I’ve been asked my more than one person to respond to the Open Letter to America, which is currently burning up the internet so fast, you’d think it was written by rtm.
I am reminded of a time in my own life when I got a letter from someone I really cared about, telling me what I refused to tell myself: I was an asshole.
Set the wayback machine circa 1988 or 1989. I am on top of the world. I travel in limos and fly first class to events where hundreds and sometimes thousands of people scream for me. Everywhere I look, I see my face staring back at me from Teen Cheese and Non-Threatening Boys magazines. I am getting more fan mail than anyone else at Paramount.
I am also desperately unhappy.
===
In the summer of 1988 or 89, I had this huge crush on a girl from school. She was really beautiful, sexy, and fun to be with.
We dated a few times, hung out a lot, and I was really falling for her. Then one day she stopped returning my calls, and coming over.
I was crushed. I didn’t understand what had happened.
Then one morning I got a letter from her. In it, she told me, as delicately as possible, that she just couldn’t be around me any more. I was arrogant, rude, ungrateful for what I had, and I treated her like property. I was demanding, overbearing, unwilling to listen to or respect other people’s opinions. I was a dick, an ass, a jerk. She described to me a person I wouldn’t ever want to sit next to on a bench, much less be.
I was stunned. I took the letter to my best friend Darin, and showed it to him, looking for comfort. He’d help me feel better about this frigid bitch, I thought.
When he was done reading it, he asked me what I thought. I declared, with righteous indignation, that she “didn’t know what the fuck she was talking about”, and that she could “fuck off, because it was bullshit.”
Darin looked at me, and he said, gently, “Wil, you should read it again, because she’s right.”
I looked at him, he looked back at me. This was not the reaction I was expecting.
“What?” I asked, wondering if maybe I’d brought the wrong letter.
“[Her name] wrote you this letter because she cares about you, and she doesn’t like what you’ve become. Frankly, none of your friends do. So you can read it again, and take it to heart, or you can blow it off, and continue to alienate yourself from everyone who cares about you, including me.”
I really respected Darin. He was (is) the most tolerant, patient, loyal, honest person I knew (know). His words, added to those I held in my now-quaking hands were a Rosetta stone. Everything I didn’t like about myself but was unwilling to address was all on those 3 sheets of hand-written 8×10 spiral-bound notebook paper, translated by my best friend into language I could understand.
A door was opened in that moment, and I had a choice to make: walk through and face myself, or ignore it and walk past.
I walked through, and on that day I began the process of re-evaluating my life, my priorities, and most importantly my attitude. It was scary, it was uncertain, it was vital. It was a long process, taking nearly 6 years, but it started that day.
People ask me all the time why I haven’t ended up dead or drug-addicted, or in trouble in the law. The answer is still written on those sheets of paper, long-lost but not forgotten.
To this day I carry more than a little bit of guilt for the way I treated her. I’ve been able to apologize to everyone else who I’ve wronged in my life, but never to her. Maybe she’ll read this and hear me say “Thank you, and I’m sorry.”
So, back to the Open Letter. Do I agree with all of it? No. I think some of it is wildly off-base, and I think the message would be listened to by more people who need to hear it if it wasn’t so inflammatory.
On the other hand, I think that America has an opportunity to walk through an open door, and take a long hard look at ourselves. The simple fact is, America, most of the world really doesn’t like us. We’re arrogant, irresponsible, and unaccountable. We loudly an constantly remind the world that we are a Superpower…well, with great power comes great responsibility, right?
The great thing about America is that We The People have a voice, and the louder that voice, the more insistent that voice, the harder it is to silence.
Let’s raise our voice, and walk through this open door. It’s scary. It is uncertain, but it is vital that we do. It will be a long process, but we can do it.
I’ll take the first step, with this Thought for Today:
“If you succeed through violence at the expense of other’s rights and welfare, you have not solved the problem, but only created the seeds for another.”
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I guess it’s my turn to step up to the mic …
Hello, my name is Danielle and I. Am. Canadian …
There seems to be a good mix of commentary from both Americans and non-Americans alike. The reponses range from whole-hearted agreement to whole-hearted disagreement to the open letter. Now here’s what I have to say, if you care to hear it.
Was the open letter on the money? Yes.
Was it over the top and inflammatory? Yes.
Will it do any good? Only if you see the spirit in which it was written. If you dismiss it as some upstart Canadian spewing stereotypical descriptions of Americans, you have not found the spirit. If you read it, and digest it, and see that an honest and close friend who cares about you has tried to start an “intervention” similar to a standard 12-step program, then maybe you’re getting closer. Instead of sitting by, and watching our neighbour destroy what it has worked for over 200 years to achieve, he has confronted your demons in the hope that you will recognize it in yourself and take the next step.
I have had the fortune to meet many Americans on a personal level. I’ve travelled to many of your states, I’ve stayed in the homes of my friends that I have met through the internet, and I have found that Americans are not that different than anyone else I know.
However, when a stereotypical non-American conceives of a stereotypical American, they see only particular archetypes: The fat cat politician in Washington, the fat cat Wall Street broker in NYC, the fat cat movie producer in Hollywood, and the cousin-marrying, sheet-wearing red necks of the southern states. And they see the fat cat tourist in Europe with their Amex cards, Aloha shirts, Bermuda shorts, and a maple leaf sticker on their luggage (as they try to pass themselves off as Canadians). Does that describe an American? No, not all of them, maybe only a handful. Do people conceive of the single mother in an urban jungle trying to make ends meet? No. Do they see man living on the streets because he’s had to sell all his possessions to pay for his dying wife’s medical bills? No. Do they see the farmer trying to balance weather, insect control, bills, and grain prices? No. Do they see the real, individual American? They see only what they want to see. Or, more so, what the media wants them to see.
Each American is an individual. An individual not that different from myself. Do I eat hamburgers? Yes. Am I overweight? Hell, yeah! Do I use oil and gas and other non-renewable resources? Yes. Does that make me an American? No .. that makes me, me.
Are people in other nations envious of Americans and want to move there? Some, yes, but most don’t.
Would I want to be an American? No (sorry). It’s not that I wouldn’t want to live in your country, it’s just that home is home and home is where the heart is. I love Canada and can’t imagine living anywhere else.
As for the Canadian and American relationship. We are joined at the hip, literally. We share similar histories, and we share ethnic backgrounds. You assimilate into your culture. We accept cultural diversity. We are cousins and best friends. And sometimes we have to sit you down, and help you learn some really tough lessons. Why? Because you need to step through that door.
” I was arrogant, rude, ungrateful for what I had, and I treated her like property. ”
Well, in comparing your own sordid teenage angst tale to the present problems faced by the nation and the world, I think it is safe to say, not much has changed.
-Lupo
To comment on this would only be echoing what some people wrote better already…..> Rhett, Delphine Dave, and Mandy. I am from the US and now a landed immagrant in Canada. I love both countrys. Living here I worry horribly for the US. I don’t want another 9/11
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black,
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages heance:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
~Robert Frost
Wil, I am reading your post with my best friend. And Iam inspired by two things; the way you put things into words,and your honesty, no matter how much it may seem to embarrass you. There are very few people that I know that could write a post like that so eloquently. Thank you for your inspiration.
Wil,
Thank you for your story. I think that was far more helpful than the open letter. I do believe that Americans have lost their sense of accountability and responsibility. It seems they would rather deny themselves freedom than have to think for themselves. I just hope there are more people like you who have relatively far-reaching influence that can help America become what it once was and the better America it could possibly be. It nice to hear from someone who values what it truly means to be American… thanks again.
KJMB
Well, i really dunno what i want to say at the moment other than HEEEEEE HE HEEEEEEEEE and WTF why would you post that!? I really have NO idea whay but then again I am SOOOOOOO NOT you, thank God! No sry that ws rude just kidding. BUT FOR REAL, you are the HOTTEST guy i have ever seen!!!!Well, beisdes River Phoenix but well… he died (as you know) and well… you got bumped to #1.
Oh, and by the way Caroline said that she was readng this with her best frined well…. GUESS WHAT….. that is SOOOOOOOO me!
In regards to Justine’s comment, the urn is SO not a good look for you.
Carolina and Justine please go to the soapbox for any non-topic conversations…..Just so we can keep to the topic.
Mr. Verrey:
You make a very good point regarding the origin of information. I agree with a lot of what you say.
One of the problems, however, lies in the fact that nothing can ever be recorded dispassionately and accurately. No matter who reports an action, it is tainted by that person’s viewpoint, their interpretation of events, even their choice of wording.
As far as I can see it, the only pure truth lies in something like math, and even then it can be iffy.
Despite this, I still see quite a bit of truth, at least from a certain point of view, in that Open Letter. I may not be recieving The Truth, but from what I understand, it makes quite a bit of sense.
One more voice about the open letter:
There are many Americans who are not that. They are routinely shoved aside, stepped on, bashed, smashed, and even killed by those who are.
And now we get to be bashed internationally for the sins of our bashers.
I’m a woman. Bush and his cadre are rapidly eroding my rights to a safe abortion.
I’m a queer. Thanks to Bush and his buddies shoving the political inertia in the wrong direction, there is a near-100% chance that I WILL NEVER BE ALLOWED TO MARRY IN MY LIFETIME. Our Attorney General is someone who plainly thinks that Matthew Shepard and Billy Jack Gaither brought it on themselves.
And now some piss-ass Canadian fuckwit is slamming ME — make no mistake, that letter isn’t talking about “the American way of life,” it’s talking about EACH AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL AMERICAN — for the sins of a powerful group of hateful bubbas who would just as soon as me dead. A powerful group of hateful bubbas, I might add, WHO WERE NEVER LAWFULLY ELECTED ANYHOW. We did not even choose those pricks, remember?
Thanks. Just thanks a whole fucking lot. American doesn’t want my kind. No one else does. I and every other feminist and dyke and fag have been relegated to the status of stateless floater. (Yes, I’m a goddamned queer, and I GET TO USE THOSE WORDS. YOU DON’T. TOO FUCKING BAD.)
International critics would do well to remember that Bush and the rest of his cronies, along with the cracker-bubbas who put him in power, may be dangerous to the world, but THEY ARE MORE DANGEROUS TO US, BECAUSE WE ARE A LOT CLOSER TO THEM. He may anger that Canadian shitwad, but he’s fucking me and my kind over about a dozen times worse.
Not only do I get to watch my rights as a feminist dyke ripped from me, but I get to be identified with them by someone whose window on my nation is 25 inches across and comes with an off switch. Not only are the bashers in charge, but I’m getting blamed for their sins.
The writer of that letter can fuck off and die.
Yeah–you’re really right. America is just one giant pizza factory. We love pepperoni, but know that most of the world doesn’t, so we put it on every single pizza just to piss people off. And then we give them free pizza.
YEAH RIGHT!!! Like they want our stinkin’ pepperoni!
So this should go as a lesson–forget giving other people free pizza. They can stone-fire their own dough and put whatever they want on it. Or hell, let them decide if they want to eat baby octopus or stuffed fig leaves or what have you. I mean, isn’t it obvious that even starving people would rather starve than get a free pizza–with PEPPERONI on it??!! From us???!!!
The best thing is that even we seem to hate our own pizza, but none of us really know much about making it or cooking it. But hell, as long as we can trade our pizza for anything we want with all the other world leaders that we’ve made addicted to pepperoni by the “ultra secret spice” we put in it, all us citizens can fill our bellies with whatever we want. So we just talk about it a lot, and hate it a lot.
Don’t you wish the pizza would just stop coming one day? I mean, that would be such a relief. I, personally, would really like to go hungry. And, to boot, the rest of the world would love it too. So we would have lots of people who would smell the pepperoni on us and hate it, but love the fact that we’re going hungry. Cause they hate the pizza, and never want to eat any. Ever. None of them. And neither do I. I’m going to stop eating today to save the world.
Its so beautiful reading all of you children, listening to you stick your tongues up Wil’s ass telling him how wonderful he is. Wil’s agenda is to get you to read crap like the ‘open letter’. Kurtz was right. Slaughter them all, pig after pig, cow after cow. Drop the bomb. Even on the Canadians.
I’ll sum everything up in one word. Amen.
j.robinson-parran
64 comments, 90% of them mature and thoughtful, regardless of if you agree or not.
At least people are talking.
The other 10% of you, and you (and we) know who you are. Shame on you. Your childish name-calling and blanket generalizations serve no purpose, other than to validate the author’s opinion.
But at least people are talking.
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*****
Very well said!!! I read it and it made me think. You’re right!! Keep up the good wisdom. I’ll try to pass these quotes on to others. You’re not so bad!! Anymore, that is. j/k!! Luv ya lots!! *cough*HOTTIE*cough*!! 😀 ~~*Gooniegirl*~~
*****
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Gooniegirl, can I ask you not to put the borders around your posts? They mess with the comments window.
Either way, have a nice day 🙂
Rather obvious point some people who don’t like the letter seem to forget, is that it’s OK to love your country, and even think it’s the best in the world, yet still understand that it’s got serious flaws. Some of the responses are along the lines of “well we’re the best, therefore we’re perfect, therefore no one’s got a right to criticise us”
Me, I’m pretty proud of my country, but I’m not such an idiot as to think it’s not in need of serious improvement. There’s a difference between patriotism and blind, unthinking jingoism.
Oh, just in response to one particular post, Ms Jani Cortese, get that effing enormous chip off your shoulder, baby. I’m sure you enjoyed your rant, and are convinced that the world hates you, particularly that writer (and now probably me), but you can’t see that virtually every single person who wrote positively in some way about the letter distanced themselves from the tone of the letter, and was able to distinguish between ‘America the corporate state, with a compliant populace’, and individuals with individual issues about their governemtn. We could all make that distinction, why couldn’t you.
(another) Wil
KJB
I agree with you, in almost any aspect of our life, there is no ‘Pure’ truth that we can find.
I merely believe that we should strive to place ourselves as close to the source as possible.
I dislike the Open Letter (and most opinion pieces for that matter) because it puts us so far from the source that it takes us into fantasy, the realm of satire and Star Trek. Star Trek is great, and it has changed my view of the world, but I don’t expect to see any transporters anytime soon, right?
It is easy to see patterns where there are none. Like finding the ‘666’ all over the place in the bible base on syllable counting, or John Nash from “A Beautiful Mind” who thought he could see the secret spy messages in our newspapers.
Plausibly, with the information I have, I can come up with a firm belief that America is an international self-serving bully that rules by fear.
Plausibly, with the information I have, I can come up with a firm belief that America is the noblest country in the world, protecting us all from a nuclear apocalypse.
They may not be The Truth, but from what I understand, both of them make quite a bit of sense. They make for great stories. I could easily write a book about each of them.
Even though they are contradictory.
That is scary. It means I don’t have nearly enough information to make a real decision. Even scarier, there are many other political situations (Israel vs. Palestine) that fall under the same plausibility problem.
Don’t believe the Open Letter just because it sounds right.
It’s no good if this is just a popularity contest.
I wouldn’t be saying this if I didn’t believe there was a real solution, and it has nothing to do with finding the ‘truth’, it has to do with applying specific solutions to specific problems. Don’t worry about whether America is ‘evil’ or not. Just find out what specific reasons they had to say, bomb a place that was filled with innocent people.
Wow, Wil.
I would have to say that some points in that open letter is rather direct. Most of the world deems the US as bullies. I, as an Asian, living in a country that is fighting the balance of power between secular moderates and idiotic radicals, know that American people in general are not idiots, eat too much burgers, drive gas guzzling SUV (get a Honda!)
But the US government’s policy (or should I say Bush’s) has made everyone despise Americans. My best friend is a Yank (hell, Republican even) but we get along well after 15 years.
Figure this out. Bin Laden was aided by the US to fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan, Mad Ass Sadam helped by Bush senior when he was in the CIA, most of the arms and weapons in 80% of the conflicts are American… the list goes on.
As an Indonesian, I am aware of the many critisms a citizen takes when their government does something wrong (Timor, Aceh, West Papua, corruption, bombings, religous strife, etc… the list goes on). But I believe Indonesians are not going to let another dictator take over after 32 years of abject totalitarianism in the name of “preserving the security and sactity of the state”.
I won’t go to the US anymore although I love California (lived in Irvine). To get a visa means 8 hours of lines, 2 hours for interviews, and a 1-3 month wait while they check your background. I’d rather go to Canada.
Think of all the talent the US is missing out by putting up roadblocks. All the genuiene people who just want to start afresh.
With people like Ashcroft and Bush, I’d rather stay in my war ridden land and rid it out or go to Canada, where the government there has more sense.
What ever happened to peace on earth?
Someone once gave me three advices:
(1) be objective;
(2) learn from your mistakes;
(3) and never, ever stop learning.
I found these three advices seemingly appropriate
when reading a letter like that “open letter to
America”…The letter may be overtly inflammatory
or incorrect. But if we(*) decide not to learn from
its content or we merely throw back flamebaits to
the listeners of the other world, what will we become?
My point here, which totally agrees with Wil’s, is
that it doesn’t *really* matter whether the letter
is right or wrong completely. What really matters
is what we are going to learn from it; and most
importantly what we are *really* going to do about
it.
-B
(*)I’m not an American (nor do I wish to become one
at this point of my life). But I’ve been educated and
living in the U.S. for the last 12 years, which I
think would allow me to speak about the U.S. from the
one of foreign residents’ in America sort of stand
point. Shamefully I understand this country better
than I do my own…
Open Letter to One & All;
I have read the
I am an American, but living in Sweden it is actually dangerous for me to wear anything with an American symbol on it, because of their strong distaste for my home country. Its scary at times, but it makes me want to show more Americans that things aren’t exactly perfect.
Perhaps there is a new proverb we need to make up.
“A friend who warns you that you are an arsehole is a friend indeed”
Hi,
I’m Irish.
Not that 3rd generation pseudo hibernian oddity of which there are so many around the world. They are so amusing to us.
Americans do get some BAD press over here. The sanction against Europe because we won
Nice to see there are americans who got the message.
when looking for a solution to the worlds great problems the first place one should look is in the mirror.
Wil! You are right about how the world look at America. Find the door and take a run for it. Join the world outside.
in reference to the post from dev of ireland…when participating in an argument about politics or religion with a 3rd generation pseudo hibernian irish person…you still need to come to the argument with a dictionary…and an encyclopedia…at least you do if its an argument with someone in our family…some things don’t change.
“This is all documented fact and if this is documented fact, maybe all his other accusations are documented fact.”
–Evil Jimi
It is also documented fact that in the 1930s there was a plan to split Israel between Jews and Arabs (with Jews getting 1/3) and the Arabs rejected it. This happened again in the 1940s. In the 1970s Israel offered Gaza to Egypt, but Egypt didn’t want Gaza. Jordan has expressed zero interest in the West Bank, even though both countries originally had this land. The PLO charter *STILL* contains the clause that their primary goal is to drive ALL OF ISRAEL into the sea. This clause has not been removed. Two years ago Israel offered Arafat a very reasonable peace deal, which he rejected…and there’s nothing completely wrong with rejection, but Arafat OFFERED NOTHING in return. The way peace negotiations generally work is when something is rejected, a counter-offer is proposed. But not proposing a counter-offer suggests, at least to me, that there is one side in this dispute with no real interest in peace. But it should come as no surprise, since the PLO charter has always stated they have no interest in peace. (Unless you define peace the same way Hitler did)
This doesn’t excuse all actions done by Israel. But to suggest that the Palestinians are innocents is extremely misleading. A good first-move might be for them to change the PLO charter. A second move might be to finally make a counter-offer to Israel.
—
I agree with Wil that there is a lot of thought-provoking material in the Open Letter, but that its inflammatory nature will mean that it is listened to by fewer people.
Everybody who keeps bashing Wil’s wife just needs to chill and leave him be. Fat girls need love too! I think it’s great that a used-up fatty with a kid was able to land a *somewhat* normal guy like Wil. If playing “find the hole” in a tub of lard every night makes Wil happy, then who are you to judge?
Oil, Oil, it’s all about Oil.
Just wait until Hydrogen Power Cells become the main source of energy, then it will be;
Water, Water, it’s all about Water. The middle east will be forgotten.
The US will stick a big straw in the Great Lakes and – suck-a-slurp – gone!
But what do I know. Carry on people. We only need four billion more of us on Earth to suck it completely dry.
I’m going to go hug a tree now.
Water, Water, it’s all about water.
81 comments, 90% of them from people who have absolutely no idea what America is about, and blame all the ills of the globe on the one country most third world shitholes wish to call home.
But hey, at least people are talking.
The other 10% of you, and you (and we) know who you are. Good for you. At least you don’t visit this site to kiss the ass of some washed-up kid actor and serve his anti-America agenda. But keep those breast cancer donations coming!
And hey, at least people are talking.
Man I read that letter when it was posted on fark. . and it’s still funny. Don’t find whats so offensive
Mr. Wheaton, . SIR …. you have grown up nicely.
LOTS of people NEVER realize what you did.
WE are thankful she wrote you that letter..and I
would bet ANNE is too.
Well done.
Ummm, dude? What’s the deal with the bowling shirts? It’s not like I’m obsessed with your wardrobe or anything. Just curious.
People may agree or not agree with the Open Letter. However, since the roots of these anti-American feelings lie mainly in facts happened a lot of time before 9/11, everyone should wonder wheter there is something wrong in the American behaviour towards the rest of the world.
Set the wayback machine in the 70s, does anyone remember a Randy Newman’s song entitled “Political science” ?
As you can see, Mr. Newman was already quite aware of this problem…
Here an excerpt from the song:
“No one likes us
I don’t no why.
We may not be perfect
but heaven knows we try.
But all around even our old friends put us down.
Let’s drop the big one and see what happens.
We give them money
But are they grateful?
No they’re spiteful
and they’re hateful.
They don’t respect us so let’s surprise them;
We’ll drop the big one and pulverize them……”
Geez. I’m so glad I tuned into postNG Wil – I had no idea you were as conscientious, eloquent and open as you are. Bravo, my man. I’ve been through a very similar awakening myself in recent years and understand the sentiment completely.
A very thoughtful response, Wil. I’m glad some one cared about you enough to tell you the truth. You might have woken up to the truth of how others saw you and how your actions effected them, but I’m afraid the U.S. won’t heed anyone’s words.
Well, all this discussion made me actually go back and read the Open Letter. The first time I saw it, I made note of the tone of the letter and skipped on past it. After reading it, I think it was obviously written to anger Americans rather than to make them sit down and think about how they are perceived in the world, etc. If the shrillness is removed, do I think there are some valid criticisms in it? Yes. Had I already thought that these things were wrong? Yes. Do I think there are some totally crackpot criticisms in it? Yes. Am I offended that the author totally skipped over a rant on Area 51? Absolutely! (Well, not really, but some of that conspiracy stuff…)
Mostly, I think the letter would have been vastly more effective if it had been written in a calmer, more well-considered manner.
Although many people in the world think of America as a bully, always imposing our will on others, (and I can see why they feel that way), they should consider that being the last “superpower” puts us in a really difficult position. Whenever anything goes wrong anywhere in the world, people yell for us. If we get involved, some people aren’t going to be happy. If we don’t get involved, some people aren’t going to be happy. There doesn’t seem to be any real solution – we just have to do what we think is the best thing to do. Sometimes we’ll be right, and sometimes we’ll be wrong.
P.S. I didn’t vote for George W. or his “shadow government”, but I don’t believe the terrorist attacks on the WTC were government-sanctioned. Geez…
I have to wonder what was so “anti-american” about you. You stated that you don’t agree with everything that the open letter said. Reading your past entries you strike me as an intelligent, creative, and patriotic person. You don’t agree with a policy before thinking about it. Similarly, you don’t condemn without donating reason and thought to the matter in advance. I respect that. I might not agree with you on everything, but I respect you nonetheless! (-:
I enjoyed the counterpoint between the letter from your friend and the letter to America. You are a very good writer, Wil. Have you ever considered pulling a Steve Martin and writing features for major magazines?
It’s people like Wil that really make me want to get on with my life, to continue my education. I know I have the potential, I just have to get started. This book’s to you, Wil. Thanks.
OK, this “letter” really, as shown at the end, addresses violence–or, perhaps more accurately, American foreign policy, particularly military strategy. The key points Wil makes are: 1) We are “arrogant, irresponsible and unaccountable,” and 2) for these reasons, “most of the world really doesn’t like us.” Lastly, it is suggested that this situation can be remedied by walking through some ambiguous door, and taking “a long, hard look at ourselves.”
I’m sorry, but this argument is based on so many broad generalizations that it is very difficult to discuss. If certain policies were isolated, these posts would have a lot more direction, I think. Nevertheless, I’ll give my response an honest shot.
As it is, the conundrum of “being American” has permeated the psyche of us US nationals, and this “letter” and the majority of responses prove it. For some reason, many Americans are ashamed of their own national identity or overapologetic to those who would stigmatize them. You know what? There are also people in the world who absolutely love pizza and others that absolutely hate it. Does that mean either side is right? Not necessarily.
What is further disconcerting is the fact that along with this eager willingness to accept fault, blame and guilt comes a tendency to project all this on the government, the military-industrial complex or something we as individuals don’t form a direct part of. The proposed solution to the “problem stated” is one that seems woefully external to all Americans–“it’s the government’s fault and they need to turn things around and take a good look at the world.” What will we as citizens do? Answer: play video games, or insert “x” self-driven activity here. (Note: especially in Canada and Europe, citizens lead much the same lives.)
Two main points to follow this:
a) In spite of the criticisms of many, there are plenty of things the US has done and continues to do that benefit the world. The initiative America has taken in revolutionizing much of the world’s research, technology, and building infrastructure in other countries is astounding. Now, much unhappiness many exude comes from American importation of technology through multinationals. At first, in these cases, the distribution of profit IS skewed–almost all nationals are employed in labor rather than management. Obviously, this system is evolving continuously, and cases of the real world have proven that industry and technology can be gradually absorbed and taken over by what started as mere “host” countries to it. And what is the alternative? Pumping free money into the public or private sector of other countries has proven to play into the hands of the grossly corrupt and not benefit the middle (if existent) and lower classes.
Speaking to US military policy–we have the biggest guns in the world. Where do we go from here? If we throw them in a heap and burn them all, we no longer have any means to cause justice by coercion when necessary (Those scoffing at this opinion, violence IS a legitimate means of achieving justice; consider this: you are walking down the sidewalk when someone steals your purse or wallet off your body. You yell after the culprit and begin chase, but to no avail. Your hollering attracts the attention of several policemen across the street and down a couple of blocks. They tackle the robber, in full sprint still, after yelling at him to stop, wrestle him to the ground where he is still struggling, take your wallet or purse back and return it to you. Voila. Notice that the police did not shoot the thief in the head–killing is not the only means of violence, and the presence of weapons merely creates an imminent threat.) So, with the knowledge of this comparative advantage we must determine when to use it. This is a very difficult thing, and I won’t try to lay out any solution. I will, however, re-address the tendency we have to criticize, this time concerning American military action. A friend of mine once blathered for months about what a stupid injustice taking lots of guns over to Afghanistan was, and that no one deserved to lose their lives over the actions of a few. She then rejoiced when Afghani women in Kabul were able to exercise more equal rights and not be absolutely bound by traditional rules of conduct (not so coincidentally occurring with the entering of troops into the capital and the ousting of the Taliban). Was this merely a trick of journalism to pretend these things happened at the same time, or a cultural injustice to believe that men and women both as human beings are entitled to have the same rights and freedoms? Perhaps. But I think this example illustrates how we all like to have our cake and eat it too, and it’s never a military cake. Wouldn’t it be nice….but the US is not Costa Rica.
b) OK, sure, the US government has made mistakes (who in the world hasn’t?). Can or should we, as US citizens, absolve ourselves from this situation? I don’t think so. Although there are a lot of ignorant armchair loudmouths and back-seat drivers in this country, there are also a lot of activists who know that our political system allows for a myriad of inputs. Change is possible. The voice of the people, if loud enough, does have an effect on public policy (for those who don’t agree, think REAL hard about the definition of public policy. Then ask yourselves: have you ever written or made an appointment to visit your Congressman?)
The point here is: talking about things is a great way to evaluate our own thoughts and opinions and disseminate knowledge on many subjects. But this is just the first step. APPLYING this knowledge is the important part. So if you really believe that such injustice is happening, do something about it. It’s obvious there are enough bandwagon-jumpers who visit this website to get something going if you all wanted to, if you all chose to inform yourselves completely and correctly on the issues you truly want to address. However, from the starting point of this “letter,” there is a hell of a lot of specification and clarification to be done.
So more power to you. But think twice about a) what the US does for the world (and the consequences of the hypothetical absence of these activities) and b) your own, very serious role to play in this “problem.” Just don’t be one of those people who makes an internet post or forwards a “save the starving children” e-mail, but never lets their activism past the computer screen.
Wil,
You’re right. The letter certainly has brought out the best and most rational in many of the posters here. However, along with the good come the bad and the ugly.
Folks, there’s a difference between honest disagreement and name-calling jingoism. Figure out what it is. Do it *before* you let someone whose sense of outrage got the better of his or her rational thought processes waste space in your brain. Zero in on their main ideas, not the garbage in which they dress their ideas. If that’s not possible, then consider whether or not the person is worth tangling with in the first place.
There is no relation between talking politics and dissing someone’s wife (as FatChicksRule has done — she apparently doesn’t know the difference between boorishness and expressing pride in her body attributes).
Honest people should be able to disagree without resorting to sandbox tactics.
And, for what it’s worth, I found the Open Letter thought-provoking, but misguided in its attempt to rationalize hate. No doubt there are some ideas expressed in it that are uncomfortably close to the truth. But, they don’t justify the writer’s faulty action in lumping a whole nation of people under a label that is neither accurate nor kind. I feel sorry for him, not angry at him. I don’t like it when our so-called president lumps a whole group of people (Islamics) under an “axis of evil” title, nor do I think it’s any more justified when a Mullah does it (“Great Satan America”). Those kinds of statements are made simply in order to gain power for the person who utters them — be they mullah, president, or ranting letter-writer.
Wil,
Thanks for sharing your experience, Wil. I do not generally comment, but I see the analogy perfectly and agree in part. As an American, I see our own foibles and follies; however I feel the letter is too extreme. But, I have enjoyed checking out everyone else’s opinions. Oh and, hey, don’t stop the analogies! Thanks again. I really do enjoy what you have to say, not as an actor, not as a teeny idol, not as a comedian, but as another parent and PERSON. Total package. This is my first visit to the site after an extremely busy summer, but I was not disappointed in the least. Same life stories, same thoughts on the world around us. Thanks Wil. J.
I definitly dont agree with that open America letter at all!
For the flip side:
http://www.andrewsullivan.com/main_article.php?artnum=20020811
Written by a Brit, living in the USA.
Here’s an idea. Let’s withdraw all our forces from the Middle East, Europe, and the Pacific (saving trillions of dollars), erect giant fences around our borders, and sit on our hands while Islamists continue to rape and murder women, gays, Jews, and anyone else who doesn’t worship Allah (maybe they’ll spare the appeasers in Europe for the time being). Let’s continue to allow millions of Christians to be slaughtered in Sudan (the count is two million in the last seven years) and allow the Chinese to go undetered as they continue to threaten the freedom-loving people of Taiwan. Yeah, let’s yank those arrogant, brutish, and bullying soldiers of our risked their pointless lives to rescue millions in Afghanistan from starvation, disease, and tyranny. And hey, screw the Israelis, those racist bastards who actually have over one million Arab citizens worshipping as they please (where else is a Jew or a Christian allowed to worship freely in the Middle East). We should just cut off all financial support immediately and let those brave suicide murderers continue to blow up those greedy Jews and their sinful Pizza Huts. It’s just a “cycle of violence” anyhow and both are equally to blame. Yeah, really good post, Wil. Right on. How very thoughtful.
an additional comment from a canadian,
what disturbed me about the letter was the writers assurance that the problem lay entirely with america. Canadians eat too much fast food, drive too many SUVs, and participate in many of the same follies as the americans. The writer is correct, but maybe he should be addressing a similar letter to all of us.
As for the political comments, I sincerely believe that that’s the result of the united states government, not the average american. Your awareness of issues and courage to speak up to your government can change the world though – no citizens of any other nation have that power.