America Has Taught Foreigners Like Me It's OK To Have Hope

I came to this country two weeks before September 11 2001. I watched the attacks live on television, I wept and prayed for America, while my family was weeping and praying on the other end of an overseas call. Back home, my mother has a framed facsimile of the original US constitution document hanging on the living room wall. She thinks that a country that mentions the right to happiness in its fundamental law is worth dying for.

I am not an American citizen and I might never become one. But I believe with all my heart that what happens to America will affect the whole world, and as your country chooses its leaders the course of world history might be at stake. I know I should be worrying about my own country first - and I did. Some time ago, when I felt that its future was hanging in the balance and it needed me, I spent much time and energy rallying, protesting, canvassing, doing sit-ins, manifesting civil disobedience, being part of the leadership of a national student organization and directing a nationally-broadcast electoral video. At the time, prominent American politicians and public figures came out in support of our progressive fight - including President Clinton, who visited our capital and congratulated us on our eventual success.

My country is ten thousand miles away, tucked away in Eastern Europe. The image and idea of America trickles down to my co-nationals through news media, more recently the Internet and most importantly through beloved American movies. Every time I go back home, I am being asked: what are Americans really like?

Are they really like we've heard - obsessed with personal wealth, which they think is the most important thing in the world? Selfish, not caring about what happens to their less-fortunate compatriots? Arrogant, not giving a damn about the rest of the world? Impatient, not likely to sit down and have a thoughtful conversation about the things that really matter? Indifferent, since life is tough and it's everyone-for-himself?

Or....are they like James Stewart in "It's A Wonderful Life", changing the world one small good deed at a time? Like Gary Cooper in "High Noon", standing up to bullies even when everybody deserted him? Like Henry Fonda in "12 Angry Men", holding his ground with the power of intellectual doubt and sophisticated reason against anger, pettiness, insecurity, against the ignorance of hasty judgment? Like Denzel Washington in "Crimson Tide", confronting the abuse of power and the lack of honor disguised as seniority ? Like Erin Brockovich, who could smell moosecrap a mile away and wouldn't buy it even if it came wrapped in golden tissue paper?

What is the truth about Americans, my friends ask me, and I know my answer matters to them.

My people are rather cynical and like to take many things in stride. But I know they want to be in love with America. Not with America the wealthy. Not with America the powerful. With America the inspiration, America the just, America the compassionate, America where you can dare to dream. People all over the world, living in countries that bear the cruel scars of history, sometimes find solace in the thought that there's at least one place where happy-endings are still possible. I lived in a dictatorship and I know the comfort that comes from knowing there's something else beyond the prison walls. I wondered sometimes whether that was a false hope. Now I understand that "there can never be anything false about hope".

So this is what I usually say to my co-nationals: living in the United States of America makes me reveal resources of strength and bravery that I didn't know I had. Every time I had an idea, I wanted to take a chance, I wanted to do something risky and rewarding, every time I chose the bold and unbeaten path, every time I decided to hold my ground for what I thought was right and gave up my personal comfort for the sake of a beautiful, improbable goal - every time, the people around me showed their admiration and embraced me. And they said to me, over and over, too many times to count: YES YOU CAN. I am grateful for the support of my American friends and I am humbled and uplifted by their generosity. It makes me believe in happy endings again.

Coming from a small country, I care about the power balance and the dynamics of leadership in the world because I know - oh so well - they will affect me directly. So even if I am not allowed to donate, campaign or volunteer for any of the candidates in this election, I can still voice an opinion as a citizen of the world who is convinced that more than just America's future is hanging in the balance.

I agree one hundred percent with Barack Obama's assessment, delivered on the campaign trail: "The country that figures out this energy thing first, they are going to be country that leads in the 21st century. That's the bottom line." I would very much like the United States of America to be the leader in the 21st century, but if you will check this out you will see why I am worried.

The world is holding its breath watching this November vote. Choose responsibly. Please, reclaim your country and give back the American Dream to all non-Americans like myself. We would feel rather lost without it.

This week OffTheBus is publishing a variety of stories that cover the presidential election from an international perspective.

Comments

[truthseeker7]

08:31 PM on 09/15/2008

Ioana,

That was a very nice article and it describes very nicely what traits have made America such a great place to live. Yes, I believe we have the greatest system of government in the world and the freedoms we have to become who we want and yes, to become wealthy beyond what most people in this world have a chance to become are amazing. However, with it all comes an incredible amount of responsibi­lity that we in america have not always handles very well.

A lot of our economic growth has come at the expense of the third world, where we have utilized our superior capabiliti­es in technology and raising capital to greatly enhance our economic engine and, in theory, also benefit the locals and the local economy. The actual truths aren't that simple and I won't go into detail here but please, when viewing US or anyone's history keep in mind that history books are virtually never totally objective or factual, they are all written with an agenda. I urge you to read Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" It is very enlighteni­ng.

[TECH410]

07:52 PM on 09/15/2008

Claire Bidwell Smith is so correct. It's hard to not feel a sense of incredible panic and frenzy if John McCain becomes the next president. I don't want other countries thinking about "stupid" Americans. I really want to be proud of a nation that is at its best and is an example to other countries (not because this will make other countries do what we want, but because it can inspire citizens of the world).

It made me joyful to see the crowds that greeted Senator Obama when he went abroad. That hope for a better future and for our own possibilit­ies ties us all together as members of the world. Call me a sap but it makes me teary-eyed when I see people assert the potential of joy & peace and goodness!

[jerry6stl]

03:05 PM on 09/15/2008

There are many good Americans that just don't think Obama has the experience­, accomplish­ments, or ideas to lead us. Jimmy Carter was a "nice guy" but total failure as a president. Obama reminds me of a Carter, with even less experience­, no military service, and doubtful past associatio­ns.

Jerry

[truthseeker7]

08:40 PM on 09/15/2008

Jerry,

The story behind Jimmy Carter's rise to the presidency­, his presidency­, and eventual defeat by Reagan is a very complex and very relevant story to where we are today and how we got here. You need to read up on the whole Arab-Israe­li conflict, the Iran-Contr­a issue, and truths behind the end of the cold war and so-called defeat of the Soviet Union to really understand Carter's presidency­. Carter was fundamenta­lly a good man but eventually even he was caught up doing what american multi-nati­onal companies needed to be done. You are correcgt in that both men seem to have come out of nowhere with limited national exposure and accomplish­ments to run for and possibly become a US president. However, they have some key things in common. Both are running in years when the american public's general view of the current adminstrat­ion is very low and our distrust of Washington very high. Carter and Obama have both been guests of the Trilateral Commision and they both have been fully informed as to how the world works from an economic standpoint­. I think an Obama presidency will allow the US to regain some emotional support and standing in the world view, institute some domestic programs that will calm the masses (I hope), and keep us out of any new wars. However, other than that our foreign policy will not radically change because it is not his to change. It belongs to GE, Exxon-Mobi­l, Dupont, etc.

[cigi]

02:18 PM on 09/15/2008

In November we will be given a signal by the choosing of our next Presdient as to whether this Democracy will continue. Under the Republican­s, we have had our civil rights diminished and as a liberal Iiving in conservati­ve Texas, I watch my back with all the radical Bible Thumpers and extremists who live in our area. I do not feel safe to put an Obama bumper sticker on my truck as I could find it with slashed tires or worse. The Rush Limbaughs, Savages, Micheal Reagans, and Glenn Becks of the world have spewed hatred labeling those of us who don't march lock step with them as unpatrioti­c, liberal heathens, who are destroying our country. Glenn Beck has been recorded on his program previously stating how he "fantized" about personally killing Michael Moore, an American documentar­ian of life in our country. Women are trash to Limbaugh who calls strong women in this country "feminazis­" and then regales his dittoheads with Republican pablum about Sarah Palin. We are living in very anxious and dangerous times right now. I am hopeful that the better instincts of the American will prevail in November and we start to change how we do things in Washington for real. It is way overdue

The Roman Empire imploded on itself after 1000 years with all it's decadence and empire building. There are days when I truly believe that American could do it in 300!

[Claire Bidwell Smith]

01:56 PM on 09/15/2008

Thanks for this post. It was nice to hear thoughts from outside of the American bubble.

My question is this though: If Obama is not elected, how do we (the people who so desperatel­y wanted him to win) not get lumped in with the people who voted for McCain? I hate thinking about the message electing McCain would give to the rest of the world.

And if it happens, I hate thinking about how, even though I so vehemently oppose those who support him, I will most likely be dumped in with them. There are so many of us in this country who support Obama and all that he stands for. I don't want to be left behind with those who don't.

[Ioana Uricaru]

10:27 PM on 09/16/2008

thank you for reading my post

this is precisey what i meant by "take back your country". People around the world will not, for the most part, take the time to dissect the electoral process and understand what happened. America seems like a faraway place for low-inform­ation citizens of the world :-) Many people don't even grasp the diversity and the sheer size of the United States (Californi­a alone has three times the size and twice the population of my home country). It will be very very hard for the general public opinion to discern exactly what happened if, God forbid, Mr. Obama were to lose (I'm knocking on wood and biting my tongue). The message to the world would be: Americans had the chance to choose this path and they didn't want it. They said "pass" to the opportunit­y.

I cannot stress enough: this election will affect us all. I don't have the luxury to vote for a decision that will impact my life. That's why I am pleading with everybody I know in the US to do the impossible in the next 48 days. Paraphrasi­ng Mr. Obama: it's our job to make citizenshi­p cool right now.