A close reading of the title will reveal at least two possible interpretations: 1) that the week has been hell because I have been doing nothing except writing three large and important papers (true), and 2) that it has been an astonishing week in terms of world events (also true). I had to do a triple-take on Monday morning when I was perusing the BBC headlines online and saw that Osama bin Laden had been killed. Even after I had read the news article properly, it didn't sink in. Ten years brought to a conclusion in a single night - it's unreal.
As good liberal arts students engaging the world, Travel Buddy Jesse (just arrived to Norwich from a semester in India) and I discussed our feelings concerning bin Laden's death over pancakes and tea (I'm a converted tea-drinker now). I was still working on absorbing the news, but I was not feeling any of the wild enthusiasm that seemed to be buzzing around Facebook. My news feed had exploded with people celebrating bin Laden's death - Dickinson seems to have gone absolutely mad, and judging from the YouTube videos and the campus-wide emails following Sunday night, things got out of hand. I understand that the actions of a few students who acted out inappropriately have reflected negatively on a much larger number of students who maintained their self-control and had more thoughtful reactions. But the drunken revelries and swinging from lamp posts that have popped up on YouTube, and especially the slandering of the ROTC program, are extremely disappointing. We are so much better than that Dickinson, as we proved earlier this semester when we succeeded in forcing the administration to review the school's sexual assault policy. After being removed from campus for a year, hearing about behaviour like this is upsetting.
And it's not just Dickinson - that's just close to home. The fact that people were gathered in the streets chanting, "USA! USA!" seems really disturbing to me. This is not the Olympics - it is the death of a person. Again, I understand that there is an entire spectrum of reactions, and the actions of people on the news do not represent most of the nation. I also understand that this person was the most wanted man in the world, that he masterminded attacks that killed thousands of people and broke apart thousands of families, for no other reason than his hatred of America. But to celebrate his death in such a loud, enthusiastic fashion strikes me as inappropriate.
First of all, bin Laden's death does not mean that our problems with terrorist groups are going to come to an end. I am not trying to diminish the military's accomplishment in any way, but I don't know how much this is going to change the War on Terror. The primary figurehead is dead, yes, but just a few days before bin Laden was killed the Taliban announced their spring offensive, and now the entire world is on alert for retaliatory attacks. The issues that bin Laden stood for still exitst. Secondly, I see the death of Osama bin Laden not so much as a victory but as a signal of a failure to reach any kind of cross-cultural understanding. It was a failure on the parts of both groups to step out of a narrow mindset in order to understand the persepective of the other side, and both sides resorted to violence. The past ten years have perpetuated dangerous stereotypes both about Americans and about Muslims. We saw this when we visited a mosque in London at the beginning of our time here - the man who was supposed to be talking with us assumed our complete ignorance of Islam, and we were unable to enter into any kind of fruitful dialogue. There is still so much work to do, and I am worried that the rowdy celebrations that have graced the news in the past few days are going to reflect badly on American culture. After all, what does it say about us that we meet the news of a death with chants and confetti?
This question comes partly from the fact that I've spent the past nine months living in a country that, although it tolerates Americans, seems to think that we're all crass, loud, and either like former President George Bush or the cast of Jersey Shore. One of my friends derives great joy from posting videos of stupid Americans on my Facebook wall (think Jay Walking, then multiply it). During the first few weeks of my time here, one of my flatmates (who is now a wonderful friend) said to me, "Wow, so not all Americans are stupid, then." I was both a little bit flattered and a lot a bit disturbed, and it made me reconsider the image that America projects to the rest of the world: we are the biggest, baddest kid on the playground when it comes to international politics, and then we broadcast trashy shows such as Jersey Shore or The Real Housewives of No One Actually Cares Where . No wonder the rest of the world has such a warped view of us.
The rest of the inspiration comes from my recent musings on various codes of conduct. I've been working on a paper arguing that Sir Thomas Malory's canonical text Le Morte d'Arthur is actually a critique of King Arthur for failing to establish a successful code of behaviour for the Round Table, eventually leading to its ruin. (Yes, I reference King Arthur when I discuss current affairs. He's a legendary hero - part of his role is to act as a vehicle for modern ideals and anxieties. And yes, that is the thesis of another one of the papers that I'm working on, although that one is about Robin Hood.) Arthur in Malory's text resorts to violence, as well - "Might over Right," as it is sometimes referred to. Other medieval texts, especially romances, also criticize this approach and advocate instead the code of "Right over Might." I think that this breakdown applies equally well to America - we seem to be a nation of Might over Right, and historically that is not sustainable.
I do not want to sound un-American, and I really do hope that Osama bin Laden's death can bring some peace to those families who lost loved ones in the September 11 attacks. But being removed from the country for so long has made me think a lot about America's global image, and I do not necessarily like what I have found. In Britain, there was no rioting or crazy celebrating at the news of bin Laden's death (at least, not that made the national news). Even this country's latest day of celebration, the Royal Wedding, was met with a proper measure of dignified excitement. It was a big deal. A really Big Deal. But nothing got out of hand, and everyone conducted themselves well - as the commentators on the BBC live coverage said, it was a great day to be British. Part of this was the famous British reserve that is definitely still present in the Royal Family even if it is decreasing elsewhere - Kate Middleton was actually praised for her reserve throughout her relationship with Prince William - but part of it is common sense, I believe, and the realization that just because people are celebrating does not mean that they have to make complete idiots of themselves. After all, the entire world was watching. While I think that the pomp, circumstance, and solemnity that surrounded the Royal Wedding was a bit much, I think that there is a valuable lesson to be learned about public conduct and public image.
I'm sorry if I'm sounding like an ex-patriot. There are a number of things that I value about America - our Constitution, our education system, our efficiency, our ability to deal with snow quickly and effectively, our diversity as a nation - but part of the whole study abroad experience is supposed to be gaining a better awareness of your own country and how it has affected you. I am undeniably an American - my accent says so, my passport says so, my world view says so. I grew up as an American, and it is where I come from both physically and philosophically. It influences the way that I see the world and the preconceptions that I have, but I have realized this year that it does not have to define me. This really dawned on me when I arrived at London Stansted Airport from Croatia. The customs officer asked me what I was doing in England, stamped my visa, and said, "Welcome back" as he handed me my passport emblazoned with the gold eagle on the front, declaring me "American! American!" He acknowledged that this was not my only defining characteristic, however - he saw that I was a student, a traveller, someone out to see the world, and he was welcoming me back to the place that I have called home for the past nine months. I can change the way that I think about the world, I can change where I am going from here. America is my past and it influences my present and will continue to influence my future, but it does not dominate that future. I can disagree with my country, and I do not always have to be proud of it.
Alright, I'm done for now, promise. My next update will follow soon - my papers are due in on Monday. I just gave myself a break today because I finished all of my drafts (huzzah!!!!). But I'll post about happier things next time, like Venice!
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