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2003-03-10

"Toward A More Perfect Union"," Why I Hate America 12/13/01

I¡¯ve been asking myself why I hate America, why the anger rises up when I hear words about America¡¯s triumph over terrorism. Why am I so perverse when America is doing so much good and is being successful in
making the world a better place? When the news media and solemn
politicians say that we must stand united, bless America and support it¦Ðs
wars, why do I feel just the opposite. Why do I feel unpatriotic,
cynical and disgusted with this country. Perhaps there is something to
be learned here. Perhaps, if I, as a USA citizen, born, raised and
educated here, prospered here, can discern this antipathy, it might give
some indication why much of the rest of the world feels that way and that
Pres. Bush and the American public seem to have no idea about.

First of all, what is America? I am not referring to the geographical
entity of the USA which is quite beautiful outside the ruined cities,
debased countryside and vast stretches of wasteland. There is much
beauty here in the forests, shores, mountains, lakes and rivers, plains
-- the physical nature of America is not what I am talking about. I am
not talking about ¡Ýthe American people¡Ü directly which obviously at
280,000,000 is quite diverse and multifaceted. I am also not talking
directly about ¡Ýwhat America stands for¡Ü as far as history, principles
and values which are variable and diverse from the most admirable to the
most loathsome. However, I am speaking about the American people and
what America stands for indirectly in that I am speaking about the
American attitude. If one can believe the mass media, civic and
religious leaders and politicians, the over riding attitude that
Americans have about America is that it is the best place in the world,
with superior citizens, leadership and morality.

In and of itself, this arrogance, bragging and smugness would not seem
so hateful except for two reasons: it is based on falsehood and deception
and it is based on the deprivation and diminution of people in places
that are not the USA. Arrogance and bragging are not in themselves major
hateful qualities but when they are coupled with cruelty, hypocrisy,
cheating and savagery, they become almost unbearable. It is the glaring
contradiction of the ¡Ýgreatness of America¡Ü with the depredations and
barbarity of America that leads one into despising the country in which
one was born. Perhaps this is what many foreigners see -- the lie, the
ugly lie that is so infuriating. Perhaps they see the democracy that
elects venal fools, the media that controls the citizens minds, the
arrogance of the rich, the degradation of the poor, the racial hatred,
the religious intolerance, the debased environment -- all the wonderful
and great things that God has bestowed upon his favorite people. Perhaps
many people in the world see, as I do, the evil hand of America that
allows the cruelest, most repressive of regimes to survive if it serves
the purposes of America while destroying others what do not benefit
America -- look to the recent history of Central and South America, Asia
or Africa, if you do not know what I am referring to because the catalog
of hideous American intervention is very long.

And what is one to think of the slaughter of innocent civilians, the
looting of natural resources, the exploitation of labor, the insults and
humiliations that countries that are not America or it¦Ðs chosen friends
have to endure in the face of taunting arrogance of the superiority of
American democracy, freedom, morality, wealth and intelligence. And, in
deed, there is great wealth except those who are not so fortunate to
share in it¡¯s distribution and there are clever people who have made
clever discoveries and devices; that cannot be disputed. There is also
this ¡Ýkind of¡Ü democracy and freedom to be ignored and assumption that
the FBI won¡¯t come calling -- you can carry your placard, write letters
to the editor, sign petitions -- all for nothing. And what of this
American morality, this American compassion -- I don¡¯t see it in the
bombing, in the amassing of wealth at the expense of the disadvantaged,
in the suffering around the world, for the new found interest in the
liberation of women of Afghanistan. I guess that is what it is that is
so infuriating: the sham, the fraud -- the country is full of hatred,
violence and madness -- watch television or read your daily newspaper if
you don¡¯t think so. And I guess that only adds to the anger: Americans
will watch television or read their newspapers and magazines and see
greatness and goodness while I see deception, misery, insanity,
viciousness. Am I the only one.

And let¡¯s talk about culture, the culture of America. The mass culture,
the culture that is enjoyed by the overwhelming numbers of Americans is
of the worst degraded quality imaginable. In popular music, art
(television and movies), cuisine, style, literature we find the
trashiest, lowest and most depraved being the most popular. So this is
what we have: the fantasy of the superiority of America against the
reality of miserable America and the fantasy of the goodness of America
against the reality of an aggressive, brutal, murderous America. Is it
no wonder the country is awash in mind numbing drugs of the illegal and
legal variety? Is it possible that a country can look into the vacuous
face of George W. Bush and see greatness and goodness. What kind of a
country kills thousands in Afghanistan but admits to nothing, that looks
the other way. What kind of a country takes advantage of a national
tragedy to take away citizen¡¯s rights, give more money to the rich,
spread fear throughout the land and at the same time engage in the most
boastful and self satisfied rhetoric. That¡¯s what I see: lies, hatred,
savagery, stupidity -- maybe that is what some other people also see but
apparently they don¡¯t live in America.