I was home schooled until seventh grade. At that point, I left the living room and walked into a feeding frenzy of smelly, self-conscious pre-teens(The public school system). In Akron, I found a plethora of shades of skin. I picked up on slang that many Caucasians never grasp. Then I came to college. After being accustomed to African American culture, fashion, and music, I was thrown back into a Caucasian world that I never really had to experience before. This was a culture shock. I was unsure how do deal with...well, white people.
At Malone, I have met students from all around the world. Finland, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, and South Africa. They all have different reasons for being in America. However, not all of them hold it in the same regard that we do.
My friend from Brazil is a very unique person. He’s tall, dark, and handsome- a soccer player. He looks like he would be arrogant and full of himself. However, he’s not like that at all. He laughs at the same things I do. He has a family he looks forward to seeing during breaks- just like anyone else. He makes mistakes and gets frustrated. Even though he knows a completely different world than I do, we have similarities. However, what I did not expect was his attitude about the education that we get every day- and MY culture, in general. He detests the American viewpoints that he feels forced to learn. I tried to explain to him that he has an advantage and gift, as an asset in his classes, to share his view of the world and people. He then told me that if he did that he would “Just get mad and talk shit about America”.
Everything I was taught my whole life in the conservative Baptist church, the public high school, and the Bob Jones school videos preached America. I’ve heard our story a thousand times. I’ve been brainwashed into believing that the United States is a haven. That the dream is shared by all, and that it will solve all problems. The American Dream, in fact, has turned in to an American Nightmare. Somewhere along the way, we ceased to be a beacon of hope and became and a shame. Our pride led us to a mental complex of being superior. This over-reaching, condescending, Jack-of-all-trades- attitude is what you called Hubris. We think that our military can fix all conflicts, and that our people can do the most good in the world. This is the condition I have been raised in and naturally accepted. It never occurred to me just how flawed our judgment was. In these last two semesters, my mind has changed completely. My world has become so much bigger.
Steven Spielberg’s 1986 film An American Tale is a fictitious and symbolic story of a family (of mice) who come to America in search of safety and a better life- free of the proverbial ‘cats’ that antagonize them and burn their villages. The song they sing in the movie says “There are no cats in America, and the streets are paved with cheese... there are no cats in America- so set your mind at ease.” When they arrive, the family finds out that there are, in fact, cats in America- and that there is still hardship and trials- only in a place that is unfamiliar and cold.
From its beginning, America had been a symbol of hope and future for people all around the world. Millions have come here in search of freedom from religious persecution, poverty, and political strife. In the Colonial period, some 175,000 Englishmen came to the East coast of North America. The first settlement in 1607 by the Virginia Company, Jamestown, barely survived the harsh winters. Over time, colonies were established and began to offer an alternative to the life that didn’t always appeal to some Europeans. Scottish, English, And German indentured servants came- to help on farms and plantations. They could work in exchange for lodging and food- they would gain the skills necessary to live independently in this new land of prospect. During the mid 19th century, many immigrants came from Northern Europe- Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden. At the turn of the 20th century, most came from Southern and Eastern Europe- Greece, Italy, Hungary, and Poland. Jewish people were also a large immigrant group.
It was during this time (1892, specifically) that Ellis Island came into historical significance. Over 12 million European immigrants were poked and prodded, questioned, examined, and filtered into the now United States. Most then lived in ethnic neighborhoods. Often families were split up between continents, and living with people of the same culture and background aided in helping them to cope. In 1965 the Immigration Act was passed that let in immigrants from third world countries. Over 40 million have flooded in since then- mostly from Asian countries and Central and South America; India, China, the Philippines, Mexico, Cuba.
During the great depression immigration dropped to zero. No one had the desire to go to an economy in a state of crisis. The same thing is happening today- our economy has caused a decrease in the number of people who decide to live in the United States. From 2000-2005, 8,000,000 came in. Half of them did so illegally, but were granted amnesty. The events that occurred on September 11, 2001 made Americans wary of who they let live alongside them- they believed that tighter controls on immigration would aid in national security. Despite this, 8% of children born in the US during 2008 were born to parents who had immigrated illegally. It is predicted that by 2050, non-Hispanic whites will make up only 47% of the US population, 29% will be Hispanic, and the Asian population will triple. Some theorize that The US will become so populated by Hispanic people, that it will essentially be a Latin American country.
While we have always allowed others in our country, it has not always been without giving them a price to pay. One of the many things that they encounter here and also in their countries of origin, through American media, is racism. Race itself is an idea invented by society in order to sort people. The ideals held during the age of European exploration and imperialism helped to support it. When people like Columbus colonized and conquered areas such as Asia, Africa, and the Americas, they put people into categories which laid the foundation for an ugly barrier of race. Before the slavery of Africans in America, people were generally classified according to wealth, religion, and lineage. Over time, physical differences became the determining factor. In America, Africans and Native Americans were on the lowest level of society. Native peoples were driven from their lands, and African-Americans were segregated from European-Americans. Even the ‘science’ of race claimed that non-whites were biologically inferior.
Today racism is still an ugly scar in our nation’s history, despite our efforts to erase it. We have come a long way in our thoughts about education, marriage, and employment in relation to minorities and how we view them. However, stereotypes and racism still exist to haunt us and drive us apart. We still somehow explain gaps in intelligence, athletics, health, employment, and housing as natural. Privileges are still subconsciously given or withheld due to skin color. Most of the prejudices are towards Blacks, Asians, Amerindians, and Jews. In surfing the Internet, I found an exhaustive list of racial slurs- 90% of which I’d never heard before. It is shocking how many degrading things that we still say to our fellow Americans because we either judge them or are completely ignorant about our world and theirs as well.
This ignorance leads up to a global attitude of Anti-Americanism. Centuries ago, Europeans found Americans to have “No taste, grace, or civility”. We were also accused of being voracious, preachy, mercenary, and bombastically chauvinist. We held double standards- as Samuel Johnson put it, “How is it that we heard the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of Negroes?”.
The events of September 11th are considered quintessential Anti-American acts. Although most middle-eastern leaders condemned the attacks, Saddam Hussein stated that “The American cowboys are reaping the fruit of their crimes against humanity.” We must ask ourselves if he was right in his response. So many countries in Asia have poor opinions of us- as well as Canada. Today Europe almost pities us due to our obesity, ignorance, debt, and mindless wars.
However, there is some hope for us. Australia doesn’t hate us (They actually are pretty chill about everything. That’s why I love them). We have fairly decent relations with South American countries that have right-wing governments, such as Colombia, Peru, and Chile. On the inside, we are also working to fight this view. Twenty-two percent of Americans have a relative that is in an interracial marriage. Our schools and work places are becoming more accepting and integrated in many areas. Changes in immigration, economy, and intercultural exploration are allowing more students to have opportunities for education and success- evening out minorities and helping to deface stereotypes. Still, we aren’t there yet. The world in not ready to forgive us. On the same token, we still are chauvinist and believe we live the best life, and are the best at everything. We think that our armies and religions can solve everyone else's problems. We still hear the echoes of hatred and racism.
I now have a clearer understanding of the reasons the world looks down on America. I now know why Anti-Americanism is so prevalent outside of our United States Bubble. Now I comprehend why my Brazilian friend harbors such disdain. Now I get why the activist and musician Yoon Min-Suk would write protesting, semi violent song entitled “F*cking USA”. It disturbs me, but moves me at the same time. I makes me ponder the question: an I party to these sins? Have I personally helped to re-enforce the foreign opinion that Americans are idiots, as the punk rock band Green Day would put it? As a Christian, this makes me feel fearful that I AM partially at fault. America has always existed on a premise of Christianity. The face of Christ must look unforgiving and dangerous in the images of Katy Perry, Halo, and House. We wonder why so many people reject the concept of God, and a loving savior. Could it be because our ‘Christian’ nation fails to exemplify anything resembling love and acceptance towards other people. There are cats in America, and the streets are not paved with cheese.
Charles Dickens once said “The heaviest blow ever dealt at liberty will be dealt by this country (America), in the failure of it’s example to the earth.” I do value my education, my opportunities, my friends, my state, my freedom, my right to write. I am grateful to be an American. However, I am unsure if I can ever be proud to be one
