the world crying with happiness over a presidential election. As Karlene has mentioned, and I don't doubt that she and I are only two of the millions of Americans who think this, as amazing as this is, I wonder if it's too good to be true. These amazing speeches and rallies are all good and well. It's easy to speak words, to erect another shining front of liberty and justice, of bipartisanship and cooperation, and then turn your back on them and do the exact opposite. Politicians have done it countless times before. Don't you dare promise us a better standard and better actions and then give us more of politics as usual. You've promised us that hope can be trusted. You've shown us that our ideals still play a role in our nation.
We don't expect perfection, but we are watching closely. These ideals are what keep us going in spite of our mistakes. Please, whatever you do, do not betray them.
Since coming back, I've noticed a couple of major differences in how I think and perceive things. The biggest change is that I haven't come here with the goal to "assimilate," to try to adopt as much Japanese culture and やり方 as possible. This is probably for the better, too, because I learned last time that there are some fundamental values or points of view I have that are quite American and don't mesh too well with some Japanese values or points of view.
After we moved to MD again in high school and all through college, I wasn't very eager to identify myself as American. Some of this was the residual effect of living away from the States for so long, some of it was the desire to distance myself from the Ugly American tourist-type image, and, especially in college, it was the embarrassment at being associated with the pretty horrible stuff done by the government in our name.
Let's face it. At the same time the first colonists arrived on our soil and waxed eloquent about being a "shining city on a hill," they were burning so-called witches and enslaving Africans and thought it only right that the native Indian population should die away to make room for European settlers. More recently, our government of the people, by the people, for the people has supported ruthless totalitarian dictators, abused civil liberties, ignored international human rights treaties, and has dragged its feet to ensure all its citizens are provided equal treatment under the law.
These facts I learned after my childhood years of pride for our Sweet Land of Liberty and America the Beautiful. Michelle Obama drew a lot of criticism for her saying that for the first time in her life, she was proud to be an American. Pardon the conceit that the following statement may contain, but I don't think anyone who criticized her for that could have had more than a child's patriotism. I've had a very hard time trying to handle the underside of our history, and quite frankly, I have just as hard a time understanding how other people can be completely unbothered by this. Are these not polar opposites? What the hell do such American ideals and values like liberty, justice, equality, freedom, and opportunity even mean when they are being undermined from the inside out by Americans themselves? Why should I proudly associate myself with such disgusting hypocrisy that has continued even now? How can I know this and still be proud to be an American?
November 4th didn't change the ugly parts of our past. It doesn't change what we have done, or what has been done in our name. But it's the first irrefutable sign I've seen in a long time that Americans can come together for the nation and even, to certain extent, for the world, to entrust themselves to these oft-neglected ideals. We aren't entirely prisoners to our past. We do take the choice to try to start anew. So today I spent eight hours at the International Fair as a representative of the U.S. There were more than a couple people who smiled and mentioned Obama, and for once, instead of feeling only a heavy pit of embarrassment, I enjoyed discussing the results of a presidential election. And for the first time in a very, very long time, I was proud to say that I am from the United States of America.
Before this week, I never would have thought I would be one of the millions across the world crying with happiness over a presidential election. As Karlene has mentioned, and I don't doubt that she and I are only two of the millions of Americans who think this, as amazing as this is, I wonder if it's too good to be true. These amazing speeches and rallies are all good and well. It's easy to speak words, to erect another shining front of liberty and justice, of bipartisanship and cooperation, and then turn your back on them and do the exact opposite. Politicians have done it countless times before. Don't you dare promise us a better standard and better actions and then give us more of politics as usual. You've promised us that hope can be trusted. You've shown us that our ideals still play a role in our nation.
We don't expect perfection, but we are watching closely. These ideals are what keep us going in spite of our mistakes. Please, whatever you do, do not betray them.