We talk occasionally about people who left and survived, and those who stayed and died. Those who left in 1939 or 1938, or even earlier – how did they know? Did the others think they were just being paranoid? Did those who stayed do so because they thought it would pass, because they had faith in their neighbors to come to their senses?
This Salon article, “This is not America,” which I found linked at Sue’s which she found at Brian’s, discusses this from an American point of view. Some creepy things are happening in the United States, and a lot of people are accepting them – torture seems to be necessary now, and we are suspicious of each other as our rights erode. Personally, I believe that Americans will come to their senses and that things will get better, although it might not happen automatically. But when I left the US in 1980, my dismay at goings-on under the Reagan administration – and the approval of wide sections of the population – made it easier to go, and to stay away.
It’s nothing new. Nixon was breaking laws and I’m sure he wasn’t the first. But I’ll tell you what was a turning point for me. 4 or 5 years ago I saw footage on BBC of American protestors in California being tortured by police officers. They were handcuffed and a police officer used a cotton swab to apply pepper spray to their eyes as they begged him not to. (Here’s a link to something on that.) Seeing that footage really made me wonder where the United States was heading.
But I’m sure it’s only temporary.
Uh yeah..temporary. Probably. Maybe.
??5{???????? where? Paradise is here, but only what we make of it. Stick around and fight! Die trying!
Ahem.
Well, you know–the United States has always been at war with itself, caught between its ideals and its inequities. Our DUTY as citizens is to insistently renew and expand our rights. Speak out. Act up. Nothing exists in stasis. It’s not necessarily safe, but then, what is?
Just the amount and tenor of the vitriol that’s spouted on certain weblogs and listservs makes me wonder if maybe the new civil war won’t actually be Rich vs. Poor, or Pale vs. Melanin-Rich, but Hawk vs. Dove.
People are so rabidly irrational over here, you would not believe it. It makes no sense, but people actually get seriously worked up about their own opinions and emotional reactions to the media which they just suck up with so many big fat straws. It’s fucking eerie.
I went to the local (upscale organic frou frou Berkeley) supermarket the other day in my typical uniform: jeans cuffed up to the top of my calf-high black leather boots, black long sleeved t-shirt, a watch and a necklace and my hair in a pony tail, and people who would have smiled and nodded or maybe flirted last week were suddenly reacting much more strongly. I either got thumbs up, teary smiles, or furious glares and (from the cashier and my line-mates) the silent treatment. Because they figured I must be on my way home from a hard day protesting.
OK, so I did my part, in that sphere, in the past. I painted banners, I built sculptures, I booked bands, I held cameras and I marched. But dude. Today I fucking worked on my novel, just like when you saw me yesterday.
Here we keep saying we’re leaving “if Bush is elected,” “if we go to war,” “if they don’t find chemical weapons.” I/(then) We were ready to leave, several years ago, but then the whole Pixar thing happened, and… My grandparents-in-law left Vienna when grandpa Fritz’ furniture store was looted. I guess we’ll see what it takes for us.
I’ve been to Canada and several countries in Europe, and I can firmly say I’d never be able to live in any of them. I’m used to the way of life here, and I’d much rather fight to keep my home than throw in the towel and move elsewhere.
Creepy things happen everywhere. However, at least we have the means available to right wrongs. The result has been us turning into an over-litigious society, but I still feel we’re better in the long run for it.
First of all, let me make it clear that I didn’t leave the US for political reasons. I left because I wanted to travel. I stayed away for love, and because things other than a career are important to me. The main reason I wanted to stay here, though, when my wife and I were debating whether to move here or to the States, is simply because my children get a far better education here than they would in the US. I’m serious about that. I agree with Vex in principle that it’s important to stay and fight for the society you want. If all the good people, or liberal people, or whatever people abandon a country, what’s left?
I agree with Jessica that the current split is not rich/poor, which still is in my opinion at the root of most of America’s problems. It has cleverly been channeled into race discord, though, or now, hawk vs dove. The real battle right now, I think, is more a question of intelligence, and love, and tolerance I think, and the willingness to make the effort to understand a situation and generosity to listen to other views, vs closing one’s mind, making only knee-jerk reactions, and letting stupidity and hatred and intolerance guide one’s decisions. And this goes for both sides of the current war/nowar debate. There are intolerant ignoramuses on both sides of the fence.
But the question remains, and it’s a good one, where is the US headed and what are we doing about it? During the Cold War, it was in the interest of US administrations to demonstrate tolerance of dissidents, and to preach human rights, because this shed a harsher light on the Other Side. Now that the Communist bloc has crumbled, however, I see non-violent demonstrators being tortured in the US, and non-violent demonstrators being carted off by American police using painful holds on them. I read reports of prisoners of war, no matter what the Administration decides to call them, being tortured to death in US custody. This is not the America I want, but what can we do about it?
From the Guardian today:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,922632,00.html
very interesting article.
It’s refreshing to see your site for me right now. I just got done posting in my online govt class here in Oklahoma – have to get my degree & a wad of cash to leave the country, you know. Everyone in my class is a TV watching, Christian right-wing sort with no ability to see anything but their own views. They were particularly frenzied today as we had to talk about the war. They wanted to send all the protesters to Iraq with the “burn em like witches!” sort of sentiment. And as far as the media went, my classmates wanted to see everything about the war, no censorship (Heavens! Don’t cut out the drama, too bad for those parents seeing their dead kid on TV), but then they were irritated that their soaps and programs were interrupted with war coverage (darn those people dying over there that are interrupting my Young and the Restless!). Being the only liberal-minded soul in class was rather trying. I felt like the one spot of calm in a storm raging about me. And it is really rather creepy how fanatical people are becoming. There is a definite sentiment that if you are against this war then you are “unpatriotic” and just shy of being totally evil.
But I am glad I can come here, it is good to see people that see what I do, it is good to see the link to Brazil after that maelstrom. Thank you.
Thanks, LIA. Click through the links in my sidebar though, most of them are more level-headed and better-informed than I am. And before you go leaving the country, remember that the United States has no monopoly on ignorance and stupidity. I learned that lesson the hard way.
Although I’m thinking many European countries have better cuisine than Oklahoma. What about moving to another American city? Seattle is nice, for example. Or, before you burn your bridges, tour Europe maybe and see how you like it…